Mahabharata — Virata Parva, Shloka 81
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 22 — Draupadī’s Abduction Attempt and Bhīma’s Suppression of the Kīcakas
निष्पिष्य पाणिना पार्णिं संदष्टौष्ठपुर्ट बली । समाक्रम्य च संक्रुद्धो बलेन बलिनां वर:
niṣpiṣya pāṇinā pārṇiṃ saṃdaṣṭauṣṭha-puṭo balī | samākramya ca saṃkruddho balena balināṃ varaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Mighty Bhīma, the foremost among the strong, ground his palm against his palm, clenched his lips between his teeth, and—still inflamed with righteous anger—again sprang upon Kīcaka with overpowering force.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Strength is ethically justified when used as disciplined, dharma-aligned force to restrain and punish adharma—here, Bhīma’s anger is directed toward correcting grave wrongdoing rather than indulging in needless violence.
Bhīma, still furious, rubs his palms, clenches his lips, and forcefully attacks Kīcaka again—intensifying the confrontation in the Kīcaka-vadha (slaying of Kīcaka) sequence.