Virata Parva, Mahabharata/ Book IV Chapter 20
Contents
Mahabharata Book IV Chapter 20:English
SECTION XXI
"Bhima said, 'Fie on the might of my arms and fie on the Gandiva of Falguni, inasmuch as thy hands, red before, now become covered with corns. I would have caused a carnage in Virata's court but for the fact that Kunti's son eyed me (by way of forbidding it), or like a mighty elephant. I would, without ado, have crushed the head of Kichaka intoxicated with the pride of sovereignty. When, O Krishna, I beheld thee kicked by Kichaka, I conceived at that instant a wholesale slaughter of the Matsyas. Yudhishthira, however, forbade me by a glance, and, O beauteous lady, understanding his intention I have kept quiet. That we have been deprived of our kingdom, that I have not yet slain the Kurus, that I have not yet taken the heads of Suyodhana and Karna, and Suvala's son Sakuni, and the wicked Duhsasana, these acts and omissions, O lady, are consuming every limb of mine. The thought of those abides in my heart like a javelin implanted in it. O thou of graceful hips, do not sacrifice virtue, and, O noble-hearted lady, subdue thy wrath. If king Yudhishthira hear from thee such rebukes, he will surely put an end to his life. If also Dhananjaya and the twins hear thee speak thus, even they will renounce life. And if these, O slender-waisted maiden, give up life. I also shall not be able to bear my own. In olden days Sarjati's daughter, the beautiful Sukanya, followed into the forest Chyavana of Bhrigu's race, whose mind was under complete control, and over whom, while engaged in ascetic meditation, the ants had built a hill. Thou mayst have heard that Indrasena also who in beauty was like unto Narayani herself, followed her husband aged a thousand years. Thou mayst have heard that Janaka's daughter Sita, the princess of Videha, followed her lord while living in dense woods. And that lady of graceful hips, Rama's beloved wife, afflicted with calamities and persecuted by the Rakshasas, at length regained the company of Rama. Lopamudra also, O timid one, endued with youth and beauty, followed Agastya, renouncing all the objects of enjoyment unattainable by men. And the intelligent and faultless Savitri also followed the heroic Satyavan, the son of Dyumatsena, alone into the world of Yama. Even like these chaste and beautiful ladies that I have named, thou, O blessed girl, bloomest with every virtue. Do thou spend a short while more that is measured by even a half month. And when the thirteenth year is complete, thou wilt (again) become the Queen regnant of a king.' Hearing these words, Draupadi said, 'Unable, O Bhima, to bear my griefs, it is from grief alone that I have shed these tears. I do not censure Yudhishthira. Nor is there any use in dwelling on the past. O Bhima of mighty strength, come quickly forward to the work of the hour. O Bhima, Kaikeyi, jealous of my beauty, always pains me by her endeavours to prevent the king from taking a fancy to me. And understanding this disposition of hers, the wicked-souled Kichaka of immoral ways constantly solicits me himself. Angry with him for this, but then suppressing my wrath
p. 38
