Mahabharata 1.140.6 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 140, Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

नित्यमुद्यतदण्ड: स्यान्नित्यं विवृतपौरुष: । अच्छिद्रश्छिद्रदर्शी स्थात्‌ परेषां विवरानुग:

Transliteration

nityam udyatadaṇḍaḥ syān nityaṁ vivṛtapauruṣaḥ | acchidraś chidradarśī sthāt pareṣāṁ vivarānugaḥ ||

Translation

وَیشَمپایَن نے کہا— بادشاہ کو ہمیشہ دَण्ड (سزا) دینے کے لیے آمادہ رہنا چاہیے اور برابر مردانگی و عزم و اقدام ظاہر کرنا چاہیے۔ اپنی کمزوریاں ظاہر نہ ہونے دے؛ مگر دوسروں کی کمزوریوں کو پہچانتا رہے، اور جب دشمن کا رخنہ معلوم ہو جائے تو اسی میں گھس کر ضرب لگائے۔

Word by Word

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य

• उद्यत-दण्डः: having the rod/punishment raised; ready to punish
• उद्यत-दण्डः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्यतदण्ड
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्यात्: should be
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Optative, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य

• विवृत-पौरुषः: with manliness/valor displayed; openly energetic
• विवृत-पौरुषः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विवृतपौरुष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अच्छिद्रः: without a flaw; unassailable
• अच्छिद्रः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अच्छिद्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• छिद्र-दर्शी: one who looks for others' weak points
• छिद्र-दर्शी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छिद्रदर्शिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्थात्: should stand/remain
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था
• Form: Optative, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• परेषाम्: of others
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• विवर-अनुगः: one who follows up on openings/gaps (in enemies)
• विवर-अनुगः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विवरानुग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• rājā (the king)
• daṇḍa (the rod/punishment)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches rājadharma in a realist key: a ruler must maintain constant readiness to enforce law (daṇḍa), project decisive strength, conceal personal vulnerabilities, and vigilantly identify and exploit an adversary’s weak points to protect the realm.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a didactic instruction on kingship is being stated: the king’s posture is described as ever-prepared for punishment and strategy—guarding his own weaknesses while watching for openings in opponents.