People beheld those two tigers among men, those two foremost of car-warriors, stationed on their cars, each armed with his formidable bow, each equipped with arrows and darts, and each owning a lofty standard. Both were clad in mail, both had scimitars tied to their belts, both had white steeds, and both were adorned with excellent conchs. One had Krishna for driver on his car, and the other had Shalya. Both of them were great car-warriors and both looked alike. Both possessed of leonine necks and long arms, the eyes of both were red, and both were adorned with garlands of gold. Both were armed with bows that seemed to flash like lightning, and both were adorned with wealth of weapons. Both had yak-tails for being fanned therewith, and both were decked with white umbrellas held over them. Both had excellent quivers and both looked exceedingly handsome. The limbs of both were smeared with red sandal-paste and both looked like infuriated bulls. Both were broad-necked like the lion, both were broad-chested, and both endued with great strength. Challenging each other, O king, each desired to slay the other. And they rushed against each other like two mighty bulls in a cow-pen. They were like a couple of infuriated elephants or of angry mountains or of infant snakes of virulent poison or of all-destroying Yamas. Enraged with each other like Indra and Vritra, they looked like the sun and the moon in splendour. Filled with wrath, they resembled two mighty planets risen for the destruction of the world at the end of the Yuga. Both of them born of celestial fathers, and both resembling gods in beauty, they were of godlike energy. Indeed, they looked like the sun and the moon come of their own accord on the field of battle. Both of them endued with great might, both filled with pride in battle, they were armed with diverse weapons. Beholding those two tigers among men, those two heroes endued with the impetuosity of tigers, thy troops, O monarch, were filled with great joy.Mbh 8.87.1b · Mahabharata · Karna-parva
Mbh 8.87.1b
Mahabharata · translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Themes in this passage
NatureStrengthAngerWarWealthChildrenFamilyJoy
Nature in other traditions
The same theme, as Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Taoism address it.
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Hast thou not seen that unto Allah payeth adoration whosoever is in the heavens and whosoever is in the earth, and the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the hills, and the trees, and the beasts, and many of mankind, while there are many unto whom the doom is justly due. He whom Allah scorneth, there is none to give him honour. Lo! Allah doeth what He will.Quran 22:18 · Quran · The Pilgrimage
Cut down the whole forest (of lust), not a tree only! Danger comes out of the forest (of lust). When you have cut down both the forest (of lust) and its undergrowth, then, Bhikshus, you will be rid of the forest and free!Dhp 20.283 · Dhammapada · The Way
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