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 ||
ヴァイシャンパーヤナは語った。かくして、成し遂げがたく、しかもクリシュナー（ドラウパディー）にとって最も喜ばしいその優れた業を果たし、キーچカを討ち取ると、ビーマセーナの怒りは鎮まった。さらにドラウパディーと相談したのち、ビーマセーナは再び王宮の台所へ戻った。若き女たちの中で最もすぐれたドラウパディーは、キーچカが死に至らしめられたことを大いに喜び、あらゆる苦悩は消え去った。やがて彼女は सभा殿の衛兵のもとへ赴き、こう告げた——
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.