Shloka 57

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

Devanagari script

आश्चासयेच्चापि परं सान्त्वधर्मार्थिवृत्तिभि: । अथास्य प्रहरेत्‌ काले यदा विचलिते पथि,शत्रुकोी समझा-बुझाकर, धर्म बताकर, धन देकर और सद्व्यवहार करके आश्वासन दे --अपने प्रति उसके मनमें विश्वास उत्पन्न करे; फिर समय आनेपर ज्यों ही वह मार्गसे विचलित हो, त्यों ही उसपर प्रहार करे

Transliteration

āścāsayec cāpi paraṃ sāntva-dharma-arthi-vṛttibhiḥ | athāsya praharet kāle yadā vicalite pathi ||

Translation

సాంత్వన మాటలతో, ధర్మోపదేశంతో, ధనప్రదానంతో, సద్ఆచరణ ప్రదర్శనతో ముందుగా అతడిని ధైర్యపరచి—అతని మనసులో తనపై విశ్వాసం కలిగించాలి; తరువాత సమయం వచ్చినప్పుడు, అతడు మార్గం తప్పిన క్షణమే అతనిపై దాడి చేయాలి.

Word by Word

आश्वासयेत्should reassure/console

चand

आश्वासयेत्should reassure

चalso/and

अपिalso/even

परम्the other (person)/the opponent

सान्त्वधर्मार्थिवृत्तिभिःby conciliatory means, by dharma, by gifts/wealth-seeking, and by conduct/behavior

अथthen

अस्यof him/its

प्रहरेत्should strike/attack

कालेat the time

यदाwhen

विचलितेhaving deviated/when (he) has strayed

पथिon the path/way

Speaker

कणिक उवाच

Characters & Entities

क

कणिक (Kāṇika)

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?

The verse presents a hard-edged nīti (statecraft) tactic: win an opponent’s trust through conciliation, moral talk, gifts, and good conduct, and then strike at the opportune moment when he becomes vulnerable. It highlights the tension in the epic between pragmatic politics and ethical ideals.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kāṇika is giving counsel on how to deal with an adversary: first disarm him psychologically by reassurance and inducements, then attack when circumstances shift and the opponent deviates or loses footing.