body of that wicked wight. And lighting
a torch then and showing Draupadi the body of Kichaka, that hero
addressed her, saying, 'O thou of tresses ending in beautiful curls,
those that solicit thee, endued as thou art with an excellent
disposition and every virtue, will be slain by me even as this Kichaka
hath been, O timid one.' And having accomplished that difficult task so
highly agreeable to Krishna--having indeed slain Kichaka and thereby
pacified his wrath, Bhima bade farewell to Krishna, the daughter of
Drupada, and quickly went back to the kitchen. And Draupadi also, that
best of women, having caused Kichaka to be slain had her grief removed
and experienced the greatest delight. And addressing the keepers of the
dancing-hall, she said, 'Come ye and behold Kichaka who had violated
after other people's wives lieth down here, slain by my Gandharva
husbands.' And hearing these words the guards of the dancing hall soon
came by thousands to that spot, torches in hand. And repairing to that
room, they beheld the lifeless Kichaka thrown on the ground, drenched
with blood. And beholding him without arms and legs, they were filled
with grief. And as they gazed at Kichaka, they were struck with
amazement. And seeing that superhuman act, viz., the overthrow of
Kichaka, they said, 'Where is his neck, and where are his legs?' And
beholding him in this plight they all concluded that he had been killed
by a Gandharva."

[17] _Weri_ means both a kettle-drum and a trumpet. The latter
however conveys a better meaning here.

SECTION XXII

Vaisampayana said, "Then all the relatives of Kichaka, arriving at that
place, beheld him there and began to wail aloud, surrounding him on all
sides. And beholding Kichaka with every limb mangled, and lying like a
tortoise dragged to dry ground from the water, all of them were overcome
with exceeding fright, and the bristles of their bodies stood on end.
And seeing him crushed all over by Bhima, like a Danava by Indra, they
proceeded to take him outside, for performing his funeral obsequies. And
then those persons of the _Suta_ clan thus assembled together espied
Krishna of faultless limbs hard by, who stood reclining on a pillar. And
all the Kichakas assembled there, exclaimed, 'Let this unchaste woman be
slain for whom Kichaka hath himself lost his life. Or, without slaying
her here, let us cremate her with him that had lusted after her,--for it
behoveth us to accomplish in every