Sacred Concord

Mbh 7.174.1c

Mahabharata · translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli

Alamvusha also, dragging and throwing down the Rakshasa Ghatotkacha, in that battle, began to crush him in rage on the surface of the earth. The battle then that took place between those two roaring and gigantic warriors, viz., Ghatotkacha and Alamvusha, became exceedingly fierce and made the hair stand on end. Endeavouring to prevail over each other by means of their powers of illusion, those two proud warriors, endued with great energy, fought with each other like Indra and Virochana’s son. Becoming fire and ocean, and, once more, Garuda and Takshaka, and once again, a cloud and a tempest, and then thunder and a large mountain, and once again, an elephant and then Rahu and the sun, they thus displayed a hundred different kinds of illusion, solicitous of destroying each other. Indeed, Alamvusha and Ghatotkacha fought most wonderfully, striking each other with spiked clubs and maces and lances and mallets and axes and short clubs and mountain-cliffs. Riding on horseback or on elephants, on foot or on car, those foremost of Rakshasas, both endued with large powers of illusion, fought with each other in battle. Then Ghatotkacha, O king, desiring to slay Alamvusha, roared aloft in rage and then alighted with great quickness like a hawk. Seizing then that gigantic prince of Rakshasas, viz., Alamvusha, who thus struggled with him, he pressed him down on the earth, like Vishnu slaying (the Asura) Maya in battle. Taking a scimitar of wonderful appearance, Ghatotkacha, of immeasurable prowess, then cut off from his trunk, O king, his fierce and mighty foe’s terrible head that was still uttering awful roars. Seizing that blood-dyed head by the hair, Ghatotkacha quickly proceeded towards Duryodhana’s car. Approaching (the Kuru king), the mighty-armed Rakshasa, smiling the while, threw upon Duryodhana’s car that head with frightful face and hair.
Mbh 7.174.1c · Mahabharata · DRONA PARVA

Themes in this passage

WarLeadershipNatureAngerChildrenPrideStrength

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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