Shloka 2
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 25: Kaurava Deliberation and the Search Directive (अन्वेषण-आदेशः)
तस्मिन् पुरे जनपदे संजल्पो5भूच्च सड्घश: । शौर्यद्धि वल्लभो राज्ञों महासत्त्व:ः: स कीचक:,उस नगर तथा राष्ट्रमें झुंड-के-झुंड मनुष्य एकत्र हो जाते और उनमें इस तरहकी बातें होने लगती थीं--“महाबली कीचक अपनी शूरवीरताके कारण राजा विराटको बहुत प्रिय था
tasmin pure janapade sañjalpo 'bhūc ca saṅghaśaḥ | śauryād dhi vallabho rājño mahāsattvaḥ sa kīcakaḥ ||
In jener Stadt und im ganzen Land erhob sich ein Gemurmel in Scharen. Die Leute kamen zusammen und sagten: „Wegen seiner Tapferkeit ist der mächtige Kīcaka dem König Virāṭa besonders lieb.“
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse points to a moral tension: when a ruler’s affection is based chiefly on someone’s strength and usefulness, society may excuse or overlook that person’s misconduct. It cautions that power and popularity can shape collective attitudes, sometimes at the expense of ethical discernment.
In Virāṭa’s city and across the kingdom, people gather and spread talk that Kīcaka—renowned for valor and great might—is especially favored by King Virāṭa. This sets the social backdrop for Kīcaka’s influence and the events that follow in the Virāṭa court.