"'Arjuna said, "What business brought thee here, O daughter (-in-law) of Kuru's race, and what also is the cause of the arrival on the field of battle of her who is the mother of the ruler of Manipura? Dost thou entertain friendly motives towards this king, O daughter of a snake? O thou of restless glances, dost thou wish good to me too? I hope, O thou of ample hips, that neither I, nor this Vabhruvahana here, have, O beautiful lady, done any injury to thee unconsciously? Has Chitrangada of faultless limbs, descended from the race of Chitravahana, done thee any wrong?" Unto him, the daughter of the prince of snakes answered smilingly, "Thou hast not offended me, nor has Vabhruvahana done me any wrong; nor this prince's mother who is always obedient to me as a hand-maid. Listen, how all this has been brought about by me. Thou shouldst not be angry with me. Indeed, I seek to gratify thee by bending my head in reverence. O thou of Kuru's race, all this has been done by me for thy good, O puissant one. O mighty-armed Dhananjaya, hear all that I have done. In the great battle of the Bharata princes, thou hadst slain the royal son of Santanu by unrighteous ways. What I have done has expiated thy sin. Thou didst not overthrow Bhishma while battling with thee. He was engaged with Sikhandin. Relying on him as thy help, thou didst compass the overthrow of Santanu's son. If thou hadst died without having expiated thy sin, thou wouldst then have fallen without doubt into Hell in consequence of that sinful act of thine. Even this which thou hast got from thy son is the expiation of that sin. Formerly, O ruler of Earth, I heard this said by the Vasus while they were in the company of Ganga, O thou of great intelligence. After the fall of Santanu's son, those deities, viz., the Vasus, coming to the banks of Ganga, bathed in her waters, and calling the goddess of that stream, they uttered these terrible words having the sanction of Bhagirathi herself, viz.Mbh 14.81.1a · Mahabharata · ASWAMEDHA PARVA
Mbh 14.81.1a
Mahabharata · translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Themes in this passage
ChildrenLeadershipSinFamilyWarAngerAnxietyDeath
Children in other traditions
The same theme, as Christianity, Islam and Hellenism address it.
These are the children of Abihail the son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz;1 Chronicles 5:14 · Bible · 1 Chronicles
Or hath He daughters whereas ye have sons?Quran 52:39 · Quran · The Mountain
they reached the low lying city of Lacedaemon, where they drove straight to the abode of Menelaus36 [and found him in his own house, feasting with his many clansmen in honour of the wedding of his son, and also of his daughter, whom he was marrying to the son of that valiant warrior Achilles. He had given his consent and promised her to him while he was still at Troy, and now the gods were bringing the marriage about; so he was sending her with chariots and horses to the city of the Myrmidons over whom Achilles’ son was reigning. For his only son he had found a bride from Sparta,37 the daughter of Alector. This son, Megapenthes, was born to him of a bondwoman, for heaven vouchsafed Helen no more children after she had borne Hermione, who was fair as golden Venus herself.Odyssey 4.2 · Odyssey · 4
While thus they strive, Tlepolemus the great,[153] Urged by the force of unresisted fate, Burns with desire Sarpedon’s strength to prove; Alcides’ offspring meets the son of Jove. Sheathed in bright arms each adverse chief came on. Jove’s great descendant, and his greater son. Prepared for combat, ere the lance he toss’d, The daring Rhodian vents his haughty boast:Iliad 5.66 · Iliad · 5
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