Shloka 44

Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 21 — Kīcaka’s clandestine approach and Bhīma’s covert intervention (नर्तनागारे कीचकवध-प्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

तव चैव समक्षे वै भीमसेन महाबल । त्वया हाहं परित्राता तस्माद्‌ घोराज्जटासुरात्‌,महाबली भीमसेन! क्षत्रियके लिये सदा शत्रुओंका संहार करनेके सिवा और कोई धर्म नहीं है। कीचकने धर्मराज युधिष्ठिरके देखते-देखते और तुम्हारी आँखोंके सामने मुझे लात मारी है। तुमने उस भयंकर राक्षस जटासुरसे मेरी रक्षा की है

Transliteration

tava caiva samakṣe vai bhīmasena mahābala | tvayā hāhaṃ paritrātā tasmād ghorāj jaṭāsurāt || mahābalī bhīmasena! kṣatriyake liye sadā śatrūṃkā saṃhāra karane ke sivā aura koī dharma nahīṃ hai | kīcakane dharmarāja yudhiṣṭhirake dekhate-dekhate aura tumhārī āṅkhoṃke sāmane mujhe lāt mārī hai | tumne us bhayaṅkara rākṣasa jaṭāsurase merī rakṣā kī hai ||

Translation

మహాబలీ భీమసేన! నీ సమక్షంలోనే నీవు నన్ను ఆ ఘోర జటాసుర రాక్షసుని నుంచి రక్షించావు.

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'samakṣe', 'definition': 'in the presence of

• before (someone’s eyes)'}, {'term': 'mahābala / mahābalī', 'definition': 'of great strength

• mighty'}, {'term': 'paritrāta', 'definition': 'rescued

• protected'}, {'term': 'ghora', 'definition': 'terrible

• dreadful'}, {'term': 'Jaṭāsura', 'definition': 'a rākṣasa (demon) named Jaṭāsura'}, {'term': 'kṣatriya-dharma', 'definition': 'the warrior’s duty

• protection of honor and punishment of aggressors'}, {'term': 'śatru-saṃhāra', 'definition': 'slaying/destruction of enemies'}, {'term': 'Dharmarāja', 'definition': '‘King of Dharma’

• epithet of Yudhiṣṭhira'}, {'term': 'Kīcaka', 'definition': 'commander of Virāṭa’s forces

• aggressor toward Draupadī'}, {'term': 'lāt', 'definition': 'a kick (blow with the foot)'}, {'term': 'rakṣā', 'definition': 'protection

Speaker

भीमसेन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
• Jaṭāsura
• Kīcaka
• Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmarāja)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage frames kṣatriya-dharma as the obligation to confront and punish wrongdoing—especially public humiliation and aggression—so that honor and justice are restored. It appeals to Bhīma’s prior act of protection as a moral precedent for decisive action now.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker reminds Bhīma that he previously rescued her from the demon Jaṭāsura, and reports that Kīcaka has openly assaulted her in front of Yudhiṣṭhira and Bhīma. The statement functions as a provocation and ethical appeal, urging Bhīma to act against Kīcaka.