अस्रं दुःखाभिभूताया मम मार्जस्व भारत। बाहुवीर्यानुरूपं च दर्शयाद्य पराक्रमम्। आत्मनश्चैव भद्रं ते कुरु मानं कुलस्य च ।। 39
Wipe away my tears, O Bharata, for I am overcome with sorrow; today, show your valor in a manner worthy of your strength, and uphold the honor of yourself and your lineage—may good be yours.
स्वागतं ते वरारोहे यन्मां वेदयसे प्रियम्। नह्यस्य कंचिदिच्छामि सहायं वरवर्णिनि ।। 40
Welcome, O lovely-hipped one, that you inform me of this dear matter; for I desire no other helper in this, fair-complexioned lady.
सा मे प्रीतिस्त्वयाऽऽख्याता कीचकस्य समागमे। हत्वा हिडिम्बं या प्रीतिर्ममासीत्सा शुचिस्मिते ।। 41
O fair-smiling one, the joy you have described to me at the meeting with Kichaka is the same joy I felt when I slew Hidimba.
सत्यं भ्रातॄंश्च पुत्रांश्च पुरस्कृत्य शपामि ते। कीचकं निहनिष्यामि वृत्रं देवपतिर्यथा ।। 42
By truth, by my brothers, and by my sons, I swear to you: I will slay Kichaka as Indra slew Vritra.
प्रसह्य निहनिष्यामि केशवः केशिनं यथा। रहस्यं वा प्रकाशं वा सूदयिष्यामि कीचकम् ।। 43
I will kill Kichaka by force, as Keshava killed Keshi; whether in secret or in the open, I will destroy Kichaka.
अहं भद्रे हनिष्यामि कीचकं मदनान्वितम्। यस्त्वां कामाभिभूतात्मा दुर्लभामभिमन्यते ।। 44
O gentle lady, I will kill Kichaka, inflamed with desire, who, overcome by passion, seeks you though you are unattainable.
अथ चेदवबुध्यन्ति सूतपुत्रं मया हतम्। निर्मनुष्यं करिष्यामि मत्स्यानामिदमालयम् ।। 45
If they realize that the son of the charioteer has been slain by me, I will make this dwelling of the Matsyas devoid of men.
मया हतांश्चेन्मात्स्यांस्तु धार्तराष्ट्रो विबुध्यति। दुर्योधनं ततो हत्वा सानुबन्धं सबान्धवम्। कुरुणामखिलं राज्यं प्रतिपत्स्यामि भामिनि ।। 46
If the Matsyas, whom I have slain, are discovered by Dhritarashtra’s son, then, after killing Duryodhana with his allies and kin, I will seize the entire kingdom of the Kurus, O fair one.
नाहं शक्तोऽनुनयितुं कुन्तीपुत्रं युधिष्ठिरम्। कामं सत्यमुपासीत कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः । काममन्ये ह्युपासन्तु विनीता धर्मचारिणः ।। 47
I am not able to persuade Yudhishthira, son of Kunti; let Kunti’s son Yudhishthira follow truth as he wishes, and let others, humble and righteous, follow as they will.
त्वां तु दुःखमिदं प्राप्तां नाहं शक्नोम्युपेक्षितुम्। निर्वृता भव पाञ्चालि कीचकस्य वधात्पुनः ।। 48
But I cannot ignore your suffering, O Panchali; be comforted again by the death of Kichaka.
कीचकस्य वधं भीम यदि जानन्ति नागराः। त्वया कृतं महाबाहो नाहं जीवितुमुत्सहे ।। 49
If the townspeople learn, mighty-armed one, that you have killed Kichaka, I will not be able to go on living.
कथं सत्याच्च नापेयाद्राजाऽयं मत्कृते प्रभो। निशि गूढं तथा भीम कीचकं तं निपातय ।। 50
How could this king, for my sake, abandon truth? Therefore, Bhima, secretly kill Kichaka at night.
अनुबुद्धे हि कौन्तेयो धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः। पुनर्वनं व्रजेद्धीमाननुजैः परिवारितः ।। 51
If the wise son of Kunti, king Yudhishthira, learns of it, he will return to the forest again, surrounded by his followers.
कश्च धर्मपरं ज्येष्ठमतिवर्तेत भारत। भीम भीताऽस्मि संबोधात्साधु मा चापलं कृथाः ।। 52
Who among the Bharatas would overstep the eldest devoted to dharma? Bhima, I am afraid of discovery—do not act rashly.
