Shloka 3

Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 21 — Kīcaka’s clandestine approach and Bhīma’s covert intervention (नर्तनागारे कीचकवध-प्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

अथवा कीचकस्याहं पोथयामि पदा शिर: । ऐश्वर्यमदमत्तस्य क्रीडन्निव महाद्विप:,अथवा एऐश्वर्यके मदसे उन्मत्त हुए उस कीचकका मस्तक मैं उसी प्रकार पैरोंसे रौंद डालता जैसे क्रीडा करता हुआ महान्‌ गजराज कीचक (बाँस)-के वृक्षको मसल डालता है

Transliteration

athavā kīcakasya ahaṃ pothayāmi padā śiraḥ | aiśvaryamadamattasya krīḍann iva mahādvipaḥ ||

Translation

Bhīmasena said: “Or else I shall crush Kīcaka’s head beneath my feet—just as a mighty elephant, playfully, tramples a bamboo tree. Drunk with the pride of power and prosperity, he deserves to be brought down.”

Word by Word

• अथवा: or else
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा

• कीचकस्य: of Kīcaka
• कीचकस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीचक
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पोतयामि: I crush/trample
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूत्/पोत् (पोतयति)
• Form: Present, First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पदा: with (my) foot
• पदा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ऐश्वर्य: by/with power, lordship
• ऐश्वर्य: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐश्वर्य
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• मद: by/with intoxication, pride
• मद: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• मत्तस्य: of the intoxicated/proud (one)
• मत्तस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत्त
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• क्रीडन्: playing, sporting
• क्रीडन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रीड्
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: as if, like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• महाद्विपः: a great elephant
• महाद्विपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाद्विप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीमसेन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
• Kīcaka
• mahādvipa (great elephant)
• bamboo (implied object of the simile)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Power and prosperity that breed arrogance (aiśvarya-mada) invite downfall; righteous strength is meant to restrain oppression and protect honor, not to indulge pride.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīma declares his readiness to punish Kīcaka by crushing him, using the image of a great elephant trampling bamboo—signaling imminent retribution against Kīcaka’s overbearing, pride-driven misconduct.