While proceeding thus,
armed with mace and clad in armour, the celestials in the welkin
applauded him, saying, "Excellent, Excellent!" The Charanas fleet as air,
seeing the Kuru king, became filled with delight. Surrounded by the
Pandavas, thy son, the Kuru king, proceeded, assuming the tread of an
infuriated elephant. All the points of the compass were filled with the
blare of conchs and the loud peals of drums and the leonine roars of
heroes. Proceeding with face westwards to the appointed spot, with thy
son (in their midst), they scattered themselves on every side when they
reached it. That was an excellent tirtha on the southern side of the
Sarasvati. The ground there was not sandy and was, therefore, selected
for the encounter. Clad in armour, and armed with his mace of gigantic
thickness, Bhima, O monarch, assumed the form of the mighty Garuda. With
head-gear fastened on his head, and wearing an armour made of gold,
licking the corners of his mouth, O monarch, with eyes red in wrath, and
breathing hard, thy son, on that field, O king, looked resplendent like
the golden Sumeru. Taking up his mace, king Duryodhana of great energy,
casting his glances on Bhimasena, challenged him to the encounter like an
elephant challenging a rival elephant. Similarly, the valiant Bhima,
taking up his adamantine mace, challenged the king like a lion
challenging a lion. Duryodhana and Bhima, with uplifted maces, looked in
that bottle like two mountains with tall summits.
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