[paragraph continues] I answer that wretch deprived of sense by lust, saying, 'O Kichaka, protect thyself. I am the beloved queen and wife of five Gandharvas. Those heroes in wrath will slay thee that art so rash.' Thus addressed, Kichaka of wicked soul replied unto me, saying, 'I have not the least fear of the Gandharvas, O Sairindhri of sweet smiles. I will slay hundred thousand Gandharvas, encountering them in battle. Therefore, O timid one, do thou consent.' Hearing all this, I again addressed the lust-afflicted Suta, saying, 'Thou art no match for those illustrious Gandharvas. Of respectable percentage and good disposition, I ever adhere to virtue and never wish for the death of any one. It is for this that thou I vest, O Kichaka!' At this, that wight of wicked soul burst out into a loud laughter. And it came to pass that Kaikeyi previously urged by Kichaka, and moved by affection for her brother, and desirous of doing him a good turn, despatched me to him, saying 'Do thou, O Sairindhri, fetch wine from Kichaka's quarter's!' On beholding me the Suta's son at first addressed me in sweet words, and when that failed, he became exceedingly enraged, and intended to use violence. Understanding the purpose of the wicked Kichaka, I speedily rushed towards the place where the king was. Felling me on the ground the wretch then kicked me in the very presence of the king himself and before the eyes of Kanka and many others, including charioteers, and royal favourites, and elephant-riders, and citizens. I rebuked the king and Kanka again and again. The king, however, neither prevented Kichaka, nor inflicted any chastisement on him. The principal ally of king Virata in war, the cruel Kichaka reft of virtue is loved by both the king and the queen. O exalted one, brave, proud, sinful, adulterous, and engrossed in all objects of enjoyment, he earneth immense wealth (from the king), and robs the possessions of others even if they cry in distress. And he never walketh in the path of virtue, nor doth he any virtuous act. Of wicked soul, and vicious disposition, haughty and villainous, and always afflicted by the shafts of Kama, though repulsed repeatedly, if he sees me again, he will outrage me. I shall then surely renounce my life. Although striving to acquire virtue (on my death) your highly meritorious acts will come to naught. Ye that are now obeying your pledge, ye will lose your wife. By protecting, one's wife one's offspring are protected, and by protecting one's offspring, one's own self is protected. And it is because one begets one's own self in one's wife that the wife is called Jaya 1 by the wise. The husband also should be protected by the wife, thinking,--How else will he take his birth in my womb?--I have heard it from Brahmanas expounding the duties of the several orders that a Kshatriya hath no other duty than subduing enemies. Alas, Kichaka kicked me in the very presence of Yudhishthira the Just, and also of thyself, O Bhimasena of mighty strength. It was thou, O Bhima, that didst deliver me from the terrible Jatasura. It was thou also that with thy brothers didst vanquish Jayadratha. Do thou now slay this wretch also who hath
p. 39
insulted me. Presuming upon his being a favourite of the king, Kichaka, O Bharata, hath enhanced my woe. Do thou, therefore, smash this lustful wight even like an earthen pot dashed upon a stone. If, O Bharata, tomorrow's sun sheds his rays upon him who is the source of many griefs of mine, I shall, surely, mixing poison (with some drink), drink it up,--for I never shall yield to Kichaka. Far better it were, O Bhima, that I should die before thee.'
