Shloka 87

Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 22 — Draupadī’s Abduction Attempt and Bhīma’s Suppression of the Kīcakas

Devanagari script

प्रार्थयन्ति सुकेशान्ते ये त्वां शीलगुणान्विताम्‌ । एवं ते भीरु वध्यन्ते कीचक: शोभते यथा,'सुन्दर केशोंवाली भीरु पांचाली! तुम सुशील और सदगुणोंसे सम्पन्न हो। जो दुष्ट तुमसे समागमकी याचना करेंगे, वे इसी प्रकार मारे जायँगे। जैसे आज कीचक शोभा पाता है, वही दशा उनकी भी होगी”

Transliteration

prārthayanti sukeśānte ye tvāṁ śīlaguṇānvitām | evaṁ te bhīru vadhyante kīcakaḥ śobhate yathā |

Translation

„O scheue Pāñcālī mit schönem Haar, begabt mit guter Sitte und edlen Eigenschaften: Die ruchlosen Männer, die dich um unerlaubte Vereinigung bitten, werden auf dieselbe Weise erschlagen werden. Wie Kīcaka jetzt im Tod ‚geschmückt‘ daliegt, so wird auch ihr Los sein.“

Word by Word

प्रार्थयन्तिthey request/beg

सुकेशान्तेO one with beautiful hair

येwho (those who)

त्वाम्you

शीलगुणान्विताम्endowed with good conduct and virtues

एवम्thus/in this manner

तेthey/those (men)

भीरुO timid one

वध्यन्तेare slain/are killed

कीचकःKīcaka

शोभतेshines/appears splendid

यथाas/just as

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Pāñcālī (Draupadī)

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 underscores an ethical warning: predatory desire and coercive pursuit of a virtuous woman is adharma and leads to ruin. It affirms that wrongdoing—especially sexual aggression—invites just retribution, while the woman’s dignity is to be protected.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Kīcaka episode of the Virāṭa court, Draupadī (as Sairandhrī) has been harassed; Kīcaka has been killed as punishment. The speaker declares that any other wicked men who seek illicit union with her will meet the same fate, just as Kīcaka has.