Shloka 2
Hiḍimba’s Approach and Hiḍimbā’s Warning to Bhīmasena (हिडिम्बागमनम् / हिडिम्बा-भयवचनम्)
तत आहूय मन्त्रज्ञ राजशाल्त्रार्थवित्तमम् कणिकं मन्त्रिणां श्रेष्ठ धृतराष्ट्रो डब्रवीदू वच:,तब उन्होंने राजनीति और अर्थ-शास्त्रके पण्डित तथा उत्तम मन्त्रके ज्ञाता मन्त्रिप्रवर कणिकको बुलाकर इस प्रकार कहा
tata āhūya mantrajñaṁ rājaśāstrārthavittamam | kaṇikaṁ mantriṇāṁ śreṣṭhaṁ dhṛtarāṣṭro ’bravīd vacaḥ ||
于是持国王召来迦尼迦（Kaṇika）——群臣之首，善知谋议，深谙治国之术与政经之理——对他说道如下之言。此一幕写出君王以政策与权谋求取指引，同时暗示审慎治政与私利之谋之间的伦理张力。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s decisions are shaped by the quality and intent of counsel: expertise in rājaśāstra and artha can guide governance, but it also raises an ethical question—whether policy is pursued for dharma and public good or for narrow advantage.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that King Dhṛtarāṣṭra calls his leading minister Kaṇika, renowned for strategic counsel and knowledge of polity and wealth-management, and begins to speak—setting up a consultation scene that will influence subsequent actions.