महाभारतम् — ८.२८

संजय उवाच ।

मारिषाधिरथेः श्रुत्वा वचो युद्धाभिनन्दिनः ।
शल्योऽब्रवीत्पुनः कर्णं निदर्शनमुदाहरन् ॥

M N Dutt Sanjaya said Hearing the words of the great car-warrior Karna who took delight in battle Shalya again said to hiin, citing an example.

८.२८.२

यथैव मत्तो मद्येन त्वं तथा न च वा तथा ।
तथाहं त्वां प्रमाद्यन्तं चिकित्सामि सुहृत्तया ॥

M N Dutt O Vrisha, you appear like an intoxicated man. For all that, out of friendship I will try to cure you of your mistakes.

८.२८.३

इमां काकोपमां कर्ण प्रोच्यमानां निबोध मे ।
श्रुत्वा यथेष्टं कुर्यास्त्वं विहीन कुलपांसन ॥

M N Dutt Hear, O Karna, this allegory of a crow that I will relate. Hearing this, you may do whatever you like, O you shorn of intelligence and the wretch of your family.

८.२८.४

नाहमात्मनि किंचिद्वै किल्बिषं कर्ण संस्मरे ।
येन त्वं मां महाबाहो हन्तुमिच्छस्यनागसम् ॥

M N Dutt O Karna, I do not remember a single sin in me for which you desire to kill me innocent as I am.

८.२८.५

अवश्यं तु मया वाच्यं बुध्यतां यदि ते हितम् ।
विशेषतो रथस्थेन राज्ञश्चैव हितैषिणा ॥

M N Dutt I must tell you what is good for you and what is bad. I know both and besides I am the driver of your car and wish good to the king Duryodhana.

८.२८.६

समं च विषमं चैव रथिनश्च बलाबलम् ।
श्रमः खेदश्च सततं हयानां रथिना सह ॥

८.२८.७

आयुधस्य परिज्ञानं रुतं च मृगपक्षिणाम् ।
भारश्चाप्यतिभारश्च शल्यानां च प्रतिक्रिया ॥

८.२८.८

अस्त्रयोगश्च युद्धं च निमित्तानि तथैव च ।
सर्वमेतन्मया ज्ञेयं रथस्यास्य कुटुम्बिना ।
अतस्त्वां कथये कर्ण निदर्शनमिदं पुनः ॥

८.२८.९

वैश्यः किल समुद्रान्ते प्रभूतधनधान्यवान् ।
यज्वा दानपतिः क्षान्तः स्वकर्मस्थोऽभवच्छुचिः ॥

M N Dutt There lived on the other side of the sea a Vaishya who rolled in wealth and corn. He performed yajnas, made liberal gifts, was quiet, observant of the duties of his own order and pure in habits and mind.

८.२८.१०

बहुपुत्रः प्रियापत्यः सर्वभूतानुकम्पकः ।
राज्ञो धर्मप्रधानस्य राष्ट्रे वसति निर्भयः ॥

M N Dutt There lived on the other side of the sea a Vaishya who rolled in wealth and corn. He performed yajnas, made liberal gifts, was quiet, observant of the duties of his own order and pure in habits and mind.

८.२८.११

पुत्राणां तस्य बालानां कुमाराणां यशस्विनाम् ।
काको बहूनामभवदुच्छिष्टकृतभोजनः ॥

M N Dutt He had a number of sons of whom he was fond and kind to all creatures. He lived without any fear in the kingdom of a pious king.

८.२८.१२

तस्मै सदा प्रयच्छन्ति वैश्यपुत्राः कुमारकाः ।
मांसोदनं दधि क्षीरं पायसं मधुसर्पिषी ॥

M N Dutt There was a crow who lived upon the leavings of the well-behaved children of the Vaishya. His children always gave the crow meat, curds, mild, pudding, honey and butter.