"Vaisampayana Continued, 'Having said this, Krishna, hiding her face in Bhima's breast began to weep. And Bhima, embracing her, consoled her to the best of his power. And having abundantly consoled that slender-waisted daughter of Drupada by means of words fraught with grave reason and sense, he wiped with his hands her face flooded with tears. And thinking of Kichaka and licking with his tongue the corners of his mouth, Bhima, filled with wrath thus spake to that distressed lady.'"
Footnotes
38:1 Jayate asyas--i.e., she from whom one is born.
Mahabharata Book IV Chapter 20:Sanskrit
1 [भीमस]
धिग अस्तु मे बाहुबलं गाण्डीवं फल्गुनस्य च
यत ते रक्तौ पुरा भूत्वा पाणी कृतकिणाव उभौ
2 सभायां सम विराटस्य करॊमि कथनं महत
तत्र मां धर्मराजस तु कटाक्षेण नयवारयत
तथ अहं तस्य विज्ञाय सदित एवास्मि भामिनि
3 यच च राष्ट्रात परच्यवनं कुरूणाम अवधश च यः
सुयॊधनस्य कर्णस्य शकुनेः सौबलस्य च
4 थुःशासनस्य पापस्य यन मया न हृतं शिरः
तन मे थहति कल्याणि हृथि शल्यम इवार्पितम
मा धर्मं जहि सुश्रॊणि करॊधं जहि महामते
5 इमं च समुपालम्भं तवत्तॊ राजा युधिष्ठिरः
शृणुयाथ यथि कल्याणि कृत्स्नं जह्यात स जीवितम
6 धनंजयॊ वा सुश्रॊणि यमौ वा तनुमध्यमे
लॊकान्तर गतेष्व एषु नाहं शक्ष्यामि जीवितुम
7 सुकन्या नाम शार्याती भार्गवं चयचनं वने
वल्मीक भूतं शाम्यन्तम अन्वपथ्यत भामिनी
8 नाड्थायनी चेन्थ्रसेना रूपेण यथि ते शरुता
पतिम अन्वचरथ वृथ्धं पुरा वर्षसहस्रिणम
9 थुहिता जनकस्यापि वैथेही यथि ते शरुता
पतिम अन्वचरत सीता महारण्यनिवासिनम
10 रक्षसा निग्रहं पराप्य रामस्य महिषी परिया
कलिश्यमानापि सुश्रॊणी रामम एवान्वपथ्यत
11 लॊपामुथ्रा तदा भीरु वयॊ रूपसमन्विता
अगस्त्यम अन्वयाथ धित्वा कामान सर्वान अमानुषान
12 यदैताः कीर्तिता नार्यॊ रूपवत्यः पतिव्रताः
तदा तवम अपि कल्याणि सर्वैः समुथिता गुणैः
13 मा थीर्घं कषम कालं तवं मासम अध्यर्धसंमितम
पूर्णे तरयॊथशे वर्षे राज्ञॊ राज्ञी भविष्यसि
14 [थरौ]
आर्तयैतन मया भीमकृतं बाष्पविमॊक्षणम
अपारयन्त्या थुःखानि न राजानम उपालभे
15 विमुक्तेन वयतीतेन भीमसेन महाबल
परत्युपस्दित कालस्य कार्यस्यानन्तरॊ भव
16 ममेह भीमकैकेयी रूपाभिभव शङ्कया
नित्यम उथ्जिवते राजा कदं नेयाथ इमाम इती
17 तस्या विथित्वा तं भावं सवयं चानृत थर्शनः
कीचकॊ ऽयं सुथुष्टात्मा सथा परार्दयते हि माम
18 तम अहं कुपिता भीम पुनः कॊपं नियम्य च
अब्रुवं कामसंमूढम आत्मानं रक्ष कीचक
19 गन्धर्वाणाम अहं भार्या पञ्चानां महिषी परिया
ते तवां निहन्युर थुर्धर्षाः शूराः साहस कारिणः
20 एवम उक्तः स थुष्टात्मा कीचकः परत्युवाच ह
नाहं बिभेमि सैरन्धिर गन्धर्वाणां शुचिस्मिते
21 शतं सहस्रम अपि वा गन्धर्वाणाम अहं रणे
समागतं हनिष्यामि तवं भीरु कुरु मे कषणम
22 इत्य उक्ते चाब्रुवं सूतं कामातुरम अहं पुनः
न तवं परतिबलस तेषां गन्धर्वाणां यशस्विनाम
23 धर्मे सदितास्मि सततं कुलशीलसमन्विता
नेच्छामि कं चिथ वध्यन्तं तेन जीवसि कीचक
24 एवम उक्तः स थुष्टात्मा परहस्य सवनवत तथा
न तिष्ठति सम सन मार्गे न च धर्मं बुभूषति
25 पापात्मा पापभावश च कामरागवशानुगः
अविनीतश च थुष्टात्मा परत्याख्यातः पुनः पुनः
थर्शने थर्शने हन्यात तदा जह्यां च जीवितम
26 तथ धर्मे यतमानानां महान धर्मॊ नशिष्यति
समयं रक्षमाणानां भार्या वॊ न भविष्यति
27 भार्यायां रक्ष्यमाणायां परजा भवति रक्षिता
परजायां रक्ष्यमाणायाम आत्मा भवति रक्षितः
28 वथतां वर्णधर्मांश च बराह्मणानां हि मे शरुतम
कषत्रियस्य सथा धर्मॊ नान्यः शत्रुनिबर्हणात
29 पश्यतॊ धर्मराजस्य कीचकॊ मां पथावधीत
तव चैव समक्षं वै भीमसेन महाबल
30 तवया हय अहं परित्राता तस्माथ घॊराज जटासुरात
जयथ्रदं तदैव तव मजैषीर भरातृभिः सह
31 जहीमम अपि पापं तवं यॊ ऽयं माम अवमन्यते
कीचकॊ राजवाल्लभ्याच छॊककृन मम भारत
32 तम एवं कामसंम्मत्तं भिन्धि कुम्भम इवाश्मनि
यॊ निमित्तम अनर्दानां बहूनां मम भारत
33 तं चेज जीवन्तम आथित्यः परातर अभ्युथयिष्यति
विषम आलॊड्य पास्यामि मां कीचक वशं गमम
शरेयॊ हि मरणं मह्यं भीमसेन तवाग्रतः
34 [वै]
इत्य उक्त्वा परारुथत कृष्णा भीमस्यॊरः समाश्रिता
भीमश च तां परिष्वज्य महत सान्त्वं परयुज्य च
कीचकं मनसागच्छत सृक्किणी परिसंलिहन
Mahabharata Book IV Chapter 20:Transliteration
1 [bhīmas]
