the clash of two masses of
granite, the lists rang with the sounds of their combat. Fighting with
each other thus for a few seconds, Bhima the foremost of the Kuru heroes
taking up Salya on his arms hurled him to a distance. And Bhimasena, that
bull amongst men, surprised all (by the dexterity of his feat) for though
he threw Salya on the ground he did it without hurting him much. And when
Salya was thus thrown down and Karna was struck with fear, the other
monarchs were all alarmed. And they hastily surrounded Bhima and
exclaimed, 'Surely these bulls amongst Brahmanas are excellent
(warriors)! Ascertain in what race they have been born and where they
abide. Who can encounter Karna, the son of Radha, in fight, except Rama
or Drona, or Kiriti, the son of Pandu? Who also can encounter Duryodhana
in battle except Krishna, the son of Devaki, and Kripa, the son of
Saradwan? Who also can overthrow in battle Salya, that first of mighty
warriors, except the hero Valadeva or Vrikodara, the son of Pandu, or the
heroic Duryodhana? Let us, therefore, desist from this fight with the
Brahmanas. Indeed, Brahmanas, however offending, should yet be ever
protected. And first let us ascertain who these are; for after we have
done that we may cheerfully fight with them.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'And Krishna, having beheld that feat of Bhima,
believed them both to be the son of Kunti. And gently addressing the
assembled monarchs, saying, 'This maiden hath been justly acquired (by
the Brahmana),' he induced them to abandon the fight. Accomplished in
battle, those monarchs then desisted from the fight. And those best of
monarchs then returned to their respective kingdoms, wondering much. And
those who had come there went away saying. 'The festive scene hath
terminated in the victory of the Brahmanas. The princess of Panchala hath
become the bride of a Brahmana.' And surrounded by Brahmanas dressed in
skins of deer and other wild animals, Bhima and Dhananjaya passed with
difficulty out of the throng. And those heroes among men, mangled by the
enemy and followed by Krishna, on coming at last out of that throng,
looked like the full moon and the sun emerging from the clouds.

"Meanwhile Kunti seeing that her sons were late in returning from their
eleemosynary round, was filled with anxiety. She began to think of
various evils having overtaken her sons. At one time she thought that the
sons of Dhritarashtra having recognised her sons had slain