became filled with amazement.  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.  And seeing the place become like a troubled ocean, the intelligent Bharadwaja said unto his dear son, Aswatthaman, ’Restrain both these mighty warriors so proficient in arms.  Let not the ire of the assembly be provoked by this combat of Bhima and Duryodhana.’

“Vaisampayana continued, ’Then the son of the preceptor of the princes restrained those combatants with their maces uplifted and resembling two swollen oceans agitated by the winds that blow at the universal dissolution.  And Drona himself entering the yard of the arena commanded the musicians to stop, and with a voice deep as that of the clouds addressed these words, ’Behold ye now that Partha who is dearer to me than my own son, the master of all arms, the son of Indra himself, and like unto the younger brother of Indra, (Vishnu)!  And having performed the propitiatory rites, the youthful Phalguna, equipped with the finger protector (gauntlet) and his quiver full of shafts and bow in hand, donning his golden mail, appeared in the lists even like an evening cloud reflecting the rays of the setting sun and illumined by the hues of the rainbow and flashes of lightning.