Shloka 54

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

Devanagari script

वसन्ते वासिताहेतोर्बलवद्गजयोरिव । ऐसा कहकर महाबली भीमसेनने उसके पुष्पहार-विभूषित केश पकड़ लिये। कीचक भी बलवानोंमें श्रेष्ठ था। सिरके बाल पकड़ लिये जानेपर उसने बलपूर्वक झटका देकर उन्हें छुड़ा लिया और बड़ी फुर्तीसे पाण्डुनन्दन भीमको दोनों भुजाओंमें भर लिया। तदनन्तर क्रोधमें भरे हुए उन दोनों पुरुषसिंहोंमें बाहुयुद्ध होने लगा

Transliteration

vasante vāsitāhetor balavad-gajayor iva |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: As in spring two mighty lordly elephants clash for a fragrant, desired mate, so did those two lion-like men grapple in furious close combat. Bhīmasena, best among men, seized Kīcaka by his flower-adorned hair; but Kīcaka, chief of his party and himself a powerful warrior, tore free with a violent jerk and swiftly locked Bhīma in a crushing embrace with both arms. Inflamed with anger and bent on victory, they fought hand-to-hand like rival powers—Bhīma striving to guard Draupadī’s honor and uphold dharma against Kīcaka’s predatory arrogance.

Word by Word

• वसन्ते: in spring
• वसन्ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसन्त
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• वासिता-हेतोः: for the sake/cause of scenting (i.e., for fragrance/attraction)
• वासिता-हेतोः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासिता-हेतु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• बलवत्: two powerful
• बलवत्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• गजयोर्: in/among two elephants
• गजयोर्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Dual

• इव: like, as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
• Kīcaka
• Draupadī (implied ethical context of her protection)
• Vasanta (spring season)
• Gaja (elephants; simile)
• Vālī (comparative allusion in the passage context)
• Sugrīva (comparative allusion in the passage context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Power is ethically meaningful only when aligned with dharma: Bhīma’s strength is portrayed as protective and corrective—used to defend Draupadī’s dignity and to curb Kīcaka’s coercive misuse of authority.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīma and Kīcaka engage in fierce hand-to-hand grappling. Bhīma grabs Kīcaka by his flower-decked hair; Kīcaka breaks free and clinches Bhīma with both arms. Their struggle is compared to two powerful elephants battling in spring.