bject of her conversation
with Kichaka, that half a day seemed to Krishna as long as a whole
month. And the stupid Kichaka also, not knowing that it was Death that
had assumed the form of a _Sairindhri_, returning home experienced the
greatest delight. And deprived of sense by lust, Kichaka became speedily
engaged in embellishing his person with unguents and garlands and
ornaments. And while he was doing all this, thinking of that damsel of
large eyes, the day seemed to him to be without an end. And the beauty
of Kichaka, who was about to forsake his beauty for ever, seemed to
heighten, like the wick of a burning lamp about to expire. And reposing
the fullest confidence in Draupadi, Kichaka, deprived of his senses by
lust and absorbed in the contemplation of expected meeting, did not even
perceive that the day had departed. 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. 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,