afterwards, I shall win back the earth.  Let Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, continue to pay homage unto the king of Matsya.’  Hearing these words of Bhima, Draupadi said, ’In order that, O lord, thou mayst not have to renounce the truth already pledged to me, do thou, O hero, slay Kichaka in secret.’  Bhima assuring her said, ’Even today I shall slay Kichaka together with his friends unknown to others during the darkness of the night.  I shall, O faultless lady, crush, even as an elephant crusheth a vela fruit, [16] the head of the wicked Kichaka who wisheth for what is unattainable by him!’

“Vaisampayana continued, ’Repairing first to the place of assignation at night, Bhima sat down, disguising himself.  And he waited there in expectation of Kichaka, like a lion lying in wait for a deer.  And Kichaka, having embellished his person as he chose, came to the dancing-hall at the appointed time in the hope of meeting Panchali.  And thinking of the assignation, he entered the chamber.  And having entered that hall enveloped in deep gloom, that wretch of wicked soul came upon Bhima of incomparable prowess, who had come a little before and who was waiting in a corner.  And as an insect approacheth towards a flaming fire, or a puny animal towards a lion, Kichaka approached Bhima, lying down in a bed and burning in anger at the thought of the insult offered to Krishna, as if he were the Suta’s Death.  And having approached Bhima, Kichaka possessed by lust, and his heart and soul filled with ecstacy smilingly said, ’O thou of pencilled eye-brows, to thee I have already given many and various kinds of wealth from the stores earned by me, as well as hundred maids and many fine robes, and also a mansion with an inner apartment adorned with beauteous and lovely and youthful maid servants and embellished by every kind of sports and amusements And having set all those apart for thee, I have speedily come hither.  And all on a sudden, women have begun to praise me, saying, ’There is not in this world any other person like unto thee in beauty and dress!’ Hearing this, Bhima said, ’It is well that thou art handsome, and it is well thou praisest thyself.  I think, however, that thou hadst never before this such pleasurable touch!  Thou hast an acute touch, and knowest the ways of gallantry.  Skilled in the art of love-making, thou art a favourite with women.  There is none like thee in this world!’

“Vaisampayana continued, ’Saying this, that son of Kunti, the mighty-armed Bhima of terrible prowess, suddenly rose up, and laughingly said, ’Thy sister, O wretch, shall today behold thee dragged by me to the ground, like a mighty elephant, huge as a mountain, dragged to the ground by a lion.  Thyself slain Sairindhri will live in peace, and we, her husbands, will also live in peace.’  Saying this, the mighty Bhima seized Kichaka by the hairs of his head, which were adorned with garlands.  And thus seized with force by the hair, that foremost of mighty persons, Kichaka, quickly freed his hair