Shloka 37
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 22 — Draupadī’s Abduction Attempt and Bhīma’s Suppression of the Kīcakas
अदृश्यमानस्तस्याथ तमस्विन्यामनिन्दिते । नागो बिल्वमिवाक्रम्य पोथयिष्याम्यहं शिर: । अलभ्यामिच्छतस्तस्य कीचकस्य दुरात्मन:,अनिन्दिते! गजराज जैसे बेलके फलपर पैर रखकर उसे कुचल दे, उसी प्रकार मैं अँधेरी रातमें उससे अदृश्य रहकर तुझ-जैसी अलभ्य नारीको प्राप्त करनेकी इच्छावाले दुरात्मा कीचकके मस्तकको कुचल डालूँगा
adṛśyamānas tasyātha tamasvinyām anindite | nāgo bilvam ivākramya pothayiṣyāmy ahaṃ śiraḥ | alabhyām icchatas tasya kīcakasya durātmanaḥ ||
Sinabi ni Bhīma: “O babaeng walang dungis, sa madilim na gabing ito ay mananatili akong di niya nakikita at dudurugin ko ang ulo ng masamang Kīcaka—na naglakas-loob na magnasa sa iyo kahit ikaw ay di maaabot—gaya ng dambuhalang elepante na yumuyurak sa bungang bilva hanggang madurog.”
भीमसेन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames the protection of a blameless woman from predatory desire as a dharmic duty, portraying decisive punishment of adharma (Kīcaka’s coercive lust) as morally justified, even if carried out through stealth to fit the circumstances.
In the Virāṭa court episode, Bhīma promises that on a dark night he will stay hidden and kill Kīcaka by crushing his head, using the vivid simile of an elephant crushing a bilva fruit—assuring the threatened woman that Kīcaka’s attempt will be met with fatal retribution.