Shloka 61
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 22 — Draupadī’s Abduction Attempt and Bhīma’s Suppression of the Kīcakas
स चाप्येनं तदा भीम: प्रतिजग्राह वीर्यवान् । तमाक्षिपत् कीचको5थ बलेन बलिनां वर:,तब पराक्रमी भीमने भी झपटकर उसे पकड़ा, किंतु बलवानोंमें श्रेष्ठ कीचकने बलपूर्वक उन्हें झटक दिया
sa cāpy enaṃ tadā bhīmaḥ pratijagrāha vīryavān | tam ākṣipat kīcako 'tha balena balināṃ varaḥ ||
Then the mighty Bhīma also seized him firmly. But Kīcaka—foremost among the strong—wrenched himself free by sheer force, casting Bhīma off. The moment shows how raw power and arrogance can briefly prevail in public view, even against righteous restraint, foreshadowing a later reckoning aligned with dharma.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the tension between righteous restraint and brute force: dharma may require patience and strategic self-control when open retaliation would violate a larger duty (such as maintaining concealment), even if the arrogant temporarily appear dominant.
Bhīma grabs Kīcaka, but Kīcaka—renowned for physical strength—violently shakes him off and casts him aside, escalating the confrontation and foreshadowing the later resolution where Kīcaka’s abuse is answered in a dharma-consistent way.