Shloka 85

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

Devanagari script

उत्साहश्चापि यत्नेन कर्तव्यो भूतिमिच्छता । विभज्य देशकालौ च दैवं धर्मादयस्त्रय: । नै:श्रेयसौ तु तौ ज्ञेयौ देशकालाविति स्थिति:,ऐश्वर्यकी इच्छा रखनेवाले राजाको देश और कालका विभाग करके ही यत्नपूर्वक उत्साह एवं उद्यम करना चाहिये। इसी प्रकार देश-कालके विभाग-पूर्वक ही प्रारब्धकर्म तथा धर्म, अर्थ और कामका सेवन करना चाहिये। देश और कालको ही मंगलके प्रधान हेतु समझना चाहिये। यही नीतिशास्त्रका सिद्धान्त है

Transliteration

utsāhaś cāpi yatnena kartavyo bhūtim icchatā | vibhajya deśa-kālau ca daivaṃ dharmādayas trayaḥ | naiḥśreyasau tu tau jñeyau deśa-kālāv iti sthitiḥ ||

Translation

କଣିକ କହିଲେ—ଯେ ସମୃଦ୍ଧି ଚାହେ, ସେ ଦେଶ ଓ କାଳକୁ ବିଚାର କରି ଯତ୍ନପୂର୍ବକ ଉତ୍ସାହ ଓ ଉଦ୍ୟମ କରିବା ଉଚିତ। ସେହିପରି ଦୈବ (ପ୍ରାରବ୍ଧ) ଏବଂ ଧର୍ମ-ଅର୍ଥ-କାମ—ଏଇ ତିନି ପୁରୁଷାର୍ଥକୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ଦେଶ-କାଳ ବିଭାଗ କରି ହିଁ ସେବନ କରିବା ଉଚିତ। ମଙ୍ଗଳ ଓ ସିଦ୍ଧିର ପ୍ରଧାନ ନିର୍ଣ୍ଣାୟକ ଦେଶ ଓ କାଳ—ଏହା ନୀତିଶାସ୍ତ୍ରର ସ୍ଥିର ସିଦ୍ଧାନ୍ତ।

Word by Word

उत्साहःenthusiasm, zeal

चand

अपिalso, even

यत्नेनby effort

कर्तव्यःto be done, should be undertaken

भूतिम्prosperity, success

इच्छताby one desiring

विभज्यhaving divided, after distinguishing

देशplace, region

कालौthe two times (time-aspects)

चand

दैवम्fate, destiny (what is ordained)

धर्मdharma, righteousness

आदयःand the rest, beginning with

त्रयःthree

नैःश्रेयसौthe two highest goods (ultimate welfare)

तुbut, however

तौthose two

ज्ञेयौto be known, should be understood

देशplace (as one of the two)

कालौtime (as one of the two)

इतिthus

स्थितिःsettled doctrine, conclusion

Speaker

कणिक उवाच

Characters & Entities

क

कणिक (Kaṇika)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Prosperity and effective action depend on discerning deśa (place/circumstance) and kāla (time/occasion). Even dharma, artha, kāma, and one’s allotted destiny should be pursued with situational judgment; timing and context are presented as decisive.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Adi Parva, Kaṇika is giving counsel in the idiom of nītiśāstra (statecraft/ethical policy), emphasizing strategic discernment—especially the assessment of place and time—as the guiding principle for a ruler seeking success.