When the two rival combatants, their bodies struck with the sharp clubs, increased their anger with the smell of flowing blood and made various movements with a desire to win, they appeared like two bulls fighting over a cow. When the two combatants full of rivalry (spṛdhoḥ) increased in anger by the smell of blood flowing from their wounds, it appeared spectacular (vyabhāt), like the fighting of two enraged bulls for a cow (ilāyām). In this way the Lord and Hiraṇyākṣa fought over the earth. According to Amara-koṣa the word ilā means the earth, a cow, words or oblation.