८.२८.१३

स चोच्छिष्टभृतः काको वैश्यपुत्रैः कुमारकैः ।
सदृशान्पक्षिणो दृप्तः श्रेयसश्चावमन्यते ॥

M N Dutt Thus fed with the leavings of the food by those sons of the Vaishya the crow became arrogant and began to think light of all birds who were equal to him or even superior.

८.२८.१४

अथ हंसाः समुद्रान्ते कदाचिदभिपातिनः ।
गरुडस्य गतौ तुल्याश्चक्राङ्गा हृष्टचेतसः ॥

M N Dutt It so happened that once on a time several cheerful swans, quick-coursing, capable of going every where at will, equal to Garuda in fight and speed, came to that side of the ocean.

८.२८.१५

कुमारकास्ततो हंसान्दृष्ट्वा काकमथाब्रुवन् ।
भवानेव विशिष्टो हि पतत्रिभ्यो विहंगम ॥

M N Dutt Seeing those swans the Vaishya boys said to the crow-"O ranger of the sky, you are superior to all winged creatures."

८.२८.१६

प्रतार्यमाणस्तु स तैरल्पबुद्धिभिरण्डजः ।
तद्वचः सत्यमित्येव मौर्ख्याद्दर्पाच्च मन्यते ॥

M N Dutt Thus imposed upon by the little-witted children, the bird, out of folly and arrogance, took their words as true.

८.२८.१७

तान्सोऽभिपत्य जिज्ञासुः क एषां श्रेष्ठभागिति ।
उच्छिष्टदर्पितः काको बहूनां दूरपातिनाम् ॥

M N Dutt Proud of the leavings on which he fed the crow, approaching the swans who were capable of traversing a great distance, desired to enquire who amongst them was the leader. That foolish crow challenged him whom he considered as the leader amongst those swans capable of going to a great distance, saying-“Let us compete in fight."

८.२८.१८

तेषां यं प्रवरं मेने हंसानां दूरपातिनाम् ।
तमाह्वयत दुर्बुद्धिः पताम इति पक्षिणम् ॥

८.२८.१९

तच्छ्रुत्वा प्राहसन्हंसा ये तत्रासन्समागताः ।
भाषतो बहु काकस्य बलिनः पततां वराः ।
इदमूचुश्च चक्राङ्गा वचः काकं विहंगमाः ॥

M N Dutt Hearing the words of the arrogant crow, the swans, that had come there, the foremost of birds gifted with great strength, began to laugh. The swans, who were capable of coursing everywhere at will then, addressed the crow saying.

८.२८.२०

वयं हंसाश्चरामेमां पृथिवीं मानसौकसः ।
पक्षिणां च वयं नित्यं दूरपातेन पूजिताः ॥

M N Dutt The Swans said "We are swans and live in the Manasa lake. We range over the whole earth and amongst the winged creatures we are always spoken high for the length of the distances we traverse.

८.२८.२१

कथं नु हंसं बलिनं वज्राङ्गं दूरपातिनम् ।
काको भूत्वा निपतने समाह्वयसि दुर्मते ।
कथं त्वं पतनं काक सहास्माभिर्ब्रवीषि तत् ॥

M N Dutt A crow as you are, how do you, O fool, challenge a mighty swan coursing every where at will and traversing over a great distance. Tell us, Ocrow, how you will fly with us."

८.२८.२२

अथ हंसवचो मूढः कुत्सयित्वा पुनः पुनः ।
प्रजगादोत्तरं काकः कत्थनो जातिलाघवात् ॥

M N Dutt Finding fault repeatedly with the words of the swans, the vain crow, on account of the foolishness of its species, at last gave this answer.

८.२८.२३

शतमेकं च पातानां पतितास्मि न संशयः ।
शतयोजनमेकैकं विचित्रं विविधं तथा ॥

M N Dutt The crow said Forsooth shall I fly displaying a hundred and one different kinds of motion. I shall show them traversing every hundred yojanas with each separate and beautiful motion.

