Shloka 226

धर्मरहस्योपदेशः

Dharma-rahasya Instruction: Vows, Truth, and Non-injury

Devanagari script

गूढभावं समाश्रित्य कीचक: सगणो हत: । “विराटनगरमें अज्ञातवास करते समय इन्होंने द्रौषपदीका प्रिय करनेकी इच्छासे छिपे- छिपे जाकर केवल बाहुबलसे कीचकको उसके साथियोंसहित मार डाला था

Transliteration

gūḍhabhāvaṃ samāśritya kīcakaḥ sagaṇo hataḥ |

Translation

संजय म्हणाला—गूढ हेतू धरून त्याने कीचकाला त्याच्या साथीदारांसह ठार केले. विराटनगरात अज्ञातवासाच्या काळी द्रौपदीच्या रक्षणासाठी तो गुप्तपणे गेला आणि केवळ बाहुबलाने कीचकाचा त्याच्या अनुचरांसह संहार केला।

Word by Word

• गूढभावम्: hidden intention/secret motive
• गूढभावम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गूढभाव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• समाश्रित्य: having resorted to / taking refuge in
• समाश्रित्य: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-श्रि
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• कीचकः: Kīcaka
• कीचकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीचक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सगणः: together with his followers/retinue
• सगणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सगण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हतः: killed/slain
• हतः: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Kīcaka

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that strength and strategy may be used ethically to protect the vulnerable and uphold dharma: wrongdoing driven by lust and abuse of power (Kīcaka) warrants decisive restraint and punishment, even if carried out discreetly to preserve a larger righteous purpose (the Pāṇḍavas’ incognito vow).

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reminds Dhṛtarāṣṭra of an earlier event: during the Pāṇḍavas’ year of incognito exile in Virāṭa’s city, Kīcaka pursued Draupadī with immoral intent; Bhīma, acting secretly, killed Kīcaka along with his associates.