Sacred Concord

Mbh 5.151.7

Mahabharata · translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli

Vaisampayana continued, “Hearing these words of the intelligent king, Yudhishthira the Just, the lotus-eyed Krishna said, eyeing Dhananjaya, the while, ‘O king, I fully approve of all those powerful warriors whom ye have named for becoming the leaders of thy troops. All of them are competent to withstand thy foes. Indeed, they can frighten Indra himself in great battle, let alone the covetous and wicked-minded sons of Dhritarashtra. O thou of mighty arms, for thy good I made great efforts to prevent the battle by bringing about peace. By that we have been freed from the debt we owed to virtue. Fault-finding persons will not be able to reproach us for anything. Foolish Duryodhana, destitute of understanding, regardeth himself as skilled in weapons, and though really weak thinketh himself to be possessed of strength. Array thy troops soon, for slaughter is the only means by which they can be made to yield to our demands. Indeed, the sons of Dhritarashtra will never be able to keep their ground when they will behold Dhananjaya with Yuyudhana as his second, and Abhimanyu, and the five sons of Draupadi, and Virata, and Drupada, and the other kings of fierce prowess,--all lords of Akshauhinis. Our army is possessed of great strength, and is invincible and incapable of being withstood. Without doubt, it will slay the Dhartarashtra host. As regards our leader, I would name that chastiser of foes, Dhrishtadyumna.’”
Mbh 5.151.7 · Mahabharata · UDYOGA PARVA

Themes in this passage

StrengthWarChildrenLeadershipDharmaDoubtGreedJustice

Strength in other traditions

The same theme, as Christianity, Islam, Hellenism and Taoism address it.

Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.
Job 36:5 · Bible · Job
Allah is He Who shaped you out of weakness, then appointed after weakness strength, then, after strength, appointed weakness and grey hair. He createth what He will. He is the Knower, the Mighty.
Quran 30:54 · Quran · The Romans
“Stern power of war! by whom the mighty fall, Who bathe in blood, and shake the lofty wall! Let the brave chiefs their glorious toils divide; And whose the conquest, mighty Jove decide: While we from interdicted fields retire, Nor tempt the wrath of heaven’s avenging sire.”
Iliad 5.6 · Iliad · 5
Hence he who (relies on) the strength of his forces does not conquer; and a tree which is strong will fill the out-stretched arms, (and thereby invites the feller.)
Tao Te Ching 76.3 · Tao Te Ching

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