Shloka 61
Hiḍimba’s Approach and Hiḍimbā’s Warning to Bhīmasena (हिडिम्बागमनम् / हिडिम्बा-भयवचनम्)
अशड्कितेभ्य: शड्केत शड्कितेभ्यश्व सर्वश: । अशड्क््याद् भयमुत्पन्नममपि मूलं निकृन्तति,जिनसे भय प्राप्त होनेका संदेह न हो, उनसे भी सशंक (चौकन्ना) ही रहे और जिनसे भयकी आशंका हो, उनकी ओरसे तो सब प्रकारसे सावधान रहे ही। जिनसे भयकी शंका नहीं है, ऐसे लोगोंसे यदि भय उत्पन्न होता है तो वह मूलोच्छेद कर डालता है
aśaṅkitebhyaḥ śaṅketa śaṅkitebhyaś ca sarvaśaḥ | aśaṅkyād bhayam utpannam api mūlaṃ nikṛntati ||
Kaṇika dijo: «Desconfía incluso de aquellos de quienes no se sospecha peligro; y de quienes se sospecha, mantente vigilante en todo. Pues el peligro que nace de lo inesperado corta al hombre de raíz».
कणिक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches strategic vigilance: one should not relax merely because someone seems harmless. Harm that comes from an unexpected quarter is especially devastating, because it strikes when defenses are down and can destroy one’s very foundation.
Kaṇika is giving hard-edged counsel in the Adi Parva, presenting a pragmatic, security-focused approach to dealing with others: maintain caution toward all, and heightened caution toward those already suspected.