Sacred Concord

Mbh 8.77.1c

Mahabharata · translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli

As soon as the valiant Bhimasena heard of Partha's arrival, he began, O monarch, to grind thy troops, reckless of his very life. Possessed of prowess equal to that of the wind, the valiant Bhima, the son of the Wind-god, began to career in that battle like the wind itself. Afflicted by him, O monarch, thy army, O king, began to reel like a wrecked vessel on the bosom of the sea. Displaying his lightness of hands, Bhima began to cut and mangle that host with his fierce arrows and despatch large numbers to the abode of Yama. Beholding on that occasion the superhuman might of Bhima, O Bharata, like that of the Destroyer at the end of the Yuga, thy warriors became filled with fright. Seeing his mightiest soldiers thus afflicted by Bhimasena, O Bharata, king Duryodhana addressed all his troops and great bowmen, O bull of Bharata's race, commanding them to slay Bhima in that battle, since upon Bhima's fall he would regard the Pandava troops already exterminated. Accepting that command of thy son, all the kings shrouded Bhima with showers of shafts from every side. Innumerable elephants, O king, and men inspired with desire of victory, and cars, and horse, O monarch, encompassed Vrikodara. Thus encompassed by those brave warriors on all sides, O king, that hero, that chief of Bharata's race, looked resplendent like the Moon surrounded by the stars. Indeed, as the Moon at full within his corona looks beautiful, even so that best of men, exceedingly handsome, looked beautiful in that battle. All those kings, with cruel intent and eyes red in wrath, inflicted upon Vrikodara their arrowy downpours, moved by the desire of slaying him. Piercing that mighty host with straight shafts, Bhima came out of the press like a fish coming out of a net, having slain 10,000 unretreating elephants, 200,200 men, O Bharata, and 5,000 horses, and a hundred car-warriors. Having slaughtered these, Bhima caused a river of blood to flow there.
Mbh 8.77.1c · Mahabharata · Karna-parva

Themes in this passage

LeadershipWarNatureCourageChildrenDesireStrengthSuffering

Leadership in other traditions

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

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Joshua 10:23 · Bible · Joshua
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Odyssey 14.18 · Odyssey · 14
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Iliad 2.22 · Iliad · 2

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