Terrible Kankas and vultures, and cranes and hawks and ravens, O king, tempted by the prospect of food, proceeded in advance of his car, and indicated auspicious omens foreboding the destruction of the hostile host and the slaughter of Karna. And while Partha proceeded, a copious perspiration covered his body. His anxiety also became very great as to how he would achieve his vow. The slayer of Madhu then, beholding Partha filled with anxiety as he proceeded, addressed the wielder of Gandiva and said these words.Mbh 8.72.1b · Mahabharata · Karna-parva
Mbh 8.72.1b
Mahabharata · translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Themes in this passage
AnxietyLeadershipSpeechTemptationFear
Anxiety in other traditions
The same theme, as Christianity, Islam and Hellenism address it.
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.Psalms 42:5 · Bible · Psalms
Saying: Lo! of old, when we were with our families, we were ever anxious;Quran 52:26 · Quran · The Mountain
Then thus the god: “O restless fate of pride, That strives to learn what heaven resolves to hide; Vain is the search, presumptuous and abhorr’d, Anxious to thee, and odious to thy lord. Let this suffice: the immutable decree No force can shake: what is, that ought to be. Goddess, submit; nor dare our will withstand, But dread the power of this avenging hand: The united strength of all the gods above In vain resists the omnipotence of Jove.”Iliad 1.57 · Iliad · 1
“I should have done so at once,” replied Neptune, “if I were not anxious to avoid anything that might displease you; now, therefore, I should like to wreck the Phaeacian ship as it is returning from its escort. This will stop them from escorting people in future; and I should also like to bury their city under a huge mountain.”Odyssey 13.15 · Odyssey · 13
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