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.
एवंविधबलो भीमः कीचकस्ते च तद्विधाः। राज्ञः स्याला महात्मानो विराटस्य हितैषिणः ।। 30
Bhīma possessed such strength, and Kīcaka and those like him, the king's noble brothers-in-law, were devoted to Virāṭ's welfare.
एतत्ते कथितं सर्वं कीचकस्य पराक्रमम्। द्रौपदी न शशापैनं यस्मात्तद्गदतः शृणु ।। 31
All this has been told to you regarding Kīcaka's prowess; hear now why Draupadī did not curse him.
रक्षन्ति हि तपः क्रोधादृषयो न शपन्ति च। जानन्ती तद्यथातत्त्वं द्रौपदी न शशाप तम् ।। 32
For sages, protected by austerity, do not curse out of anger; knowing this truth, Draupadī did not curse him.
क्षमा धर्मः क्षमा दानं क्षमा यज्ञः क्षमा तपः। क्षमा सत्यं क्षमा शीलं क्षमा सर्वमिति श्रुतिः ।। 33
Forgiveness is righteousness, forgiveness is charity, forgiveness is sacrifice, forgiveness is asceticism; forgiveness is truth, forgiveness is virtue, forgiveness is everything, so declares the scripture.
क्षमावतामयं लोकः परश्चैव क्षमावताम्। एतत्सर्वं विजानन्ती सा क्षमामन्वपद्यत ।। 34
This world belongs to those who are forgiving, and the next world likewise; knowing all this, she practiced forgiveness.
भर्तॄणां मतमाज्ञाय क्षमिणां धर्मचारिणाम्। नाशपत्तं विशालाक्षी सती शक्ताऽपि भारत ।। 35
Understanding the wishes of her husbands, who were righteous and forgiving, the broad-eyed, virtuous Draupadī did not curse him, though she was able.
पाण्डवाश्चापि ते सर्वे द्रौपदीं प्रेक्ष्य दुःखिताम्। क्रोधाग्निनाऽप्यदह्यन्त तदा लञ्जाव्यपेक्षया ।। 36
All the Pāṇḍavas, seeing Draupadī distressed, burned with the fire of anger, yet endured it for the sake of their concealment.
अथ भीमो महाबाहुः मूदयिष्यंस्तु कीचकम्। वारितो धर्मपुत्रेण वेलयेव महोदधिः ।। 37
Then Bhīma, mighty-armed, wishing to slay Kīcaka, was restrained by the son of Dharma, like the ocean held back by its shore.
संधार्य मनसा रोषं दिवारात्रं विनिश्वसन्। महानसे तदा कृच्छ्रात्सुष्वाप रजनीं च ताम् ।। 38
Suppressing his wrath in his mind, day and night, sighing deeply, Bhīma endured with difficulty and slept in the kitchen that night.
सा सूतपुत्राभिहता राजपुत्री सुदुःखिता। वधं कृष्णा परीप्सन्ती सूतपुत्रस्य भामिनी ।। 1
Struck by the son of the charioteer, the princess, greatly distressed, longed for the death of the charioteer's son, O radiant one.