Mahabharata — Virata Parva, Shloka 18
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 22 — Draupadī’s Abduction Attempt and Bhīma’s Suppression of the Kīcakas
(कीचक उवाच तथा भद्रे करिष्यामि यथा त्वं भीरु मन्यसे । एक: सन् नर्तनागारमागमिष्यामि शो भने ।।
kīcaka uvāca—tathā bhadre kariṣyāmi yathā tvaṁ bhīru manyase | ekaḥ san nartanāgāram āgamiṣyāmi śobhane || samāgamārthaṁ suśroṇi śape ca sukṛtena me | yathā tvāṁ nāvabudhyante gandharvā varavarṇini || satyaṁ te pratijānāmi gandharvebhyo na te bhayam || vaiśampāyana uvāca—tam artham api jalpantyāḥ kṛṣṇāyāḥ kīcakena ha | divasārdhaṁ samabhavan māsenaiva samaṁ nṛpa ||
Kīcaka dit : « Qu’il en soit ainsi, gente dame. Ô timide, comme tu le juges bon, ainsi ferai-je. Ô belle, je viendrai seul à la salle de danse pour te rencontrer. Ô Suśroṇī, je le jure par mon propre mérite. Ô femme au teint parfait, j’agirai de sorte que les Gandharvas n’apprennent rien de toi. Je te le promets en vérité : tu n’as rien à craindre des Gandharvas. » Vaiśampāyana dit : « Ô roi, après que Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī) eut ainsi parlé avec Kīcaka, la moitié restante de ce jour lui parut lourde et longue comme un mois entier, tandis qu’elle attendait de rapporter l’affaire (et d’obtenir réparation). »
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights how unethical desire often masks itself with the language of virtue—oaths, promises, and assurances—while the victim experiences intense psychological burden. It implicitly contrasts empty pledges with true dharma: protection of the vulnerable and restraint of power.
Kīcaka tries to persuade Draupadī to meet him privately in the dance-hall, claiming he will come alone and that the ‘Gandharvas’ will not know—swearing by his merit. After this exchange, Draupadī feels the remaining half-day drag on like a month as she waits to act on the situation and seek help.