Shloka 226
धर्मरहस्योपदेशः
Dharma-rahasya Instruction: Vows, Truth, and Non-injury
गूढभावं समाश्रित्य कीचक: सगणो हत: । “विराटनगरमें अज्ञातवास करते समय इन्होंने द्रौषपदीका प्रिय करनेकी इच्छासे छिपे- छिपे जाकर केवल बाहुबलसे कीचकको उसके साथियोंसहित मार डाला था
gūḍhabhāvaṃ samāśritya kīcakaḥ sagaṇo hataḥ |
Dijo Sañjaya: Amparándose en una identidad oculta y obrando con intención secreta, él dio muerte a Kīcaka junto con sus seguidores. Esto recuerda el tiempo en la ciudad de Virāṭa, durante el exilio de incógnito de los Pāṇḍava: cuando Kīcaka intentó ultrajar a Draupadī, Bhīma fue en secreto y, confiando sólo en la fuerza de sus brazos, mató a Kīcaka y a sus compañeros, guardando su honor y sosteniendo el dharma.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that strength and strategy may be used ethically to protect the vulnerable and uphold dharma: wrongdoing driven by lust and abuse of power (Kīcaka) warrants decisive restraint and punishment, even if carried out discreetly to preserve a larger righteous purpose (the Pāṇḍavas’ incognito vow).
Sanjaya reminds Dhṛtarāṣṭra of an earlier event: during the Pāṇḍavas’ year of incognito exile in Virāṭa’s city, Kīcaka pursued Draupadī with immoral intent; Bhīma, acting secretly, killed Kīcaka along with his associates.