Sacred Concord

Mbh 7.124.3a

Mahabharata · translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli

“‘While the Pandavas, O Bharata, were thus being thinned, the heroic son of Jarasandha rushed towards Drona. Like the clouds shrouding the sun, he quickly made the mighty-armed Drona invisible in that battle by means of his arrowy showers. Beholding that lightness of hand in him, Drona, that grinder of Kshatriyas, quickly shot his shafts by hundreds and thousands. Covering (with his arrows) in that battle that foremost of car-warriors stationed on his car, Drona speedily slew the son of Jarasandha in the very sight of all bowmen. Indeed, Drona, resembling the Destroyer himself, swallowing up every one who approached him then, like the Destroyer himself, swallowing up creatures when their hour arrives. Then Drona, O monarch, proclaiming his name in that battle, covered the Pandavas with many thousands of shafts. Those shafts shot by Drona, whetted on stone and engraved with his name, slew in that battle men and elephants and steeds by hundreds. Thus slaughtered by Drona, like the Asuras by Sakra, the Panchalas began to tremble like a herd of kine afflicted with cold. Indeed, O bull of Bharata’s race, when the Pandava army was thus being slaughtered by Drona, there arose an awful wail of woe from it. Scorched by the sun and slaughtered by means of those arrows, the Panchalas then became filled with anxiety. Stupefied by Bharadwaja’s son with his arrowy showers in that battle the mighty car-warriors among the Panchalas felt like persons whose thighs had been seized by alligators. Then, O king, the Chedis, the Srinjayas, the Kasis, and the Kosalas, rushed cheerfully against the son of Bharadwaja from desire of battle. And the Chedis, the Panchalas, and the Srinjayas addressed one another, saying, “Drona is slain! Drona is slain!” Saying these words, they rushed at that hero. Indeed, all these tigers among men fell with their utmost might upon the illustrious Drona, desirous of despatching him to the abode of Yama.
Mbh 7.124.3a · Mahabharata · DRONA PARVA

Themes in this passage

WarChildrenNatureStrengthAnxietyDesireLeadershipSpeech

War in other traditions

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

For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army.
1 Samuel 17:21 · Bible · 1 Samuel
A master of the art of war has said, 'I do not dare to be the host (to commence the war); I prefer to be the guest (to act on the defensive). I do not dare to advance an inch; I prefer to retire a foot.' This is called marshalling the ranks where there are no ranks; baring the arms (to fight) where there are no arms to bare; grasping the weapon where there is no weapon to grasp; advancing against the enemy where there is no enemy.
Tao Te Ching 69.1 · Tao Te Ching
Those who believe do battle for the cause of Allah; and those who disbelieve do battle for the cause of idols. So fight the minions of the devil. Lo! the devil's strategy is ever weak.
Quran 4:76 · Quran · Women
He spoke, then rush’d amid the warrior crew, And sent his voice before him as he flew, Loud, as the shout encountering armies yield When twice ten thousand shake the labouring field; Such was the voice, and such the thundering sound Of him whose trident rends the solid ground. Each Argive bosom beats to meet the fight, And grisly war appears a pleasing sight.
Iliad 14.15 · Iliad · 14

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