"Sanjaya said, 'Meanwhile the son of Drona (Ashvatthama), beholding Yudhishthira protected by the grandson of Sini (Satyaki) and by the heroic sons of Draupadi, cheerfully advanced against the king, scattering many fierce arrows equipped with wings of gold and whetted on stone, and displaying diverse manoeuvres of his car and the great skill he had acquired and his exceeding lightness of hands. He filled the entire welkin with shafts inspired with the force of celestial weapons. Conversant with all weapons, Drona's son encompassed Yudhishthira in that battle. The welkin being covered with the shafts of Drona's son, nothing could be seen. The vast space in front of Ashvatthama became one expanse of arrows. The welkin then, thus covered with that dense shower of arrows decked with gold, looked beautiful, O chief of the Bharatas, as if a canopy embroidered with gold had been spread there. Indeed, the firmament, O king, having been covered with that bright shower of arrows, a shadow, as that of the clouds, appeared there on the occasion. Wonderful was the sight that we then beheld when the sky had thus become one expanse of arrows, for not one creature ranging the sky could course through his element. Then Satyaki, though struggling resolutely, and Pandu's son king Yudhishthira the just, as also all the other warriors, could not display their prowess. Beholding the great lightness of hands displayed by the son of Drona, the mighty car-warriors (of the Pandava army) were filled with wonder. All the kings became incapable of even looking at Ashvatthama, O monarch, who then resembled the scorching Sun himself in the sky. While the Pandava troops were thus being slaughtered, those mighty car-warriors, viz., the sons of Draupadi, and Satyaki, and king Yudhishthira the just, and the Pancala warriors, all uniting together, cast off their fears of death and rushed against the son of Drona.Mbh 8.55.1a · Mahabharata · Karna-parva
Mbh 8.55.1a
Mahabharata · translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Themes in this passage
ChildrenLeadershipNatureWarWealthJusticeStrengthDeath
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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