Shloka 1
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 21 — Kīcaka’s clandestine approach and Bhīma’s covert intervention (नर्तनागारे कीचकवध-प्रसङ्गः)
भीमसेन बोले--देवि! मेरे बाहुबलको तथा अर्जुनके गाण्डीव धनुषको भी धिक्कार है; क्योंकि तुम्हारे ये दोनों कोमल हाथ, जो पहले लाल थे, अब घट्ठे पड़नेसे काले हो गये हैं,इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत विराटपर्वके अन्तर्गत कीचकवधपर्वमें द्रौपदीको आश्चासनविषयक इक्कीसवाँ अध्याय प्रा हुआ ॥/ २९ ॥। (दाक्षिणात्य अधिक पाठके २ श्लोक मिलाकर कुल ५३ श्लोक हैं।) हि >> () हि २ 7-2 दाविशोद्ध्याय: कीचक और भीमसेनका युद्ध तथा कीचकवध भीमसेन उवाच तथा भद्रे करिष्यामि यथा त्वं भीरु भाषसे । अद्य तं॑ सूदयिष्यामि कीचकं सहबान्धवम्
bhīmasena uvāca | tathā bhadre kariṣyāmi yathā tvaṁ bhīru bhāṣase | adya taṁ sūdayiṣyāmi kīcakaṁ sahabāndhavam ||
Bhīmasena said: “So it shall be done, noble lady, exactly as you, though frightened, have spoken. Today I will strike down Kīcaka together with his supporters.” In this moment Bhīma gives Draupadī reassurance and commits himself to decisive action against an abuser, framing the coming violence as protective justice rather than personal vengeance.
भीमसेन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes protective dharma: when a powerful wrongdoer threatens the dignity and safety of another, a kṣatriya-like duty of protection may require firm, even lethal, action—undertaken not for ego but to restore moral order and safeguard the vulnerable.
Draupadī, harassed by Kīcaka during the Pāṇḍavas’ incognito stay in Virāṭa’s court, seeks help. Bhīma reassures her that he will act exactly as she has indicated and declares that he will kill Kīcaka along with his supporters, setting up the imminent confrontation and Kīcaka’s death.