Shloka 58

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

Devanagari script

अपि घोरापराधस्य धर्ममश्रित्य तिष्ठत: । स हि प्रच्छाद्यते दोष: शैलो मेघैरिवासितै:,धर्मके आचरणका ढोंग करनेसे घोर अपराध करनेवालेका दोष भी उसी प्रकार ढक जाता है, जैसे पर्वत काले मेघोंकी घटासे ढक जाता है

Transliteration

api ghorāparādhasya dharmam āśritya tiṣṭhataḥ | sa hi pracchādyate doṣaḥ śailo meghair ivāsitaiḥ ||

Translation

即便是犯下骇人重罪之人，若能立于达摩之名下，依凭正法而自处，其过失亦可被遮蔽——如高山为重重黑云所掩。于迦尼迦之策中，外示正义的姿态被视为遮盖重大恶行、避人耳目的手段。

Word by Word

अपिeven; also

घोर-अपराधस्यof (one) having a terrible offence / of a grievous offender

धर्मम्dharma; righteousness

आश्रित्यhaving resorted to; taking refuge in

तिष्ठतःof (one) standing/remaining (in it)

सःhe; that (fault)

हिindeed; for

प्रच्छाद्यतेis covered; is concealed

दोषःfault; blemish

शैलःa mountain

मेघैःby clouds

इवlike; as

आसितैःdark; black

Speaker

कणिक उवाच

Characters & Entities

क

कणिक (Kaṇika)

ध

धर्म (dharma)

श

शैल (mountain)

म

मेघ (clouds)

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 states that adopting the appearance or shelter of dharma can hide even severe wrongdoing from view, like dark clouds hiding a mountain—highlighting how public perception may be managed through displays of righteousness.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kanika is giving strategic counsel, emphasizing how a person—even after grave offenses—may protect himself socially and politically by aligning outwardly with dharma, thereby obscuring blame.