Sacred Concord

Mbh 7.155.4b

Mahabharata · translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli

Then the Rakshasa, becoming a mass of blue clouds in the firmament, decked with rainbow, began furiously to shower upon Drona’s son in that battle a downpour of stones and rocks. Then that foremost of all persons acquainted with weapons, viz., Aswatthaman, aiming the Vayavya weapon, destroyed that blue cloud which had risen on the firmament. Drona’s son, that foremost of men, covering then all the points of the compass with his shafts, slew a hundred thousand car-warriors. He then beheld Ghatotkacha fearlessly coming towards him with bent bow and accompanied by a large number of Rakshasas that resembled lions or infuriated elephants of great strength, some riding on elephants, some on cars, and some on steeds. The son of Hidimva was accompanied by those fierce followers of his, with frightful faces and heads and necks. Those Rakshasas consisted of both Paulastyas and Yatudhanas.[201] Their prowess was equal to that of Indra himself. They were armed with diverse kinds of weapons and were cased in diverse kinds of armour. Of terrible visage, they swelled with rage. Ghatotkacha came to battle, accompanied by those Rakshasas, who were, indeed, incapable of being easily defeated in battle. Beholding them, thy son, Duryodhana, became exceedingly cheerless. Unto him the son of Drona said, “Wait, O Duryodhana! Thou needst have no fear. Stand aside with these thy heroic brothers and these lords of earth, endued with the prowess of Indra. I will slay thy foes. Defeat thou shalt not have. I tell thee truly. Meanwhile, assure thy troops.”
Mbh 7.155.4b · Mahabharata · DRONA PARVA

Themes in this passage

ChildrenWarAngerFearNatureStrength

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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