Some people might have heard the name Kichaka but, yet it is not as well-known as other characters of Mahabharata. Kichaka is an important part of the Virata Parva of the epic and the main reason for sabotaging Pandavas Agyatvas (अज्ञातवास). Kichaka or Keechaka means hollow bamboo. The chapter of Kichaka is another chapter in Mahabharata where Draupadi is insulted yet again!
According to Mahabharata, Kichaka was a mighty warrior. He was the brother of Sudeshna, wife of the King Virata of the Matsya Kingdom. He was also commander-in chief of Virata’s army. He was known for his fierce style of fighting and might.
During Agyatvas, Pandavas took refuge in Matsya Kingdom, Yudhishtir as Kanka a courtier, Bhima as Ballava the cook, Arjuna as Brihannala a neuter and dance teacher of princess Uttaraa, Nakul as Granthika the horse keeper and Sahadeva as Tantipala the keeper of kine. Draupadi became Malini a Sairandhri, a personal maid of the queen. Draupadi told everyone that she was married to five gandharvas.
One day Kichaka saw a Sairandhri (maid). Intoxicated by her beauty, Kichaka desired to have her. Sairandhri was Draupadi and she refused Kichaka’s proposal. Furious by her actions Kichaka went to his sister to whom Draupadi/Sairandhri was serving as maid. Kichaka told his sister about his desire and insulting behavior of her maid. Sudeshna, being a queen and sister, could not refuse her brother’s desire for a maid. She ordered Sairandhri to serve wine to Kichaka. Sairandhri went into Kichaka’s room to serve wine. There is Kichaka again expressed his desires and tried to forcibly embrace her. But Sairandhri again refused to make love and pushed him away.
Enraged by this act, Kichaka dragged Sairandhri by her hair straight into courtroom of the King Virata. Everyone including King Virata and disguised Pandava saw the Sairandhri being thrown in the room, insulted (yet again!) and mocked but did nothing. However, Bhima and Arjuna were furious and pledged to kill Kichaka.
Draupadi, Bhima designed a plan to kill Kichaka at night. Draupadi went to Kichaka and told him that it is due to her Gandharva husbands due to which she refused him. She also told Kichaka that her Gandharva husbands are very mighty and can go anywhere anytime. Draupadi asked Kichaka to meet her in the dance hall where Gandharva husbands won’t come. Kichaka, intoxicated by Draupadi’s beauty, accepted the proposal.
At night Bhima dressed up as Sairandhri and lay down onto the bed. Drunk Kichaka came into the dance hall at night. To his pleasure he saw Sairandhri sleeping on a bed. Kichaka, being high, could not recognize Bhima in the dark and approached Sairandhri. As soon as Kichaka found out that it was not Sairandhri but Bhima, Bhima charged at him. A fierce fight took place. Bhima was so infuriated that he killed Kichaka in such a brutal manner that Kichaka’s corpse was almost unrecognizable.
All the people around the dance hall woke up including Kichaka’s relatives and keepers. When they rushed into the dance hall, they saw Sairandhri and the corpse. She tried to explain to them that her Gandharva husbands killed Kichaka. But the relatives of Kichaka were so angry that they proposed to the King Virata that, Sairandhri also should be cremated along with Kichaka since Kichaka desired her and was also the reason for his death. King Virata as well as queen Sudeshna accepted the proposal. Sairandhri cried out to her husbands for protection but due to disguise Yudhisthira could do nothing. Yudhisthira or Kanka informed Bhima about the cremation.
Enraged, Bhima changed his attire and then went towards the cemetery. Another fierce battle broke out between relatives of Kichaka and Bhima. In this fight Bhima uprooted a tree and marched towards the pyre. Looking at Bhima in this manner, the relatives got afraid and left alone the Sairandhri, Malini ie Draupadi. Draupadi then rushed towards Bhima. During this fight Bhima killed all one hundred and five relatives of Kichaka with help of the tree. For a moment the whole city was in awe and fear. Draupadi being set free went back to the palace.
King Virata was informed about the incident by the citizens. Draupadi was brought again to the courtroom for explanation. Draupadi or Sairandhri again told the same story of her Gandharva husbands and how they killed Kichaka as well as his relatives at the cemetery. King Virata had no choice but, to accept it and leave Sairandhri alone.
This incident famously known as “Kichaka-Vadha” which literally means “Kichaka’s Slaughter” was such a big event that it spreads like wildfire, not only in Matsya Kingdom but also in other kingdoms. When the news of Kichaka’s death reached Hastinapura, Duryodhana and others became almost certain that it must be Bhima or at least someone of the might as as Bhima (which was farfetched since no one were as mighty as Bhima). Duryodhana and other Kauravas’s were certain after some time, that it was none other than Bhima who killed Kichaka and marched towards Matsya Kingdom to break Pandavas Agyatvas and sent them again into exile. And then the story of Mahabharata continues towards Virata Yuddha.
So, this was the story of one of the mightiest characters in Mahabharata and how the mighty Bhima slew him.
Read more about unknown characters of Mahabharata here.
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