A recurring theme in Greek mythology is of sons killing their fathers. The story begins with a father being told by an oracle that he will be killed by his son. The son is abandoned, but the son survives and returns and eventually kills the father. A classic case is the story of Oedipus who kills his father and marries his mother. Another story is of Zeus killing his father Chronus, the Titan.

In contrast, Indian tales are famous, where the fathers overpower their sons. The older generation triumphs over the younger generations. Bhisma surrendering his conjugal rights for the sake of his father Shantanu, and Puru surrendering his youth to his father Yayati, are cases in point. In Ramayana, Ram defers to his father’s wishes, gives up his claim to the kingdom and goes to the forest. In the Mahabharata, Arjun asks his son Aravan to offer himself as sacrifice to enable victory in war.