Shloka 32
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 22 — Draupadī’s Abduction Attempt and Bhīma’s Suppression of the Kīcakas
सत्य भ्रातृश्व धर्म च पुरस्कृत्य ब्रवीमि ते । कीचकं निहनिष्यामि वृत्रं देवपतिर्यथा,मैं सत्य, धर्म और भाइयोंको आगे करके--उनकी शपथ खाकर तुमसे कहता हूँ, जैसे देवराज इन्द्रने वृत्रासुरको मारा था, उसी प्रकार मैं भी कीचकका वध कर डालूँगा
satyaṁ bhrātṛśva dharmaṁ ca puraskṛtya bravīmi te | kīcakaṁ nihaniṣyāmi vṛtraṁ devapatir yathā ||
Dengan meletakkan kebenaran, kesetiaan persaudaraan, dan dharma di hadapan, aku menyatakan kepadamu: aku akan membunuh Kīcaka, sebagaimana Indra, raja para dewa, menewaskan Vṛtra. Ini bukan sekadar amarah, melainkan sumpah yang berakar pada kebenaran dan kewajipan melindungi kaum sendiri.
भीमसेन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames decisive action as ethically grounded: Bhīma’s resolve is presented as a vow made with satya (truth), dharma (righteous duty), and loyalty to his brothers as the guiding standards, implying that force is justified when it protects honor and restrains wrongdoing.
In the Virāṭa court episode, Bhīma declares his intention to kill Kīcaka, invoking the paradigm of Indra killing Vṛtra to emphasize certainty, legitimacy, and heroic capability in removing a dangerous aggressor.