Mahabharata — Virata Parva, Shloka 88
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 22 — Draupadī’s Abduction Attempt and Bhīma’s Suppression of the Kīcakas
तत् कृत्वा दुष्करं कर्म कृष्णाया: प्रियमुत्तमम् । तथा स कीचकं हत्वा गत्वा रोषस्य वै शमम्
tad kṛtvā duṣkaraṃ karma kṛṣṇāyāḥ priyam uttamam | tathā sa kīcakaṃ hatvā gatvā roṣasya vai śamam ||
Vaiśampāyana dit : Ayant accompli cette œuvre excellente—si difficile à mener et si chère à Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī)—et après avoir tué Kīcaka, Bhīmasena apaisa sa colère. Puis, après s’être aussi concerté avec Draupadī, il retourna à la cuisine royale. Draupadī, la plus éminente des jeunes femmes, fut grandement réjouie que Kīcaka eût été mis à mort ; toute sa détresse s’évanouit. Alors elle s’approcha des gardes de la salle d’assemblée et dit—
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage frames the slaying of Kīcaka as a difficult yet excellent act done to protect Draupadī and restore moral order: righteous force may be employed against predatory wrongdoing, but the agent should also return to self-control—anger is to be pacified after justice is secured.
After killing Kīcaka, Bhīma’s wrath subsides; he consults Draupadī and returns to his role in the kitchen to maintain the Pāṇḍavas’ disguise. Draupadī, relieved and joyful, goes to the assembly-hall guards to speak, setting up the next development in the court’s response.