"Vaisampayana continued, 'Assuming the garb of a Brahmana afflicted with the sorrow of Utanka, the chief of the celestials addressed him, saying, "This (purpose of thine) is incapable of being achieved. The regions of the Nagas are thousands of Yojanas removed from this place. I think that thy purpose is not capable of being achieved with thy walking staff."Mbh 14.58.9 · Mahabharata · ASWAMEDHA PARVA
Mbh 14.58.9
Mahabharata · translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Themes in this passage
Grief in other traditions
The same theme, as Christianity, Buddhism, Taoism and Islam address it.
Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.James 4:9 · Bible · James
From pleasure comes grief, from pleasure comes fear; he who is free from pleasure knows neither grief nor fear.Dhp 16.212 · Dhammapada · Pleasure
On occasions of festivity to be on the left hand is the prized position; on occasions of mourning, the right hand. The second in command of the army has his place on the left; the general commanding in chief has his on the right;--his place, that is, is assigned to him as in the rites of mourning. He who has killed multitudes of men should weep for them with the bitterest grief; and the victor in battle has his place (rightly) according to those rites.Tao Te Ching 31.3 · Tao Te Ching
And he turned away from them and said: Alas, my grief for Joseph! And his eyes were whitened with the sorrow that he was suppressing.Quran 12:84 · Quran · Joseph
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