The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Virata Parva
Religion
The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Virata Parva
Epic literature, Sanskrit
And seeing him waning weak, Bhima endued with great strength
forcibly drew Kichaka towards his breast, and began to press hard. And
breathing hard again and again in wrath, that best of victors,
Vrikodara, forcibly seized Kichaka by the hair. And having seized
Kichaka, the mighty Bhima began to roar like a hungry tiger that hath
killed a large animal. And finding him exceedingly exhausted, Vrikodara
bound him fast with his arms, as one binds a beast with a cord. And then
Bhima began for a long while, to whirl the senseless Kichaka, who began
to roar frightfully like a broken trumpet.[17] And in order to pacify
Krishna's wrath Vrikodara grasped Kichaka's throat with his arms and
began to squeeze it. And assailing with his knees the waist of that
worst of the Kichakas, all the limbs of whose body had been broken into
fragments and whose eye-lids were closed, Vrikodara slew him, as one
would slay a beast. And beholding Kichaka entirely motionless, the son
of Pandu began to roll him about on the ground. And Bhima then said,
'Slaying this wretch who intended to violate our wife,--this thorn in
the side of _Sairindhri_, I am freed from the debt I owed to my
brothers, and have attained perfect peace.' And having said this, that
foremost of men, with eyes red in wrath, relinquished his hold of
Kichaka, whose dress and ornaments had been thrown off his person, whose
eyes were rolling, and whose body was yet trembling. And that foremost
of mighty persons, squeezing his own hands, and biting his lips in rage,
again attacked his adversary and thrust his arms and legs and neck and
head into his body like the wielder of the _Pinaka_ reducing into
shapeless mass the deer, which form sacrifice had assumed in order to
escape his ire. And having crushed all his limbs, and reduced him into a
ball of flesh, the mighty Bhimasena showed him unto Krishna. And endued
with mighty energy that hero then addressed Draupadi, that foremost of
all women, saying, 'Come princess of Panchala, and see what hath become
of that lustful wretch!' And saying this, Bhima of terrible prowess
began to press with his feet the 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
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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