Mahabharata 4.22.12 — Virata Parva, Adhyaya 22, Shloka 12
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 22 — Draupadī’s Abduction Attempt and Bhīma’s Suppression of the Kīcakas
द्रौपहुुवाच एवं मे समयं त्वद्य प्रतिपद्यस्व कीचक । न त्वां सखा वा भ्राता वा जानीयात् संगतं मया
Draupady uvāca: evaṁ me samayaṁ tv adya pratipadyasva kīcaka | na tvāṁ sakhā vā bhrātā vā jānīyāt saṅgataṁ mayā ||
Draupadī berkata: “Jika demikian, wahai Kīcaka, terimalah syaratku pada hari ini. Jangan biarkan sahabatmu atau saudaramu mengetahui bahawa engkau telah bertemu denganku.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical stakes around honor and social reputation in the epic world: Draupadī sets a strict condition to prevent public knowledge of any meeting, reflecting both the vulnerability of a woman’s standing in courtly society and the need for prudent boundaries when facing coercive desire.
Draupadī, living incognito in Virāṭa’s court, addresses Kīcaka and proposes a condition: if he insists on meeting her, it must be kept secret from his friends and brothers. In context, this functions as a tactical delay and a controlled setup amid Kīcaka’s aggressive pursuit.
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