Those two cousins, one of whom is the son of the aunt and the other the son of the maternal uncle, those two invincible warriors, thou shalt see, will be slain by me (with one shaft) and will look like two pearls strung together in the same string. Arjuna's Gandiva and the ape-bearing banner, and Krishna's discus and the Garuda-bearing banner, inspire with fear only those that are timid. To me, however, O Shalya, they are causes of delight. Thou art a fool, of evil disposition, and unskilled in the ways of great battle. Overcome with terror, thou utterest these ravings. Or, thou art praising them for some reason not known to me. Having slain those two first, I shall then slay thee today with all thy kinsmen. Born in a sinful country thou art wicked-souled and mean, and a wretch amongst Kshatriyas. Being a friend, why dost thou, like an enemy, frighten me with these praises of the two Krishnas? Either they two will slay me today or I will slay them two. Knowing as I do my own might, I do not cherish any fear of the two Krishnas. A 1,000 Vasudevas and hundreds of Phalgunas, I shall, single-handed, slay. Hold thy tongue, O thou that art born in a sinful country. Hear from me, O Shalya, the sayings, already passed into proverbs, that men, young and old, and women, and persons arrived in course of their listless wanderings, generally utter, as if those sayings formed part of their studies, about the wicked Madrakas. Brahmanas also duly narrated the same things formerly in the courts of kings. Listening to those sayings attentively, O fool, thou mayst forgive or rejoin. The Madraka is always a hater of friends. He that hateth us is a Madraka. There is no friendship in the Madraka who is mean in speech and is the lowest of mankind. The Madraka is always a person of wicked soul, is always untruthful and crooked. It hath been heard by us that till the moment of death the Madrakas are wicked.Mbh 8.40.2b · Mahabharata · Karna-parva
Mbh 8.40.2b
Mahabharata · translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Themes in this passage
SinFearFriendshipWarChildrenSpeechCreationDeath
Sin in other traditions
The same theme, as Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hellenism address it.
If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the LORD for a sin offering.Leviticus 4:3 · Bible · Leviticus
They said: O our father! Ask forgiveness of our sins for us, for lo! we were sinful.Quran 12:97 · Quran · Joseph
If a man commits a sin, let him not do it again; let him not delight in sin: pain is the outcome of evil.Dhp 9.117 · Dhammapada · Evil
“May heaven,” answered Ulysses, “requite to them the wickedness with which they deal high-handedly in another man’s house without any sense of shame.”Odyssey 20.15 · Odyssey · 20
See what all six traditions say about sin →
Search every tradition at once
Ask a question in your own words and see how six traditions answer it.