Shloka 37

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

Devanagari script

आहरेदपि वित्तानि परेषां क्रोशतामपि । न तिष्ठति सम सन्मार्गें न च धर्म बुभूषति,लोग रोते-चिल्लाते रह जाते हैं; किंतु यह उनका सारा धन हड़प लेता है। यह सन्मार्गमें स्थिर नहीं रहता तथा धर्मोपार्जन भी नहीं करना चाहता है

Transliteration

āhared api vittāni pareṣāṁ krośatām api | na tiṣṭhati sa sanmārge na ca dharmaṁ bubhūṣati ||

Translation

Walau orang lain menjerit membantah, dia tetap merampas harta mereka. Dia tidak teguh pada jalan yang benar, dan tidak pula ingin menempuh dharma.

Word by Word

आहरेत्may seize/bring (take away)

अपिeven/also

वित्तानिwealths, monies

परेषाम्of others

क्रोशताम्of (them) crying out

अपिeven/though

नnot

तिष्ठतिstands/abides

सम्well, properly

मार्गेin the path/way

नnor/not

चand

धर्मम्dharma, righteousness

बुभूषतिdesires/wishes (to obtain/do)

Speaker

भीमसेन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīmasena

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse condemns unjust appropriation of others’ wealth and frames it as a sign of adharma: a person who ignores others’ suffering and refuses the sanmārga lacks the will to cultivate dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīma is speaking in a morally charged context, criticizing a wrongdoer’s conduct—someone who forcibly takes wealth despite public outcry—highlighting the ethical contrast between righteous restraint and predatory greed.