Mahabharata 1.140.61 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 140, Shloka 61
Hiḍimba’s Approach and Hiḍimbā’s Warning to Bhīmasena (हिडिम्बागमनम् / हिडिम्बा-भयवचनम्)
अशड्कितेभ्य: शड्केत शड्कितेभ्यश्व सर्वश: । अशड्क््याद् भयमुत्पन्नममपि मूलं निकृन्तति
aśaṅkitebhyaḥ śaṅketa śaṅkitebhyaś ca sarvaśaḥ | aśaṅkyād bhayam utpannam api mūlaṃ nikṛntati ||
カーニカは言った。「害があるとは思えぬ者にさえ用心せよ。疑わしい者には、あらゆる手立てで警戒を怠るな。思いもよらぬところから生じる危難は、人を根から断ち切るのだから。」
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.
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