Meanwhile, the beautiful Draupadi
approaching her husband Bhima of the Kuru race, stood before him in the
kitchen. And that lady with tresses ending in beautiful curls then spake
unto him, saying, 'O chastiser of foes, even as thou hadst directed, I
have given Kichaka to understand that our meeting will take place in the
dancing-hall. Alone will he come at night to the empty hall. Slay him
there, O thou of mighty arms. Do thou, O son of Kunti, repair to that
dancing-hall, and take the life, O Pandava, of Kichaka, that son of a
_Suta_ intoxicated with vanity. From vanity alone, that son of a _Suta_
slights the Gandharvas. O best of smiters, lift him up from the earth
even as Krishna had lifted up the _Naga_ (Kaliya) from the Yamuna. O
Pandava, afflicted as I am with grief, wipe thou my tears, and blessed
be thou, protect thy own honour and that of thy race.'
"Bhima said, 'Welcome, O beauteous lady. Except the glad tidings thou
bringest me, I need, O thou of exceeding beauty, no other aid whatever.
The delight that I feel, O thou of great beauty, on hearing from thee
about my coming encounter with Kichaka, is equal to what I felt in
slaying Hidimva. I swear unto thee by Truth, by my brothers, and by
morality, that I will slay Kichaka even as the lord of the celestials
slew Vritra. Whether secretly or openly, I will crush Kichaka, and if
the Matsyas fight for him, then I will slay them too. And slaying
Duryodhana afterwards, I shall win back the earth.
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