Mahabharata 1.140.3 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 140, Shloka 3
Hiḍimba’s Approach and Hiḍimbā’s Warning to Bhīmasena (हिडिम्बागमनम् / हिडिम्बा-भयवचनम्)
ध्ृतराष्ट्र उवाच उत्सिक्ता: पाण्डवा नित्य॑ तेभ्योडसूये द्विजोत्तम । तत्र मे निश्चिततमं संधिविग्रहकारणम् । कणिक त्वं ममाचक्ष्व करिष्ये वचनं तव
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca | utsiktāḥ pāṇḍavā nityaṃ tebhyo 'sūye dvijottama | tatra me niścitatamaṃ sandhi-vigraha-kāraṇam | kaṇika tvaṃ mamācakṣva kariṣye vacanaṃ tava ||
ធೃತរाष्ट्र បានមានព្រះបន្ទូលថា៖ «ឱ ព្រាហ្មណ៍ឧត្តម! ពណ្ឌវៈកំពុងកើនឡើងរៀងរាល់ថ្ងៃ ទាំងអំណាចទាំងកេរ្តិ៍ឈ្មោះ; ដោយហេតុនោះ ខ្ញុំបានចាប់ផ្តើមច្រណែនពួកគេ។ ដូច្នេះ សូមអ្នកសម្រេចឲ្យច្បាស់ប្រាកដ ហើយប្រាប់ខ្ញុំថា តើមូលហេតុសម្រេចចិត្តរបស់ខ្ញុំគួរជាអ្វី—គួរធ្វើសន្ធិជាមួយពួកគេ ឬគួរធ្វើសង្គ្រាម? កណិកៈ! ចូរប្រាប់ខ្ញុំ; ខ្ញុំនឹងប្រព្រឹត្តតាមដំបូន្មានរបស់អ្នក»។
ध्ृतराष्ट्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how envy (asūyā) can distort a ruler’s judgment, pushing him to frame decisions as mere strategy (peace vs. conflict) rather than as dharmic responsibility. It also shows the ethical weight of counsel: a king’s actions may follow an adviser’s words, so advice must be grounded in righteousness, not in jealousy or fear.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra confesses to the Brahmin counselor Kaṇika that the Pāṇḍavas’ growing success has made him jealous. He asks Kaṇika to decide and explain whether he should pursue reconciliation (sandhi) or hostility (vigraha) with them, promising to follow the advice given.
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