तां तथा शोकसन्तप्तां दृष्ट्वा प्ररुदितां स्त्रियः। कीचकस्य वधं सर्वा मनोभिश्च शशंसिरे ।। 78
Seeing her so afflicted by grief and weeping, the women wished in their hearts for Kichaka's death.
अहो दुःखतरं प्राप्ता कीचकेन पदा हता। पतिव्रता महाभागा द्रौपदी योषितांवरा ।। 1
Alas, Draupadi, the most fortunate and virtuous among women, has suffered greater sorrow, struck by Kichaka's foot.
दुःशलां स्मारयन्ती सा भर्तॄणां भगिनीं शुभाम्। नाशपत्सिन्धुराजं सा बलात्कारेण वाहिता ।। 2
She recalls Duhshala, the noble sister of her husbands, who was carried away by the king of Sindhu by force.
किमर्थमिह संप्राप्ता कीचकेन दुरात्मना । नाशपत्तं महाभागा कृष्णा पादेन ताडिता ।। 3
Why has the noble Krishna come here, struck by the wicked Kichaka's foot, though she is most blessed?
तेजोराशिरियं देवी धर्मज्ञा सत्यवादिनी । केशपांशे परामृष्टा मर्षयन्ती ह्यशक्तवत् ।। 4
This goddess, a treasury of energy, knower of righteousness, and speaker of truth, endured being seized by the hair, bearing it as one powerless.
नैतत्कारणमल्पं हि श्रोतुकामोऽस्मि सत्तम। कृष्णायास्तु परिक्लेशान्मनो मे दूयते भृशम् ।। 5
This is not a trivial matter; I wish to hear the reason, O noble one. My heart is greatly troubled by the hardships Kṛṣṇā has endured.
कस्य वंशे समुद्भूतः स च दुर्ललितो मुने । बलोन्मत्तः कथं चासीत्स्यालो मात्स्यस्य कीचकः ।। 6
In what lineage was that difficult-to-control Kīcaka born, O sage? How did he, intoxicated by strength, become the brother-in-law of the Matsya king?
दृष्ट्वापि तां प्रियां भार्यां सूतपुत्रेण ताडिताम् । नैव चुक्षुभिरे वीराः किमकुर्वन्त तं प्रति ।। 7
Even after seeing their beloved wife struck by the charioteer's son, the heroes did not become agitated; what did they do in response to him?
त्वदुक्तोऽयमनुप्रश्नः कुरूणां कीर्तिवर्धनः। एतत्सर्वं यथा वक्ष्ये विस्तरेणेह पार्थिव ।। 8
This question you have asked, which increases the fame of the Kurus, I shall explain to you fully, O king, just as it happened.
ब्राह्मण्यां क्षत्रियाञ्जातः सूतो भवति पार्थिव । प्रातिलोम्येन जातानां स ह्येको द्विज एव तु ।। 9
When a charioteer is born from a Kṣatriya father and a Brāhmaṇa mother, O king, he is the only twice-born among those born from mixed unions.
रथकारमितीमं हि क्रियायुक्तं द्विजन्मनाम्। क्षत्रियादवरो वैश्याद्विशिष्ट इति चक्षते ।। 10
Such a one, engaged in the duties of the twice-born, is called a rathakāra. He is considered lower than a Kṣatriya but superior to a Vaiśya.
सह सूतेन संबन्धः कृतः पूर्वं नराधिपैः। तेन तु प्रातिलोम्येन राजशब्दो न लभ्यते ।। 11
Kings of old established connections with charioteers, but through this mixed union, the title of 'king' is not obtained.
तेषां तु सूतविषयः सूतानां नामतः कृतः। उपजीव्यं च यत्क्षेत्रं राजन्सूतेन वै पुरा ।। 12
The territory of the charioteers was named after them, and the land that charioteers formerly lived on, O king, was their means of livelihood.
सूतानामधिपो राजा केकयो नाम विश्रुतः। राजकन्यासमुद्भूतः सारथ्येऽनुपमोऽभवत् ।। 13
Among the charioteers, there was a renowned king named Kekaya, born of a royal princess, who became unmatched in charioteering.
पुत्रास्तस्य कुरुश्रेष्ठ मालव्यां जझिरे तदा। कीचका इति विख्याताः शतं षट् चैव भारत ।। 14
O best of the Kurus, his sons, famed as the Kīcakas, a hundred and six in number, were born to Mālavī.
