Shloka 16
Kīcaka-vadha-pratisaṃjñā: Rumor in Matsya and the Kaurava Scouts’ Report (कीचकवध-प्रतिसंज्ञा)
भीमसेन उवाच ये पुरा विचरन्तीह पुरुषा वशवर्तिन: । तस्यास्ते वचन श्रुत्वा हनूणा विहरन्त्वतः,भीमसेन बोले--देवि! जो पुरुष तुम्हारी आज्ञाके अधीन होकर यहाँ पहलेसे विचर रहे हैं, वे तुम्हारी यह बात सुनकर प्रतिज्ञासे उऋण हो इच्छानुसार विहार करें
bhīmasena uvāca ye purā vicarantīha puruṣā vaśavartinaḥ | tasyās te vacanaṃ śrutvā hanūṇā viharantu ataḥ ||
भीमसेन उवाच— ये पुरा विचरन्तीह पुरुषा वशवर्तिनः। तव वाक्यं निशम्यैतत् प्रतिज्ञाभ्यः प्रमुच्यन्तां यथेष्टं विहरन्तु च॥
भीमसेन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Authority should be exercised with restraint: once a rightful command is fulfilled or a promise is satisfied, people should be released from binding obligations and allowed autonomy, reflecting fairness and dharma.
Bhīma addresses a revered lady as ‘Devī’ and requests that men who have been acting under her orders be freed from their pledged duty, so they may move about according to their own will.