“‘Sakuni, meanwhile, O king, encompassing Arjuna on all sides with many thousands of cars and several thousands of elephants, and many thousands of steeds, began to fight desperately. Many of them hurled towards Arjuna celestial weapons of great power. Indeed, those Kshatriyas fought with Arjuna, incurring the certitude of death. Arjuna, however, excited with rage, checked those thousands of cars and elephants and steeds, and ultimately caused those foes to turn back. Then Suvala’s son, with eyes red as copper with rage, deeply pierced Arjuna, that slayer of foes, with twenty shafts. And once more shooting a hundred shafts, he checked the progress of Partha’s great car. Then Arjuna, O Bharata, pierced Sakuni with twenty arrows in that battle. And he pierced each of the great bowmen with three arrows. Checking all of them with his arrows, O king, Dhananjaya slew those warriors of thy army with excellent shafts, endued with the force of thunder.[227] Strewn with lopped off arrows, O monarch, and (dead) bodies by thousands, the earth looked as if covered with flowers. Indeed, strewn with the heads of Kshatriyas, heads that were decked with diadems and handsome noses and beautiful ear-rings and (nether) lips bit in rage and wide open eyes,--heads that were graced with collars and crowned also with gems, and which, while life was in them, spoke sweet words,--the earth looked resplendent as if strewn with hillocks overspread with Champaka flowers. Having achieved that fierce feat, and pierced Sakuni once more, struck Uluka with an arrow in that battle. Piercing Uluka thus in the sight of his sire, viz., Suvala’s son, Arjuna uttered a loud roar, filling the earth therewith. Then the son of Indra cut off Sakuni’s bow. And then he despatched his four steeds to Yama’s abode. Then Suvala’s son, O bull of Bharata’s race, jumping down from his car, quickly ascended the car of Uluka. Then those two mighty car-warriors, viz.Mbh 7.171.2a · Mahabharata · DRONA PARVA
Mbh 7.171.2a
Mahabharata · translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Themes in this passage
WarChildrenAngerNatureLeadershipStrengthDeathSpeech
War in other traditions
The same theme, as Christianity, Taoism, Islam and Hellenism address it.
For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army.1 Samuel 17:21 · Bible · 1 Samuel
A master of the art of war has said, 'I do not dare to be the host (to commence the war); I prefer to be the guest (to act on the defensive). I do not dare to advance an inch; I prefer to retire a foot.' This is called marshalling the ranks where there are no ranks; baring the arms (to fight) where there are no arms to bare; grasping the weapon where there is no weapon to grasp; advancing against the enemy where there is no enemy.Tao Te Ching 69.1 · Tao Te Ching
Those who believe do battle for the cause of Allah; and those who disbelieve do battle for the cause of idols. So fight the minions of the devil. Lo! the devil's strategy is ever weak.Quran 4:76 · Quran · Women
He spoke, then rush’d amid the warrior crew, And sent his voice before him as he flew, Loud, as the shout encountering armies yield When twice ten thousand shake the labouring field; Such was the voice, and such the thundering sound Of him whose trident rends the solid ground. Each Argive bosom beats to meet the fight, And grisly war appears a pleasing sight.Iliad 14.15 · Iliad · 14
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