Mahabharata 1.140.56 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 140, Shloka 56
Hiḍimba’s Approach and Hiḍimbā’s Warning to Bhīmasena (हिडिम्बागमनम् / हिडिम्बा-भयवचनम्)
प्रहरिष्यन् प्रियं ब्रूयात् प्रहरन्नपि भारत । प्रहृत्य च कृपायीत शोचेत च रुदेत च
praharīṣyan priyaṃ brūyāt praharann api bhārata | prahṛtya ca kṛpāyīta śocet ca rudet ca ||
កាណិកានិយាយថា៖ «ឱ ភារតៈ! ទោះជាមុននឹងវាយ និងទោះជាកំពុងវាយក៏ដោយ គួរនិយាយតែពាក្យផ្អែមល្ហែម។ ហើយបន្ទាប់ពីវាយសត្រូវឲ្យដួល ក៏ត្រូវបង្ហាញមេត្តាករុណា—សោកស្តាយចំពោះគេ ហើយសូម្បីតែយំ។ ដូច្នេះ ការទន់ភ្លន់ខាងក្រៅត្រូវរក្សាទុក ទោះក្នុងអំពើនយោបាយដ៏រឹងមាំ ដើម្បីឲ្យគោលបំណងសម្រេច ដោយមិនបង្ហាញសត្រូវភាពឲ្យច្បាស់។»
कणिक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches strategic self-control in outward conduct: even in hostile action, one should maintain pleasant speech and a show of compassion, concealing anger and intent so that one’s objective is secured without provoking resistance or blame.
In Ādi Parva, Kaṇika is giving counsel in the idiom of rāja-nīti (statecraft). This line advises how to deal with an enemy: speak sweetly before and during an attack, and even after defeating him, display pity and grief—presenting oneself as gentle while acting decisively.
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