"Sanjaya continued, 'Arjuna also asked Govinda a similar question. Krishna, however, smiling, said unto Partha these words of grave import, "The Sun himself may fall down from his place, the Earth herself may split into a 1,000 fragments; fire itself may become cold. Still Karna will not be able to slay thee, O Dhananjaya! If, however, any such occurrence takes place, know then that the destruction of the universe will be at hand. As regards myself, I will, using my bare arms, slay both Karna and Shalya in battle." Hearing these words of Krishna, the ape-bannered Arjuna, smiling, replied unto Krishna who was never fatigued with exertion, saying, "Shalya and Karna, united together, are not a match for myself alone, O Janardana! Thou shalt today, O Krishna, behold Karna with his standard and banners with Shalya and his car and steeds, with his umbrella and armour and darts and shafts and bow, cut in pieces with my shafts in battle. Thou shalt today behold him with his car and steeds and darts and armour and weapons, reduced to dust like a tree in the forest crushed by a tusker. Today the widowhood of the wives of Radha's son is at hand. Verily, they must have in their (last night's) dreams seen signs of approaching evil, O Mahadeva! Verily, thou shalt today see the wives of Karna become widows. I cannot restrain my wrath at what was done before now by this fool of little foresight when he beheld Krishna dragged to the assembly and when laughing at us he abused us repeatedly in vile words. Today, O Govinda, thou shalt behold Karna crushed by me like a tree with its load of flowers crushed by an infuriated elephant. Today, O slayer of Madhu, thou shalt, after Karna's fall, hear those sweet words, 'By good luck, O thou of Vrishni's race, victory hath been thine!' Thou shalt today comfort the mother of Abhimanyu with a lighter heart for having paid thy debt to the foe. Today thou shalt, filled with joy, comfort thy paternal aunt Kunti.Mbh 8.87.2a · Mahabharata · Karna-parva
Mbh 8.87.2a
Mahabharata · translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Themes in this passage
SpeechNatureComfortMarriageTruthWarAngerChildren
Speech in other traditions
The same theme, as Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and Taoism address it.
Beware of the anger of the tongue, and control thy tongue! Leave the sins of the tongue, and practise virtue with thy tongue!Dhp 17.232 · Dhammapada · Anger
For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.1 Corinthians 14:2 · Bible · 1 Corinthians
O ye who believe! Guard your duty to Allah, and speak words straight to the point;Quran 33:70 · Quran · The Allies
He who knows (the Tao) does not (care to) speak (about it); he who is (ever ready to) speak about it does not know it.Tao Te Ching 56.1 · Tao Te Ching
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