dhig astu me bāhubalaṃ gāṇḍīvaṃ phalgunasya ca
yat te raktau purā bhūtvā pāṇī kṛtakiṇāv ubhau
2 sabhāyāṃ sma virāṭasya karomi kadanaṃ mahat
tatra māṃ dharmarājas tu kaṭākṣeṇa nyavārayat
tad ahaṃ tasya vijñāya sthita evāsmi bhāmini
3 yac ca rāṣṭrāt pracyavanaṃ kurūṇām avadhaś ca yaḥ
suyodhanasya karṇasya śakuneḥ saubalasya ca
4 duḥśāsanasya pāpasya yan mayā na hṛtaṃ śiraḥ
tan me dahati kalyāṇi hṛdi śalyam ivārpitam
mā dharmaṃ jahi suśroṇi krodhaṃ jahi mahāmate
5 imaṃ ca samupālambhaṃ tvatto rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
śṛṇuyād yadi kalyāṇi kṛtsnaṃ jahyāt sa jīvitam
6 dhanaṃjayo vā suśroṇi yamau vā tanumadhyame
lokāntara gateṣv eṣu nāhaṃ śakṣyāmi jīvitum
7 sukanyā nāma śāryātī bhārgavaṃ cyacanaṃ vane
valmīka bhūtaṃ śāmyantam anvapadyata bhāminī
8 nāḍdāyanī cendrasenā rūpeṇa yadi te śrutā
patim anvacarad vṛddhaṃ purā varṣasahasriṇam
9 duhitā janakasyāpi vaidehī yadi te śrutā
patim anvacarat sītā mahāraṇyanivāsinam
10 rakṣasā nigrahaṃ prāpya rāmasya mahiṣī priyā
kliśyamānāpi suśroṇī rāmam evānvapadyata
11 lopāmudrā tathā bhīru vayo rūpasamanvitā
agastyam anvayād dhitvā kāmān sarvān amānuṣān
12 yathaitāḥ kīrtitā nāryo rūpavatyaḥ pativratāḥ
tathā tvam api kalyāṇi sarvaiḥ samuditā guṇaiḥ
13 mā dīrghaṃ kṣama kālaṃ tvaṃ māsam adhyardhasaṃmitam
pūrṇe trayodaśe varṣe rājño rājñī bhaviṣyasi
14 [drau]
ārtayaitan mayā bhīmakṛtaṃ bāṣpavimokṣaṇam
apārayantyā duḥkhāni na rājānam upālabhe
15 vimuktena vyatītena bhīmasena mahābala
pratyupasthita kālasya kāryasyānantaro bhava
16 mameha bhīmakaikeyī rūpābhibhava śaṅkayā
nityam udjivate rājā kathaṃ neyād imām itī
17 tasyā viditvā taṃ bhāvaṃ svayaṃ cānṛta darśanaḥ
kīcako 'yaṃ suduṣṭātmā sadā prārthayate hi mām
18 tam ahaṃ kupitā bhīma punaḥ kopaṃ niyamya ca
abruvaṃ kāmasaṃmūḍham ātmānaṃ rakṣa kīcaka
19 gandharvāṇām ahaṃ bhāryā pañcānāṃ mahiṣī priyā
te tvāṃ nihanyur durdharṣāḥ śūrāḥ sāhasa kāriṇaḥ
20 evam uktaḥ sa duṣṭātmā kīcakaḥ pratyuvāca ha
nāhaṃ bibhemi sairandhir gandharvāṇāṃ śucismite
21 śataṃ sahasram api vā gandharvāṇām ahaṃ raṇe
samāgataṃ haniṣyāmi tvaṃ bhīru kuru me kṣaṇam
22 ity ukte cābruvaṃ sūtaṃ kāmāturam ahaṃ punaḥ
na tvaṃ pratibalas teṣāṃ gandharvāṇāṃ yaśasvinām
23 dharme sthitāsmi satataṃ kulaśīlasamanvitā
necchāmi kaṃ cid vadhyantaṃ tena jīvasi kīcaka
24 evam uktaḥ sa duṣṭātmā prahasya svanavat tadā
na tiṣṭhati sma san mārge na ca dharmaṃ bubhūṣati
25 pāpātmā pāpabhāvaś ca kāmarāgavaśānugaḥ
avinītaś ca duṣṭātmā pratyākhyātaḥ punaḥ punaḥ
darśane darśane hanyāt tathā jahyāṃ ca jīvitam
26 tad dharme yatamānānāṃ mahān dharmo naśiṣyati
samayaṃ rakṣamāṇānāṃ bhāryā vo na bhaviṣyati
27 bhāryāyāṃ rakṣyamāṇāyāṃ prajā bhavati rakṣitā
prajāyāṃ rakṣyamāṇāyām ātmā bhavati rakṣitaḥ
28 vadatāṃ varṇadharmāṃś ca brāhmaṇānāṃ hi me śrutam
kṣatriyasya sadā dharmo nānyaḥ śatrunibarhaṇāt
29 paśyato dharmarājasya kīcako māṃ padāvadhīt
tava caiva samakṣaṃ vai bhīmasena mahābala
30 tvayā hy ahaṃ paritrātā tasmād ghorāj jaṭāsurāt
jayadrathaṃ tathaiva tva majaiṣīr bhrātṛbhiḥ saha
31 jahīmam api pāpaṃ tvaṃ yo 'yaṃ mām avamanyate
kīcako rājavāllabhyāc chokakṛn mama bhārata
32 tam evaṃ kāmasaṃmmattaṃ bhindhi kumbham ivāśmani
yo nimittam anarthānāṃ bahūnāṃ mama bhārata
33 taṃ cej jīvantam ādityaḥ prātar abhyudayiṣyati
viṣam āloḍya pāsyāmi māṃ kīcaka vaśaṃ gamam
śreyo hi maraṇaṃ mahyaṃ bhīmasena tavāgrataḥ
34 [vai]
ity uktvā prārudat kṛṣṇā bhīmasyoraḥ samāśritā
bhīmaś ca tāṃ pariṣvajya mahat sāntvaṃ prayujya ca
kīcakaṃ manasāgacchat sṛkkiṇī parisaṃlihan
References
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