service of the Queen
Sudeshna. Before the year of concealment ended Kichaka, the brother of
Queen Sudeshna and commander-in-chief of the Malya forces, returned from
a visit to Duryodhan at Hastinapura. Duryodhan had given him as presents
Yudhistira's regalia and Draupadi's jewels, and Kichaka boasted that, as
Duryodhan's friend, he would one after the other kill the five Pandavas
in single combat and then wed their queen. While telling King Virata's
Court of his reception, his eye fell on Draupadi, and learning that she
was a _sairandhri_ and being struck with her beauty, he formally
requested the King Virata that she might be sent to his harem. The King
consenting, Yudhistira was faced with the dilemma of suffering his
queen's dishonour or of revealing his identity. Eventually his brother
Bhima solved the difficulty by secretly killing Kichaka.

It is out of this story that Mr. Khadilkar has sought for the materials
of his play. It opens with the return of Kichaka to Viratnagar and his
passion for the beautiful _sairandhri_. The latter seeks in turn the
protection of the King and his queen, and of Kichaka's wife Ratnaprabha;
but Kichaka, who as commander-in-chief and on account of the number of
his followers is all-powerful in Malya, becomes daily more insistent. He
reminds the King of his past exploits, and threatens to leave his
service, taking his followers with him. Finally, Virata is driven to
make a feeble compromise. He will not himself hand over the _sairandhri_
to Kichaka, but he will have her sent to a temple of Bairoba outside the
town, washing his hands of all responsibility as to subsequent events.
All this time the rescue of Draupadi has been repeatedly discussed
between Yudhistira and his brother Bhima. The former is all for mild
methods, feeling sure that justice will ultimately prevail. The mighty
Bhima wishes to strangle Kichaka regardless of consequences. At last
Bhima and Draupadi together extract from him a most reluctant
permission. Bhima goes secretly to the Bairoba temple, and removing from
its stand the god's idol, he takes its place. So hidden, he is present
when Draupadi, abandoned by the King's guards, is seized upon by
Kichaka. In vain Draupadi appeals to the latter for mercy. He laughs
alike at tears and menaces, and is about to carry her off in triumph
when the god Bairoba is seen to rise from his pedestal. It is Bhima. He
seizes the terrified Kichaka, hurls him to the floor, and strangle