The
combatants of both armies, looking at those two foremost of warriors from
every side, applauded them both, saying, "Excellent, Excellent! Save the
ruler of the Madras, or Rama, that delighter of the Yadus, there is none
else that can venture to endure the impetuosity of Bhima in battle.
Similarly, save Bhima, there is no other warrior that can venture to
endure the force of the mace of the illustrious king of the Madras in
battle." Those two combatants then, Vrikodara and the ruler of the
Madras, roaring like bulls, careered in circles, frequently jumping up in
the air. In that encounter between those two lions among men, no
difference could be noticed between them either in respect of their
careering in circles or of their wielding the mace. The mace of Shalya,
wrapped round with a resplendent cloth of gold that looked like a sheet
of fire, inspired the spectators with dread. Similarly, the mace of the
high-souled Bhima, as the latter careered in circles, looked like
lightning in the midst of the clouds. Struck by the ruler of the Madras
with his mace, the mace of Bhima, O king, produced sparks of fire in the
welkin which thereupon seemed to be ablaze. Similarly, struck by Bhima
with his mace, the mace of Shalya produced a shower of blazing coals
which seemed exceedingly wonderful. Like two gigantic elephants striking
each other with their tusks, or two huge bulls striking each other with
their horns, those two heroes began to strike each other with their
foremost of maces, like a couple of combatants striking each other with
iron bound clubs.
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