Mahabharata 1.140.29 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 140, Shloka 29

Hiḍimba’s Approach and Hiḍimbā’s Warning to Bhīmasena (हिडिम्बागमनम् / हिडिम्बा-भयवचनम्)

Devanagari script

युवा वै जवसम्पन्नो बुद्धिशाली न शक्‍्यते । मूषिको5स्य शयानस्य चरणौ भक्षयत्वयम्‌

Transliteration

yuvā vai javasampanno buddhiśālī na śakyate | mūṣiko 'sya śayānasya caraṇau bhakṣayatv ayam ||

Translation

Der Schakal sagte: „Dieser Hirsch ist jung, schnell und klug; darum lässt er sich nicht fangen. Mein Rat ist: Während er schläft, soll diese Maus ihm beide Füße benagen. Sind seine Beine verletzt, kann er nicht mehr so schnell laufen; dann wird der Tiger ihn packen. Danach werden wir alle ihn mit zufriedenen Herzen verzehren.“

Word by Word

• युवा: young
• युवा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युवन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• जव-सम्पन्नः: endowed with speed
• जव-सम्पन्नः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जवसम्पन्न
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बुद्धि-शाली: intelligent
• बुद्धि-शाली: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बुद्धिशालिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• शक्यते: is possible / can be (caught)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शक्
• Form: Present, Passive, Third, Singular

• मूषिकः: mouse
• मूषिकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूषिक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अस्य: of this (one)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• शयानस्य: of (him) lying down / sleeping
• शयानस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शी (शय)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• चरणौ: two feet
• चरणौ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• भक्षयतु: let (him) eat/gnaw
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष्
• Form: Imperative, Parasmaipada, Third, Singular

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

जम्बुक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• jambuka (jackal)
• mūṣika (mouse)
• hariṇa (deer, implied by context)
• vyāghra (tiger, implied by context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse illustrates how intelligence and planning can be turned toward adharma: harming a vulnerable being through deceit and coordinated cruelty. It warns that ‘clever counsel’ is not automatically righteous; ethical intent matters, and group agreement can normalize wrongdoing.

What is happening in the narrative?

The jackal advises a predatory plan: since the deer is too fast and clever to catch, the mouse should gnaw its feet while it sleeps, reducing its speed so the tiger can capture it; then the group will share the prey.