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 ||
Alors le puissant Bhīma le saisit à son tour avec fermeté. Mais Kīcaka—le premier parmi les forts—se dégagea par la seule force, rejetant Bhīma au loin. La scène montre comment la puissance brute et l’arrogance peuvent l’emporter un instant aux yeux de tous, même contre la retenue du juste, préparant un règlement de compte ultérieur conforme au 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.