Sacred Concord

Mbh 8.38.1a

Mahabharata · translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli

"Sanjaya said 'After Karna, gladdening thy army, had set out for battle, he spoke unto every Pandava soldier that he met with, even these words: "Unto him that will today point out the high-souled Dhananjaya of white steeds to me, I will give whatever wealth he desires. If having got it he does not become satisfied, I shall in addition, give him,--him that is, that will discover Arjuna to me, a cart-load of jewels and gems. If that does not satisfy the person who discovers Arjuna to me, I will give him a century of kine with as many vessels of brass for milking those animals. I will give a hundred foremost of villages unto the person that discovers Arjuna to me. I will also give him that shows Arjuna to me a number of long-tressed damsels of black eyes and a car unto which shall be yoked white mules. If that does not satisfy the person that discovers Arjuna to me, I shall give him another foremost of cars, made of gold, and having six bulls yoked unto it that shall be as large as elephants. I shall also give unto him a hundred damsels decked with ornaments, with collars of gold, fair-complexioned and accomplished in singing and dancing. If that does not satisfy the person that discovers Arjuna to me, I shall give him a 100 elephants, a 100 villages and a 100 cars, and 10,000 steeds of the foremost of breed, fat, docile, endued with many excellent qualities, capable of dragging cars and well-trained. I shall also give to the person that discovers Arjuna to me four hundred kine, each with golden horns and her calf. If that does not satisfy the person that discovers Arjuna to me, I shall make him a more valuable gift, viz., five hundred steeds, adorned with trappings of gold and decked with jewelled ornaments. I shall also give eighteen other steeds of great docility. I shall also give the person that discovers Arjuna to me a bright car made of gold and adorned with diverse ornaments and having foremost of Kamboja steeds yoked unto it.
Mbh 8.38.1a · Mahabharata · Karna-parva

Themes in this passage

CharityWealthWarContentmentDesireSpeech

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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