Sacred Concord

Mbh 7.183.4a

Mahabharata · translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli

“Sanjaya said, ‘Upon the slaughter, that night, O king, of the Rakshasa, Ghatotkacha, by Karna, thy troops, filled with joy, uttered loud shouts. In that dark hour of the night, they fell impetuously upon the Pandava troops and began to slay them. Seeing all this, king Yudhishthira became exceedingly cheerless, O chastiser of foes. The mighty-armed son of Pandu, then addressed Bhimasena and said, “O thou of mighty arms, resist the Dhritarashtra host. In consequence of the slaughter of Hidimva’s son, a great stupefaction overwhelms me.” Having ordered Bhimasena thus, he sat down on his car. With tearful face and sighing repeatedly, the king became exceedingly cheerless at the sight of Karna’s prowess. Beholding him so afflicted, Krishna said these words, “O son of Kunti, let not such grief be thine. Such cheerlessness does not become thee, O chief of the Bharatas, as it does an ordinary person. Rise, O king, and fight. Bear the heavy burden, O lord! If cheerlessness overtakes thee, our victory becomes uncertain.” Hearing these words of Krishna, Dharma’s son, Yudhishthira, wiping his eyes with his hands, replied unto Krishna, saying, “O thou of mighty arms, the excellent path of duty is not unknown to me. The dire consequences of a Brahmana’s slaughter are his that forgets the services he receives at other’s hands. Whilst we were living in the woods the high-souled son of Hidimva, although then a mere child did us many services, O Janardana! Learning that Partha, having white steeds, had departed for the acquisition of weapons, that great bowman (viz., Ghatotkacha), O Krishna, came to me at Kamyaka. He dwelt with us till Dhananjaya’s reappearance. Whilst proceeding over many inaccessible fastnesses, he himself carried on his back the tired princess of Panchala. The feats he achieved, O lord, show that he was skilled in all modes of warfare. Indeed, that high-souled one accomplished many difficult feats for my benefit.
Mbh 7.183.4a · Mahabharata · DRONA PARVA

Themes in this passage

ChildrenLeadershipDharmaThe DivineSpeechStrengthGriefJoy

Children in other traditions

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

These are the children of Abihail the son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz;
1 Chronicles 5:14 · Bible · 1 Chronicles
Or hath He daughters whereas ye have sons?
Quran 52:39 · Quran · The Mountain
they reached the low lying city of Lacedaemon, where they drove straight to the abode of Menelaus36 [and found him in his own house, feasting with his many clansmen in honour of the wedding of his son, and also of his daughter, whom he was marrying to the son of that valiant warrior Achilles. He had given his consent and promised her to him while he was still at Troy, and now the gods were bringing the marriage about; so he was sending her with chariots and horses to the city of the Myrmidons over whom Achilles’ son was reigning. For his only son he had found a bride from Sparta,37 the daughter of Alector. This son, Megapenthes, was born to him of a bondwoman, for heaven vouchsafed Helen no more children after she had borne Hermione, who was fair as golden Venus herself.
Odyssey 4.2 · Odyssey · 4
While thus they strive, Tlepolemus the great,[153] Urged by the force of unresisted fate, Burns with desire Sarpedon’s strength to prove; Alcides’ offspring meets the son of Jove. Sheathed in bright arms each adverse chief came on. Jove’s great descendant, and his greater son. Prepared for combat, ere the lance he toss’d, The daring Rhodian vents his haughty boast:
Iliad 5.66 · Iliad · 5

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