Mahabharata 4.16.2 — Virata Parva, Adhyaya 16, Shloka 2
द्रौपद्याः भीमसेन-प्रबोधनम्
Draupadī Awakens Bhīmasena
सुवर्णमाला: कम्बूश्न कुण्डले परिहाटके । नानापत्तनजे शुभ्रे मणिरत्नं च शोभनम्
suvarṇamālāḥ kambūn kuṇḍale parihāṭake | nānāpattanaje śubhre maṇiratnaṃ ca śobhanam ||
Kīcaka berkata: “(Bawakan) kalung untaian emas, perhiasan daripada kulit siput conch, serta subang emas yang halus; juga permata dan batu mulia yang cerah lagi bertuah, indah elok, diperoleh dari banyak kota dagang.”
कीचक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse illustrates how wealth and luxury can be used as instruments of manipulation. Ethically, it contrasts external splendor with inner righteousness: gifts offered from lust or coercive intent are aligned with adharma, not true generosity.
Kīcaka orders valuable ornaments—gold garlands, conch-like adornments, earrings, and bright gems—sourced from many towns. This is part of his attempt to impress and pressure the woman he desires, revealing his arrogance and morally compromised intent.
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