Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.2436

c7.2436

3) Kīcaka's Death. The very same night with tears in her eyes, Pāñcālī told Bhīma all about the indecent behaviour. He asked Pāñcālī to invite Kīcaka to a secret meeting at a specified place the next night, and promised her that he would remain concealed there and kill Kīcaka. Accordingly Bhīma concealed himself the next night in the dancing hall and, as requested by Pāñcālī, Kīcaka came to the hall at midnight to spend a few hours with Pāñcālī. Bhīma was lying there on a cot, and Kīcaka, mistaking him for Pāñcālī kissed him. Bhīma caught him in his iron grips and crushed him to death. The next morning, it was the fate of Kīcaka's brothers to lament over his death. The story also was spread that Kīcaka was killed by some Gandharva, the husband of Pāñcālī.