Mahabharata — Virata Parva, Shloka 27
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 22 — Draupadī’s Abduction Attempt and Bhīma’s Suppression of the Kīcakas
“अतः महाबाहो! कीचक रातके समय उस सूनी नृत्यशालामें अकेला आवेगा। तुम वहीं उसे मार डालना ।।
tāṃ sūtaputraṃ kaunteya kīcakaṃ madadarpitam | gatvā tvaṃ nartanāgāraṃ nirjīvaṃ kuru pāṇḍava ||
Vaiśampāyana dit : « Ô fils de Kuntī, Pāṇḍava, va dans la salle de danse et rends sans vie ce Kīcaka, fils de cocher, enflé par l’orgueil de l’ivresse. » Cet ordre présente la mise à mort de Kīcaka comme un acte nécessaire pour protéger l’honneur de Draupadī et contenir un puissant fauteur de torts dont l’abus d’autorité a franchi les bornes du dharma.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
When a powerful person becomes lawless through arrogance and violates another’s dignity, dharma may require decisive restraint of that wrongdoer. The verse presents force not as personal cruelty but as protective justice aimed at stopping ongoing adharma.
In the Virāṭa court episode, Kīcaka has harassed Draupadī. A plan is set so that he comes alone to the dance-hall at night; the addressed Pāṇḍava (Bhīma, in disguise) is instructed to go there and kill Kīcaka.