Those two
foremost ones of Kuru's race careered thus, each avoiding the other's
blows. Indeed, those two mighty warriors thus coursed in circles and
seemed to sport with each other. Displaying in that encounter their skill
in battle, those two chastisers of foes sometimes suddenly attacked each
other with their weapons, like two elephants approaching and attacking
each other with their tusks. Covered with blood, they looked very
beautiful, O monarch, on the field. Even thus occurred that battle,
awfully and before the gaze of a large multitude, towards the close of
the day, like the battle between Vritra and Vasava. Armed with maces,
both began to career in circles. Duryodhana, O monarch, adopted the right
mandala, while Bhimasena adopted the left mandala. While Bhima was thus
careering in circles on the field of battle, Duryodhana, O monarch,
suddenly struck him a fierce blow on one of his flanks. Struck by thy
son, O sire, Bhima began to whirl his heavy mace for returning that blow.
The spectators, O monarch, beheld that mace of Bhimasena look as terrible
as Indra's thunder-bolt or Yama's uplifted bludgeon. Seeing Bhima whirl
his mace, thy son, uplifting his own terrible weapon, struck him again.
Loud was the sound, O Bharata, produced by the descent of thy son's mace.
So quick was that descent that it generated a flame of fire in the
welkin. Coursing in diverse kinds of circles, adopting each motion at the
proper time, Suyodhana, possessed of great energy, once more seemed to
prevail over Bhima.
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