यथा न कश्चिञ्जानीते सूतपुत्रं त्वया हतम्। तथा कुरुष्व कौरव्य बलवन्नरिमर्दन । अदृश्यमानस्त्वंतस्य भिन्धि प्राणानरिन्दम ।। 53
See to it, O Kaurava, crusher of foes, that no one knows you have slain the son of the charioteer; unseen, destroy his life, O subduer of enemies.
तथा भद्रे करिष्यामि यथा त्वं भीरु भाषसे। अदृश्यमानस्तस्याहं तमिस्रायां सकुण्डलम् ।। 1
So, gentle one, I will do just as you say, O timid lady; unseen by him, in the darkness, I will strike him down, earrings and all.
नागो बिल्वमिवाक्रम्य पोथयिष्यामि तच्छिरः। अलभ्यामिच्छतस्तस्य कीचकस्य दुरात्मनः ।। 2
Like a serpent crushing a bilva fruit, I will smash his head, which that wicked Kichaka desires but cannot attain.
मया यदुक्तं पाञ्चालि धर्मराजसुतं प्रति। कोपादृते किमन्यत्तु नानुवर्तेत को नृपम् ।। 3
Whatever I have said to you, O Panchali, regarding the son of Dharma, except for anger, who would not obey the king?
एवमुक्तवा महाबाहुस्तत्र पाण्डवनन्दनः। अर्धरात्रे तदोत्थाय सत्ववान्भीमविक्रमः ।। 4
Having spoken thus, the mighty-armed son of Pandu, Bhima of great courage, rose at midnight.
अवदातेन मृदुना पटेनाच्छादितस्तथा । द्रौपदीं पृष्ठतः कृत्वा यत्रासीन्नर्तनालयः ।। 5
Covered with a clean, soft cloth, he followed Draupadi to the hall where the dancers were.
स भीमः प्रथमं गत्वा तमिस्रायामुपाविशत् । मृगं सिंह इवादृश्यः प्रत्याकाङ्क्षत्स कीचकम् ।। 6
Bhima went ahead first and sat down in the darkness, unseen like a lion waiting for its prey, anticipating Kichaka.
कीचकस्तु शिरःस्नातो निशायां समलंकृतः। सङ्केतमगमत्तूर्णं शून्यागारमपावृतम् ।। 7
Kichaka, having washed his head and adorned himself at night, quickly arrived at the appointed place, an empty, open chamber.
तदेव नर्तनागारं पाञ्चाली यदभाषत। तां मन्यमानः संकेते सैरन्ध्रीं काममोहितः ।। 8
That very dancing hall, which Draupadi had mentioned, he entered, thinking the rendezvous was with Sairandhri, his mind overcome with desire.
प्रविश्य नर्तनागारं ततस्तं पुरुषर्षभम्। पूर्वागतं भीमसेनं दृप्तमप्रतिमजसम् ।। 9
Entering the dancing hall, he saw that foremost of men, Bhimasena, who had arrived before him, proud and unmatched in strength.
शयानं शयने तत्र मृत्युं मूढः परामृशत्। जाज्वल्यमानं कोपेन कृष्णाधर्षणजेन च ।। 10
There, lying on a bed, he ignorantly touched death itself, blazing with anger from the outrage against Krishna.
एकान्ते भीममासाद्य कीचकः कालचोदितः। हर्षोन्मथितचित्तात्मा स्मयमानोऽभ्यभाषत ।। 11
Kichaka, prompted by fate, approached Bhima in private, his mind elated with joy, and spoke with a smile.
प्रहितं ते मया भद्रे बहुवित्तं शुचिस्मिते। त्वयि तिष्ठतु तत्सर्वं यथाऽसि स्वयमागता ।। 12
O fair-smiling lady, I have sent you much wealth; let it all remain with you, since you have come here of your own accord.
अकस्मान्मां प्रशंसन्ति सदा गृहगताः स्त्रियः। बलवान्दर्शनीयश्च नान्यस्ते सदृशः पुमान् ।। 13
The women of my house always praise me unexpectedly, saying no other man is as strong or handsome as I am.
अहं रूपेण संपन्नः स्नातो गुरुविभूषितः। नित्यमेव प्रियः स्त्रीणां सौभाग्यात्प्रियदर्शनः । रूपस्य तन्मया प्राप्तं फलं कमललोचने ।। 14
I am endowed with beauty, bathed and adorned with noble ornaments; always dear to women, fortunate and pleasing to the eye. O lotus-eyed one, by my beauty I have attained this reward.
दिष्ट्या त्वं दर्शनीयोसि दिष्ट्याऽऽत्मानं प्रशंससि।। 15
By fortune you are beautiful to behold, and by fortune you praise yourself.