“Surya said, ‘If O son, thou givest away thy ear-rings to the wielder of the thunder-bolt, O thou of mighty strength, thou shouldst also, for the purpose of securing victory, speak unto him, saying,--O thou of a hundred sacrifices, I shall give thee ear-rings under a condition.--Furnished with the ear-rings, thou art certainly incapable of being slain by any being. Therefore, it is, O son, that desirous of beholding thee slain in battle by Arjuna, the destroyer of the Danavas desireth to deprive thee of thy ear-rings. Repeatedly adoring with truthful words that lord of the celestials, viz., Purandara armed with weapons incapable of being frustrated, do thou also beseech him, saying, ‘Give me an infallible dart capable of slaying all foes, and I will, O thousand-eyed deity, give the ear-rings with the excellent coat of mail!’ On this condition shouldst thou give the ear-rings unto Sakra. With that dart, O Karna, thou wilt slay foes in battle: for, O mighty-armed one, that dart of the chief of the celestials doth not return to the hand that hurleth it, without slaying enemies by hundreds and by thousands!’”Mbh 3.300.2 · Mahabharata · VANA PARVA
Mbh 3.300.2
Mahabharata · translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Themes in this passage
CharityWarChildrenSpeechStrengthDesireThe DivineTruth
Charity in other traditions
The same theme, as Islam, Christianity, Buddhism and Taoism address it.
And of them is he who made a covenant with Allah (saying): If He give us of His bounty we will give alms and become of the righteous.Quran 9:75 · Quran · Repentance
Give them, O LORD: what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.Hosea 9:14 · Bible · Hosea
Give up what is before, give up what is behind, give up what is in the middle, when thou goest to the other shore of existence; if thy mind is altogether free, thou wilt not again enter into birth and decay.Dhp 24.348 · Dhammapada · Thirst
I do not know its name, and I give it the designation of the Tao (the Way or Course). Making an effort (further) to give it a name I call it The Great.Tao Te Ching 25.2 · Tao Te Ching
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