तेषामासीद्बलश्रेष्ठः कीचकः सर्वजित्प्रभो। अग्रजो बलसंमत्तस्तेनासीत्सूतषट्शतम् ।। 15
Among them, Kīcaka, the eldest and strongest, was supreme in might, and because of him, there were six hundred charioteers.
मालव्या एव कौरव्य तत्र ह्यवरजाऽभवत्। तस्यां केकयराज्ञस्तु सुदेष्णा दुहिताऽभवत् ।। 16
O descendant of Kuru, among the Mālavas, there was a younger daughter, and from her and the king of the Kekayas was born Sudeṣṇā.
तां विराटस्य मात्स्यस्य केकयः प्रददौ मुदा। सुरथायां मृतायां तु कौसल्यां श्वेतमातरि ।। 17
With joy, Kekaya gave Sudeṣṇā to Virāṭa, king of the Matsyas, after Surathā had died and Kausalyā was the mother of Śveta.
श्वेते विनष्टे शङ्खे च गते मातुलवेश्मनि । सुदेष्णां महिषीं लब्ध्वा राज दुःखमपानुदत् ।। 18
When Śveta perished and Śaṅkha too had gone to his maternal uncle's house, the king, having obtained Sudeṣṇā as his chief queen, dispelled his sorrow.
उत्तरं चोत्तरां चैव विराटात्पृथिवीपते। सुदेष्णा सुषुवे देवी कैकेयी कुलवृद्धये ।। 19
O lord of the earth, Sudeṣṇā, the noble Kaikeyī, gave birth to Uttara and Uttarā from Virāṭa, for the increase of the family.
मातृष्वसृसुतां राजन्कीचकस्तामनिन्दिताम्। सदा परिचरन्प्रीत्या विराटे न्यवसत्सुखी ।। 20
O king, Kīcaka always served that blameless daughter of his maternal aunt with affection, and lived happily in Virāṭa's city.
भ्रातरश्चास्य विक्रान्ताः सर्वे च तमनुव्रताः । विराटस्यैव संहृष्टा बलं कोशं त्ववर्धयन् ।। 21
All his valiant brothers, devoted to him, joyfully increased the strength and treasury of Virāṭa.
कालेया नाम ते दैत्याः प्रायशो भुवि विश्रुताः। जझिरे कीचका राजन्बाणो ज्येष्ठस्तथाऽभवत् ।। 22
The Kāleyas, O King, are renowned on earth as mighty demons; among them, Kīcaka was born, and Bāṇas was his eldest brother.
स हि सर्वास्रसंपन्नो बलवान्भीमविक्रमः । कीचको नष्टमर्यादो बभूव भयदो नृणाम् ।। 23
Kīcaka, endowed with every excellence and possessing the strength and valor of Bhīma, became ruthless, a source of terror to men.
तं प्राप्य बलसंमत्तं विराटः पृथिवीपतिः । जिगाय सर्वांश्च रिपून्यथेन्द्रो दानवान्पुरा ।। 24
Having gained this powerful and arrogant man, King Virāṭ conquered all his enemies, just as Indra once subdued the Dānavas.
मेखलांश्च त्रिगर्तांश्च दशार्णांश्च कशेरुकान्। मालवांश्चैव यवनान्सिलिन्दान्काशिकोसलान् ।। 25
He subdued the Mekhalas, Trigartas, Daśārṇas, Kaśerukas, Mālavas, Yavanas, Silindas, Kāśis, and Kosalas.
करदांश्च निषिद्धांश्च शिवान्मचुलकांस्तथा। पुलिन्दांश्च कलिङ्गांश्च तङ्कणान्परतङ्कणान् ।। 26
He also brought under tribute the Niṣiddhas, Śivas, Maculakas, Pulindas, Kaliṅgas, Taṅkaṇas, and Parataṅkaṇas.
अन्ये च बहवः शूरा नानाजनपदेश्वराः। कीचकेन रणे भग्ना विद्रवन्ति दिशो दश ।। 27
Many other valiant rulers of various regions were defeated by Kīcaka in battle and fled in all directions.
तमेवंवीर्यसंपन्नं नागायुतसमं बले। विराटस्तत्र सेनायाश्चकार पतिमात्मनः ।। 28
Thus endowed with such prowess, equal in strength to a thousand elephants, Virāṭ made Kīcaka the commander of his army.
विराटभ्रातरश्चैव दश दाशरथेः समाः। ते चैनानन्ववर्तन्त कीचकान्बलवत्तरान् ।। 29
Virāṭ's ten brothers, equal to the sons of Daśaratha, followed Kīcaka, who was stronger than them all.