Shloka 44
Hiḍimba’s Approach and Hiḍimbā’s Warning to Bhīmasena (हिडिम्बागमनम् / हिडिम्बा-भयवचनम्)
सकतल्नत्रस्त्विहायाति कुरुष्व यदनन्तरम् | एवं संचोदितस्तेन जम्बुकेन तदा वृक:
śakatalnatrastvihāyāti kuruṣva yadanantaram | evaṃ saṃcoditastena jambukena tadā vṛkaḥ
“Terrified by the cart, he has run away from here. Do now whatever should be done next.” Thus urged on by the jackal, the wolf then prepared to act.
जम्बुक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how fear can create an opening for opportunistic action, and how persuasive prompting (saṃcodana) can steer another’s behavior—often toward ethically questionable ends when driven by predatory intent.
The jackal observes that someone (or an animal) has fled in fear because of a cart, and he instructs the wolf to proceed with the next step. The wolf, spurred by the jackal’s words, is about to act accordingly.