Shloka 26
Devanagari script
शून्यं स नर्तनागारमागमिष्यति कीचक: । एको निशि महाबाहो कीचकं त॑ निषूदय
Transliteration
śūnyaṁ sa nartanāgāram āgamiṣyati kīcakaḥ | eko niśi mahābāho kīcakaṁ taṁ niṣūdaya ||
Translation
କୀଚକ ଶୂନ୍ୟ ନୃତ୍ୟଶାଳାକୁ ଆସିବ। ହେ ମହାବାହୋ! ତୁମେ ରାତିରେ ଏକା ଯାଇ ସେହି କୀଚକଙ୍କୁ ନିହତ କର।
Word by Word
शून्यम्empty
शून्यम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootशून्य
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
सःhe
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
नर्तनागारम्dance-hall
नर्तनागारम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootनर्तनागार
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
आगमिष्यतिwill come
आगमिष्यति:
TypeVerb
Rootआ + गम्
FormSimple Future (Luṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
कीचकःKīcaka
कीचकः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootकीचक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
एकःalone
एकः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootएक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
निशिat night
निशि:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootनिशा
FormFeminine, Locative, Singular
महाबाहोO mighty-armed one
महाबाहो:
TypeNoun
Rootमहाबाहु
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
कीचकम्Kīcaka
कीचकम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकीचक
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
तत्then/that (at that time)
तत्:
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
निषूदयkill, slay
निषूदय:
TypeVerb
Rootनि + सूद्
FormImperative (Loṭ), 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada
Speaker
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
VaiśampāyanaK
KīcakaN
nartanāgāra (dance-hall)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
The verse frames force as a targeted, strategic act used to stop ongoing wrongdoing: the aggressor is lured to an isolated place and punished without endangering others, reflecting a concern for protecting the vulnerable and minimizing collateral harm.
A plan is stated: Kīcaka will come to the dance-hall when it is empty; the addressed hero is instructed to go alone at night and kill Kīcaka there, setting up the decisive confrontation in the Kīcaka episode of the Virāṭa court.