Mahabharata — Virata Parva, Shloka 16
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 22 — Draupadī’s Abduction Attempt and Bhīma’s Suppression of the Kīcakas
द्रौपहुुवाच यदेतन्नर्तनागारं मत्स्यराजेन कारितम् | दिवात्र कन्या नृत्यन्ति रात्रौ यान्ति यथागृहम्
Draupadī uvāca: yad etan nartanāgāraṁ Matsyarājena kāritam | divā atra kanyā nṛtyanti rātrau yānti yathāgṛham ||
Draupadī said: “This dancing-hall that has been built by the king of the Matsyas—here the maidens dance by day, and at night they return to their respective homes.”
कीचक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores social and ethical boundaries: public entertainment spaces are regulated by time and propriety, and women’s movement is framed within safety and accepted norms—dancing by day, returning home at night.
In the Virāṭa court setting, Draupadī describes the dance-hall built by King Virāṭa and explains its routine: maidens perform there during the day and go back to their homes at night, indicating the customary order of the place.