Chapter 23

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Then all the relatives of Kichaka, arriving at thatplace, beheld him there and began to wail aloud, surrounding him on allsides. And beholding Kichaka with every limb mangled, and lying like atortoise dragged to dry ground from the water, all of them were overcomewith exceeding fright, and the bristles of their bodies stood on end. Andseeing him crushed all over by Bhima, like a Danava by Indra, theyproceeded to take him outside, for performing his funeral obsequies. Andthen those persons of the Suta clan thus assembled together espiedKrishna of faultless limbs hard by, who stood reclining on a pillar. Andall the Kichakas assembled there, exclaimed, ‘Let this unchaste woman beslain for whom Kichaka hath himself lost his life. Or, without slayingher here, let us cremate her with him that had lusted after her,–for itbehoveth us to accomplish in every way what is agreeable to that deceasedson of Suta.’ And then they addressed Virata, saying, ‘It is for her sakethat Kichaka hath lost his life. Let him, therefore, be cremated alongwith her. It behoveth thee to grant this permission.’ Thus addressed bythem, king Virata, O monarch, knowing fully well the prowess of the Sutagave his assent to Sairindhri being burnt along with the Suta’s son. Andat this, the Kichakas approaching the frightened and stupefied Krishna oflotus-like eyes, seized her with violence. And binding that damsel ofslender-waist and placing her upon the bier, they set out with greatenergy towards the cemetary. And, O king, while thus forcibly carriedtowards the cemetary by those sons of the Suta tribe, the blameless andchaste Krishna living under the protections of her lords, then wailedaloud for the help of her husbands, saying, ‘Oh, let Jaya, and Jayanta,and Vijaya and Jayatsena, and Jayadvala listen to my words. The Sutas aretaking me away. Let those illustrious Gandharvas endued with speed ofhand, the clatter of whose cars is loud and the twang of whose bowstringsin the midst of the mighty conflict are heard like the roar of thunder,listen to my words,–the Sutas are taking me away!’

“Vaisampayana continued, ‘Hearing those sorrowful words and lamentationsof Krishna, Bhima, without a moment’s reflection started up from his bedand said, ‘I have heard, O Sairindhri the words thou hast spoken. Thouhast, therefore, O timid lady, no more fear at the hands of the Sutas.

“Vaisampayana continued, ‘Having said this, the mighty-armed Bhimadesirous of slaying the Kichakas, began to swell his body. And carefullychanging his attire, he went out of the palace by a wrong egress. Andclimbing over a wall by the aid of a tree, he proceeded towards thecemetary whither the Kichakas had gone. And having leapt over the wall,and gone out of the excellent city, Bhima impetuously rushed to where theSutas were. And, O monarch, proceeding towards the funeral pyre he behelda large tree, tall as palmyra-palm, with gigantic shoulders and witheredtop. And that slayer of foes grasping with his arms that tree measuringten Vyamas, uprooted it, even like an elephant, and placed it upon hisshoulders. And taking up that tree with trunk and branches and measuringten Vyamas, that mighty hero rushed towards the Sutas, like Yama himself,mace in hand. And by the impetus of his rush[18] banians and peepals andKinsukas falling down on the earth lay in clusters. And beholding thatGandharva approach them like a lion in fury, all the Sutas trembling withfear and greatly distressed, became panic-struck. And they addressed eachother, saying, ‘Lo, the powerful Gandharva cometh hither, filled withrage, and with an upraised tree in hand. Let Sairindhri, therefore, fromwhom this danger of ours hath arisen, be set free.’ And beholding thetree that had been uprooted by Bhimasena, they set Draupadi free and ranbreathlessly towards the city And seeing them run away, Bhima, thatmighty son of the Wind-god, despatched, O foremost of kings, by means ofthat tree, a hundred and five of them unto the abode of Yama, like thewielder of the thunderbolt slaying the Danavas. And setting Draupadi freefrom her bonds, he then, O king, comforted her. And that mighty-armed andirrepressible Vrikodara, the son of Pandu, then addressed the distressedprincess of Panchala with face bathed in tears, saying, ‘Thus, O timidone, are they slain that wrong thee without cause. Return, O Krishna, tothe city. Thou hast no longer any fear; I myself will go to the Virata’skitchen by another route.’

“Vaisampayana continued, ‘It was thus, O Bharata, that a hundred and fiveof those Kichakas were slain. And their corpses lay on the ground, makingthe place look like a great forest overspread with uprooted trees after ahurricane. Thus fell those hundred and five Kichakas. And includingVirata’s general slain before, the slaughtered Sutas numbered one hundredand six. And beholding that exceedingly wonderful feat, men and womenthat assembled together, were filled with astonishment. And the power ofspeech, O Bharata, was suspended in every one.'”