Shloka 5

Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 23: Report of the Slain Sūtaputras, Royal Orders, and Sairandhrī’s Return

Devanagari script

समवेतेषु सर्वेषु तामूचुरुपकीचका: । हन्यतां शीघ्रमसती यत्कृते कीचको हत:,जब सब लोग जुट गये, तब उन उपकीचकों (कीचकके भाइयों)-ने द्रौपदीको लक्ष्य करके कहा--“इस दुष्टाको शीघ्र मार डाला जाय, क्योंकि इसीके लिये कीचककी जान गयी है

Transliteration

samaveteṣu sarveṣu tām ūcur upakīcakāḥ | hanyatāṁ śīghram asatī yatkṛte kīcako hataḥ ||

Translation

అందరూ సమవేతులైనప్పుడు ఉపకీచకులు (కీచకుని సోదరులు) ఆమెను చూపుతూ అన్నారు—“ఈ అసతిని వెంటనే చంపండి; ఈమె కారణంగానే కీచకుడు హతుడయ్యాడు.”

Word by Word

समवेतेषुwhen (they were) assembled

सर्वेषुamong all

ताम्her

ऊचुःsaid

उपकीचकाःthe Upakīcakas (Kīcaka's kinsmen/brothers)

हन्यताम्let (her) be killed

शीघ्रम्quickly

असतीthe wicked woman

यत्by which/for which (reason)

कृतेon account (of), for the sake (of)

कीचकःKīcaka

हतःkilled

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Upakīcakas

Kīcaka

Draupadī

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

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how anger and attachment can distort judgment: instead of seeking truth and due process, the Upakīcakas hastily condemn Draupadī as a scapegoat. It implicitly contrasts impulsive vengeance with dharmic restraint and fair inquiry.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Kīcaka has been killed, his brothers/kinsmen (the Upakīcakas) gather with others and publicly accuse Draupadī, demanding that she be executed immediately, claiming Kīcaka died because of her.