The son of Hidimva, inflamed with wrath, flew from his own car to that of Alamvusha, and seized the latter. He then took him up from the car, like Garuda taking up a snake. Thus dragging him up with his arms, he began to whirl him repeatedly, and then crushed him into pieces, hurling him down on the earth, like a man crushing an earthen pot into fragments by hurling it against a rock. Endued with strength and activity, possessed of great prowess, the son of Bhimasena, inflamed with wrath in battle, inspired all the troops with fear. All the limbs broken and bones reduced to fragments, the frightful Rakshasa Alamvusha, thus slain by the heroic Ghatotkacha, resembled a tall Sala uprooted and broken by the wind. Upon the slaughter of that wanderer of the night, the Parthas became very cheerful. And they uttered leonine roars and waved their garments. Thy brave warriors, however, beholding that mighty prince or Rakshasas, viz., Alamvusha, slain and lying like a crushed mountain, uttered cries, O monarch, of Oh and Alas. And people, possessed with curiosity, went to view that Rakshasa lying helplessly on the earth like a piece of charcoal (no longer capable of burning). The Rakshasa Ghatotkacha, then, that foremost of mighty beings, having thus slain his foe, uttered a loud shout, like Vasava after slaying (the Asura) Vala. Having achieved that exceedingly difficult feat, Ghatotkacha, was much applauded by his sires as also by his relatives. Indeed, having felled Alamvusha, like an Alamvusha fruit, he rejoiced exceedingly with his friends. There arose then a loud uproar (in the Pandava army) of conchs and of diverse kinds of arrows. Hearing that noise the Kauravas uttered loud shouts in reply, filling the whole earth with its echoes.’”Mbh 7.108.1c · Mahabharata · DRONA PARVA
Mbh 7.108.1c
Mahabharata · translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Themes in this passage
NatureStrengthWarAngerChildrenCourageFearFriendship
Nature in other traditions
The same theme, as Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Taoism address it.
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