Shloka 226

धर्मरहस्योपदेशः

Dharma-rahasya Instruction: Vows, Truth, and Non-injury

Devanagari script

गूढभावं समाश्रित्य कीचक: सगणो हत: । “विराटनगरमें अज्ञातवास करते समय इन्होंने द्रौषपदीका प्रिय करनेकी इच्छासे छिपे- छिपे जाकर केवल बाहुबलसे कीचकको उसके साथियोंसहित मार डाला था

Transliteration

gūḍhabhāvaṃ samāśritya kīcakaḥ sagaṇo hataḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Unter verborgener Identität und mit verborgenem Vorsatz erschlug er Kīcaka samt dessen Gefolgsleuten. Dies erinnert an die Zeit in Virāṭas Stadt während des unerkannten Exils der Pāṇḍavas: Als Kīcaka Draupadī schänden wollte, ging Bhīma heimlich hin und tötete, allein auf die Kraft seiner Arme vertrauend, Kīcaka mitsamt seinen Genossen, um ihre Ehre zu schützen und das Dharma zu wahren.

Word by Word

गूढभावम्hidden intention/secret motive

समाश्रित्यhaving resorted to / taking refuge in

कीचकःKīcaka

सगणःtogether with his followers/retinue

हतःkilled/slain

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

Kīcaka

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 highlights that strength and strategy may be used ethically to protect the vulnerable and uphold dharma: wrongdoing driven by lust and abuse of power (Kīcaka) warrants decisive restraint and punishment, even if carried out discreetly to preserve a larger righteous purpose (the Pāṇḍavas’ incognito vow).

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reminds Dhṛtarāṣṭra of an earlier event: during the Pāṇḍavas’ year of incognito exile in Virāṭa’s city, Kīcaka pursued Draupadī with immoral intent; Bhīma, acting secretly, killed Kīcaka along with his associates.