And, O Bharata, all on a sudden, some
hundreds and thousands, with eyes wide open in wonder, exclaimed, 'Well
done! Well done!' And having repeatedly displayed their skill and
dexterity in the use of bows and arrows and in the management of cars, the
mighty warriors took up their swords and bucklers, and began to range the
lists, playing their weapons. The spectators saw (with wonder) their
agility, the symmetry of their bodies, their grace, their calmness, the
firmness of their grasp and their deftness in the use of sword and buckler.
Then Vrikodara and Suyodhana, internally delighted (at the prospect of
fight), entered the arena, mace in hand, like two single-peaked mountains.
And those mighty-armed warriors braced their loins, and summoning all
their energy, roared like two infuriate elephants contending for a cow-
elephant; and like two infuriated elephants those mighty heroes
faultlessly (in consonance with the dictates of the science of arm)
careered right and left, circling the lists. And Vidura described to
Dhritarashtra and the mother of the Pandavas (Kunti) and Gandhari, all the
feats of the princes.'"
SECTION CXXXVII
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Upon the Kuru king and Bhima, the foremost of
all endued with strength, having entered the arena, the spectators were
divided into two parties in consequence of the partiality swaying their
affections. Some cried, 'Behold the heroic king of the Kurus!'--some--
'Behold Bhima!'--And on account of these cries, there was, all on a sudden,
a loud uproar.
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