Mahabharata 1.140.78 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 140, Shloka 78

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

Devanagari script

कर्शित व्याधितं क्लिन्नमपानीयमघासकम्‌ | परिविश्वस्तमन्दं च प्रहर्तव्यमरेबलम्‌

Transliteration

karśita-vyādhitaṁ klinnam apānīyam aghāsakam | pariviśvastamandaṁ ca prahartavyam arebalam ||

Translation

Kaṇika rät zu einer harten, opportunistischen Politik: Wenn das feindliche Heer erschöpft, krank, in Wasser oder Schlamm festgefahren, von Hunger und Durst geplagt ist und in überheblicher Sicherheit träge und unachtsam daliegt, dann soll man zuschlagen—wenn es machtlos geworden ist.

Word by Word

• कर्शितम्: emaciated, worn down
• कर्शितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्शित (कृदन्त; धातु: कृश्/कर्श्)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• व्याधितम्: afflicted, diseased
• व्याधितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्याधित (कृदन्त; धातु: व्यध्/व्याध्)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• क्लिन्नम्: soaked, drenched (stuck in wet ground)
• क्लिन्नम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्लिन्न (कृदन्त; धातु: क्लिद्)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अपानीयम्: without water, waterless
• अपानीयम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपानीय (कृदन्त; धातु: अप-नी)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अघासकम्: without fodder/food; starving
• अघासकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अघासक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• परिविश्वस्तम्: off guard, unsuspecting, overconfident
• परिविश्वस्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परिविश्वस्त (कृदन्त; धातु: वि-श्वस्)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मन्दम्: sluggish, weak, slow
• मन्दम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्द
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• प्रहर्तव्यम्: should be struck/attacked
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-हर्तव्य (कृदन्त; धातु: प्र-हृ)
• Form: Gerundive (obligation), Singular

• अरे: O foe! (vocative particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अरे

• बलम्: army, force
• बलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

कणिक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• कणिक (Kaṇika)
• ari (enemy)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches a pragmatic, ruthless maxim of statecraft: strike the enemy precisely when it is weakened by exhaustion, disease, lack of supplies, and complacency—because that is when victory is easiest and most certain.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kaṇika is giving political counsel in the Ādi Parva, presenting a hardline approach to dealing with rivals: do not wait for a fair fight; attack when the opponent’s army is trapped, depleted, and off guard.