Vaisampayana said, “Like Duryodhana, king Yudhishthira also, the son of Kunti and Dharma, ordered out, O Bharata, his heroic warriors headed by Dhrishtadyumna. Indeed, he ordered that slayer of foes and commander of force, that leader, steady in prowess, of the Chedis, the Kasis, and the Karushas, viz., Dhrishtaketu, as also Virata, and Drupada, and Yuyudhana, and Sikhandin, and those two mighty bowmen, those two princes of Panchala, viz., Yudhamanyu and Uttamaujas, to set out. Those brave warriors, cased in handsome coats of mail and decked with golden ear-rings, blazed forth like fires on the sacrificial altar when fed with clarified butter. Indeed, those mighty bowmen looked resplendent like the planets in the firmament. Then that bull among men king Yudhishthira, having duly honoured all his combatants, ordered them to march. And king Yudhishthira ordered excellent provisions of food for those high-souled kings with their troops consisting of infantry, and elephants and horses, and with all their followers, as also for all those that subsisted on mechanical arts. And the son of Pandu first ordered Abhimanyu, and Vrihanta, and the five sons of Draupadi, to march with Dhrishtadyumna at their head. And he then despatched Bhima, and Dhananjaya the son of Pandu, in the second division of his forces. And the din made by the men moving and running about for harnessing their steeds and elephants and loading the cars with implements of battle, and the shouts of the cheerful combatants, seemed to touch the very heavens. And last of all, the king marched himself, accompanied by Virata and Drupada and the other monarchs (on his side). And that army of fierce bowmen commanded by Dhrishtadyumna, hitherto stationed in one place, but now extended into columns for marching, looked like the (impetuous) current of Ganga. Then the intelligent Yudhishthira depending on his wisdom, disposed his divisions in a different order, confounding the sons of Dhritarashtra.Mbh 5.199.1a · Mahabharata · UDYOGA PARVA
Mbh 5.199.1a
Mahabharata · translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Themes in this passage
ChildrenLeadershipWarStrengthCourageDharmaNatureWisdom
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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