Shloka 75

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

Devanagari script

योडरिणा सह संधाय शयीत कृतकृत्यवत्‌ । स वृक्षाग्रे यथा सुप्त: पतितः प्रतिबुध्यते,जैसे वृक्षेके ऊपरकी शाखापर सोया हुआ पुरुष जब गिरता है, तब होशमें आता है उसी प्रकार जो अपने शत्रुके साथ संधि करके कृतकृत्यकी भाँति सोता (निश्चिन्त हो जाता) है, वह शत्रुसे धोखा खानेपर सचेत होता है

Transliteration

yo 'riṇā saha sandhāya śayīta kṛtakṛtyavat | sa vṛkṣāgre yathā suptaḥ patitaḥ pratibudhyate ||

Translation

He who makes a pact with an enemy and then lies down as though his task were finished—carefree and self-satisfied—awakens only after he has been deceived, like a man asleep on the top of a tree who comes to his senses only when he falls.

Word by Word

यःwho

अरिणाwith an enemy

सहtogether/with

संधायhaving made (a pact), having concluded

शयीतshould sleep/lie down

कृतकृत्यवत्as if having accomplished his task (self-satisfied)

सःhe

वृक्षाग्रेon the top of a tree

यथाjust as

सुप्तःasleep

पतितःfallen

प्रतिबुध्यतेwakes up, becomes aware

Speaker

कणिक उवाच

Characters & Entities

क

कणिक (Kaṇika)

ari (enemy)

vṛkṣa (tree)

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Do not become complacent after making peace with an enemy; a treaty does not remove the need for vigilance. Trust without caution invites betrayal, and awareness often returns only after harm is done.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kaṇika is giving counsel in the idiom of political prudence (nīti), warning that one who relaxes after concluding a pact with an adversary is like a man sleeping atop a tree—he realizes the danger only when he falls.