Sacred Concord

Mbh 5.187.1b

Mahabharata · translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli

He invoked the great Brahma weapon. For baffling it I also used the same excellent weapon. Clashing against each other, the two weapons began to blaze forth brightly, showing what happens at the end of the Yuga! Without being able to reach either myself or Rama, those two weapons, O best of the Bharatas, met each other in the mid-air. Then the whole welkin seemed to be ablaze, and all creatures, O monarch, became highly distressed. Afflicted by the energy of those weapons, the Rishis, the Gandharvas, and the gods were all greatly pained. Then earth, with her mountains and seas and trees began to tremble, and all creatures, heated with the energy of the weapons, were greatly afflicted. The firmament, O king, became ablaze and the ten points of the horizon became filled with smoke. Creatures, therefore, that range the welkin were unable to stay in their element. When, at all this, the whole world with the gods, the Asuras and the Rakshasas began to utter exclamations of woe.--This is the time--thought I and became desirous, O Bharata, of speedily shooting the Praswapa weapon at the command of those utterers of Brahma (that had appeared to me in my dream)! The Mantras also for invoking excellent weapon suddenly came to my mind!”’”
Mbh 5.187.1b · Mahabharata · UDYOGA PARVA

Themes in this passage

NatureSufferingLeadership

Nature in other traditions

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

The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining:
Joel 2:10 · Bible · Joel
Hast thou not seen that unto Allah payeth adoration whosoever is in the heavens and whosoever is in the earth, and the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the hills, and the trees, and the beasts, and many of mankind, while there are many unto whom the doom is justly due. He whom Allah scorneth, there is none to give him honour. Lo! Allah doeth what He will.
Quran 22:18 · Quran · The Pilgrimage
Cut down the whole forest (of lust), not a tree only! Danger comes out of the forest (of lust). When you have cut down both the forest (of lust) and its undergrowth, then, Bhikshus, you will be rid of the forest and free!
Dhp 20.283 · Dhammapada · The Way
Abstaining from speech marks him who is obeying the spontaneity of his nature. A violent wind does not last for a whole morning; a sudden rain does not last for the whole day. To whom is it that these (two) things are owing? To Heaven and Earth. If Heaven and Earth cannot make such (spasmodic) actings last long, how much less can man!
Tao Te Ching 23.1 · Tao Te Ching

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