८.२८.२४

उड्डीनमवडीनं च प्रडीनं डीनमेव च ।
निडीनमथ संडीनं तिर्यक्चातिगतानि च ॥

८.२८.२५

विडीनं परिडीनं च पराडीनं सुडीनकम् ।
अतिडीनं महाडीनं निडीनं परिडीनकम् ॥

८.२८.२६

गतागतप्रतिगता बह्वीश्च निकुडीनिकाः ।
कर्तास्मि मिषतां वोऽद्य ततो द्रक्ष्यथ मे बलम् ॥

८.२८.२७

एवमुक्ते तु काकेन प्रहस्यैको विहंगमः ।
उवाच हंसस्तं काकं वचनं तन्निबोध मे ॥

M N Dutt Having been thus addressed by the crow, O son of Radha, one of the swans said to him laughing. Hear from me (what he said).

८.२८.२८

शतमेकं च पातानां त्वं काक पतिता ध्रुवम् ।
एकमेव तु ये पातं विदुः सर्वे विहंगमाः ॥

M N Dutt The Swan said Forsooth O crow, you will course in hundred and different ways. I shall however fly in one kind of motion which all other birds know; for I do not know any other, O crow. As for yourself, O you of red eyes, you may fly in any kind of way you like.

८.२८.२९

तमहं पतिता काक नान्यं जानामि कंचन ।
पत त्वमपि रक्ताक्ष येन वा तेन मन्यसे ॥

८.२८.३०

अथ काकाः प्रजहसुर्ये तत्रासन्समागताः ।
कथमेकेन पातेन हंसः पातशतं जयेत् ॥

M N Dutt Thereupon all the crows that had assembled there laughed saying "How will the swan with one kind of flight beat down a hundred flights? The powerful and the quick-coursing crow will beat down the swan with one flight.

८.२८.३१

एकेनैव शतस्यैकं पातेनाभिभविष्यति ।
हंसस्य पतितं काको बलवानाशुविक्रमः ॥

M N Dutt Thereupon all the crows that had assembled there laughed saying "How will the swan with one kind of flight beat down a hundred flights? The powerful and the quick-coursing crow will beat down the swan with one flight.

८.२८.३२

प्रपेततुः स्पर्धयाथ ततस्तौ हंसवायसौ ।
एकपाती च चक्राङ्गः काकः पातशतेन च ॥

M N Dutt Then those two, the swan the crow, rose into the sky challenging each other-the swan coursing in one motion and the crow in a hundred different ways. The swan flew and the crow flew.

८.२८.३३

पेतिवानथ चक्राङ्गः पेतिवानथ वायसः ।
विसिस्मापयिषुः पातैराचक्षाणोऽऽत्मनः क्रियाम् ॥

८.२८.३४

अथ काकस्य चित्राणि पतितानीतराणि च ।
दृष्ट्वा प्रमुदिताः काका विनेदुरथ तैः स्वरैः ॥

M N Dutt Making each other to wonder and speaking highly of their respective feats. Seeing the various kinds of motions at every moment the crows that were there were filled with delight and began to caw loudly.

८.२८.३५

हंसांश्चावहसन्ति स्म प्रावदन्नप्रियाणि च ।
उत्पत्योत्पत्य च प्राहुर्मुहूर्तमिति चेति च ॥

M N Dutt The swans also laughed aloud making many unpleasant remarks. They began to rise up and alight repeatedly. They came down and rose up from the tops of the trees and the surface of the earth; they began to emit cries bespeaking their respective victories.

८.२८.३६

वृक्षाग्रेभ्यः स्थलेभ्यश्च निपतन्त्युत्पतन्ति च ।
कुर्वाणा विविधान्रावानाशंसन्तस्तदा जयम् ॥

८.२८.३७

हंसस्तु मृदुकेनैव विक्रान्तुमुपचक्रमे ।
प्रत्यहीयत काकाच्च मुहूर्तमिव मारिष ॥

M N Dutt With one kind of gentle motion the swan began to roar up. For a moment, O Marisha, the crow seemed to have defeated him.

