t, the mighty-armed Bhimasena stood immovable like a mountain.
Similarly, though struck repeatedly with the force of Bhima's mace,
Shalya, O king, moved not, like a mountain assailed by an elephant with
his tusks. The noise made by the blows of the maces of those two lions
among men was heard on all sides like successive peals of thunder. Having
ceased for a moment, those two warriors of great energy once more began,
with uplifted maces, to career in closer circles. Once more the clash
took place between those two warriors of superhuman feats, each having
advanced towards the other by eight steps, and each assailing the other
with his uplifted iron club. Then, wishing to get at each other, they
once more careered in circles. Both accomplished (in the use of the mace)
they began to display their superiority of skill. Uplifting their
terrible weapons, they then again struck each other like mountains
striking each other with their crests at the time of an earthquake.
Exceedingly crushed with each other's mace in consequence of each other's
strength, both those heroes fell down at the same time like a couple of
poles set up for Indra's worship. The brave combatants then of both
armies, at that sight, uttered cries of "Oh!" and "Alas!" Struck with
great force in their vital limbs, both of them had become exceedingly
agitated. Then the mighty Kripa, taking up Shalya, that bull among the
Madras, on his own car, quickly bore him away from the field of battle.
Within, however, the twinkling of an eye, Bhimasena, rising up, and still
reeling as if drunk, challenged, with uplifted mace, the ruler of the
Madras. Then the heroic warriors of thy army, armed with diverse weapons,
fought with the Pandavas, causing diverse musical instruments to be blown
and beat. With uplifted arms and weapons and making a loud noise, O
monarch, thy warriors headed by Duryodhana rushed against the Pandavas.
Beholding the Kaurava host, the sons of Pandu, with leonine roars, rushed
against those warriors headed by Duryodhana. Then thy son, O bull of
Bharata's race, singling out Chekitana amongst those rushing heroes,
pierced him deeply with a lance in the chest. Thus assailed by thy son,
Chekitana fell down on the terrace of his car, covered with blood, and
overcome with a deep swoon. Beholding Chekitana slain, the great
car-warriors among the Pandavas incessantly poured their arrowy showers
(upon the Kauravas). Indeed, the Pandavas, inspired with desire of