Shloka 64
कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ४०
Karṇa’s Pressure on the Pāñcālas; Duryodhana Disabled; Arjuna’s Counter-Advance
काक उवाच उच्छिष्टदर्पितो हंस मन्ये55त्मानं सुपर्णवत् । अवमन्य बहुंश्वाहं काकानन्यांश्व पक्षिण:
kāka uvāca ucciṣṭa-darpito haṃsa manye ’tmānaṃ suparṇavat | avamanya bahūn śvāhaṃ kākān anyāṃś ca pakṣiṇaḥ ||
Con quạ nói: “Hỡi thiên nga, vì ăn đồ thừa mà ta sinh kiêu mạn, tưởng mình như Suparṇa (Garuda). Trong ngạo khí ấy, ta khinh miệt bao con quạ khác và cả các loài chim khác nữa.”
काक उवाच
Educational Q&A
Pride born of low or unworthy gains (here, ‘leftovers’) leads to delusion and contempt for others; ethical conduct requires humility and accurate self-assessment rather than self-inflation.
The crow addresses the swan and confesses his earlier arrogance: he became conceited, imagined himself as powerful as Garuḍa, and insulted many crows and other birds—setting up a moral reflection on misplaced pride.