८.२८.३८

अवमन्य रयं हंसानिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ।
योऽसावुत्पतितो हंसः सोऽसावेव प्रहीयते ॥

M N Dutt Thereat disregarding the swans the crows said-"That swan amongst us who has soared high up is evidently defeated."

८.२८.३९

अथ हंसः स तच्छ्रुत्वा प्रापतत्पश्चिमां दिशम् ।
उपर्युपरि वेगेन सागरं वरुणालयम् ॥

M N Dutt Hearing this the swan with great velocity began to move westwards towards the ocean abounding in Makaras.

८.२८.४०

ततो भीः प्राविशत्काकं तदा तत्र विचेतसम् ।
द्वीपद्रुमानपश्यन्तं निपतन्तं श्रमान्वितम् ।
निपतेयं क्व नु श्रान्त इति तस्मिञ्जलार्णवे ॥

M N Dutt Then the crow became afraid who was almost besides himself at not seeing any island or trees whereon to perch when tired.

८.२८.४१

अविषह्यः समुद्रो हि बहुसत्त्वगणालयः ।
महाभूतशतोद्भासी नभसोऽपि विशिष्यते ॥

M N Dutt (He then thought) “where shall I alight on this vast ocean when tired?” Irrepressible is the deep the abode of numberless creatures. Inhabited by hundreds of monsters it is greater than the sky.

८.२८.४२

गाम्भीर्याद्धि समुद्रस्य न विशेषः कुलाधम ।
दिगम्बराम्भसां कर्ण समुद्रस्था हि दुर्जयाः ।
विदूरपातात्तोयस्य किं पुनः कर्ण वायसः ॥

M N Dutt you wretch, none can exceed the ocean in depth. O Karna, the men know that the waters of the ocean are equally boundless like the sky. What is crow to it considering its extent?

८.२८.४३

अथ हंसोऽभ्यतिक्रम्य मुहूर्तमिति चेति च ।
अवेक्षमाणस्तं काकं नाशक्नोद्व्यपसर्पितुम् ।
अतिक्रम्य च चक्राङ्गः काकं तं समुदैक्षत ॥

M N Dutt Doing a great distance in a moment the swan looked back at the crow and could not leave him behind.

८.२८.४४

तं तथा हीयमानं च हंसो दृष्ट्वाब्रवीदिदम् ।
उज्जिहीर्षुर्निमज्जन्तं स्मरन्सत्पुरुषव्रतम् ॥

M N Dutt Thereupon greatly exhausted the crow came up to the swan. Thereupon beholding him about to sink and with a view to rescue him the swan, remembering the good offices of the pious, said to him-

८.२८.४५

बहूनि पतनानि त्वमाचक्षाणो मुहुर्मुहुः ।
पतस्यव्याहरंश्चेदं न नो गुह्यं प्रभाषसे ॥

M N Dutt The Swan said “While speaking about flight you again and again mentioned about a goodly number of them. You should not mention this your flight which is a mystery to us.

८.२८.४६

किं नाम पतनं काक यत्त्वं पतसि सांप्रतम् ।
जलं स्पृशसि पक्षाभ्यां तुण्डेन च पुनः पुनः ॥

M N Dutt What is the name of this flight, O crow, which you have followed now? You repeatedly touch the waters with your wings and beak.

८.२८.४७

स पक्षाभ्यां स्पृशन्नार्तस्तुण्डेन जलमर्णवे ।
काको दृढं परिश्रान्तः सहसा निपपात ह ॥

M N Dutt Greatly tired and touching the ocean with his wings and beak the crow all on a sudden fell down.

हंस उवाच ।

८.२८.४८

शतमेकं च पातानां यत्प्रभाषसि वायस ।
नानाविधानीह पुरा तच्चानृतमिहाद्य ते ॥