Shloka 2

Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 25: Kaurava Deliberation and the Search Directive (अन्वेषण-आदेशः)

Devanagari script

तस्मिन्‌ पुरे जनपदे संजल्पो5भूच्च सड्घश: । शौर्यद्धि वल्लभो राज्ञों महासत्त्व:ः: स कीचक:,उस नगर तथा राष्ट्रमें झुंड-के-झुंड मनुष्य एकत्र हो जाते और उनमें इस तरहकी बातें होने लगती थीं--“महाबली कीचक अपनी शूरवीरताके कारण राजा विराटको बहुत प्रिय था

Transliteration

tasmin pure janapade sañjalpo 'bhūc ca saṅghaśaḥ | śauryād dhi vallabho rājño mahāsattvaḥ sa kīcakaḥ ||

Translation

ఆ నగరంలోను జనపదమంతటా గుంపులుగా ప్రజలు కూడి ఇలా మాట్లాడుకొనసాగిరి—“శౌర్యం వలన మహాబలుడైన కీచకుడు విరాటరాజుకు అత్యంత ప్రియుడు.”

Word by Word

तस्मिन्in that

पुरेin the city

जनपदेin the country/realm

संजल्पःtalk, discussion, rumor

अभूत्arose, happened

चand

सङ्घशःin groups, in crowds

शौर्यात्from/owing to valor

हिindeed, for

वल्लभःdear, beloved

राज्ञःof the king

महासत्त्वःof great might/strength

सःhe, that (man)

कीचकःKīcaka

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Kīcaka

King Virāṭa

Virāṭa-nagara (the city)

Janapada (the realm/countryside)

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 points to a moral tension: when a ruler’s affection is based chiefly on someone’s strength and usefulness, society may excuse or overlook that person’s misconduct. It cautions that power and popularity can shape collective attitudes, sometimes at the expense of ethical discernment.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Virāṭa’s city and across the kingdom, people gather and spread talk that Kīcaka—renowned for valor and great might—is especially favored by King Virāṭa. This sets the social backdrop for Kīcaka’s influence and the events that follow in the Virāṭa court.