Shloka 94
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 22 — Draupadī’s Abduction Attempt and Bhīma’s Suppression of the Kīcakas
अमानुषं कृतं कर्म तं दृष्टवा विनिपातितम् । क्वास्य ग्रीवा क्व चरणौ क्व पाणी क््व शिरस्तथा । इति सम त॑ परीक्षन्ते गन्धर्वेण हतं तदा,कीचकको इस तरह मारा गया देख वे आपसमें बोले--“यह कर्म तो किसी मनुष्यका किया हुआ नहीं हो सकता। देखो न, इसकी गर्दन, हाथ, पैर और सिर आदि अंग कहाँ चले गये?' यों कहकर जब परीक्षा की, तो वे इसी निश्चयपर पहुँचे कि हो-न-हो, इसे गन्धर्वने ही मारा है
amānuṣaṁ kṛtaṁ karma taṁ dṛṣṭvā vinipātitam | kvāsya grīvā kva caraṇau kva pāṇī kva śirastathā | iti sma taṁ parīkṣante gandharveṇa hataṁ tadā |
अमानुषं कृतं कर्म तं दृष्ट्वा विनिपातितम् । क्वास्य ग्रीवा क्व चरणौ क्व पाणी क्व शिरस्तथा ॥ इति सम्यक् परीक्षन्ते गन्धर्वेण हतं तदा ॥
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how communities interpret shocking events: when an act seems beyond ordinary human capacity, people may attribute it to superhuman forces. Ethically, it also reflects the protective logic of the narrative—maintaining secrecy and safeguarding honor can lead to indirect explanations that society finds plausible.
After Kīcaka has been killed in a brutal manner, onlookers inspect the body and, unable to imagine a human perpetrator, conclude that a Gandharva must have slain him. This supports the ongoing concealment of the Pāṇḍavas’ identities during their incognito stay in Virāṭa’s kingdom.