How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
The wearers of the saffron robe prayed, however, that He of the Sword, Manjusri, should come again among them. The Boddhisatva is said to have heard… (1.Intro)
Our first introduction to Sam is by his name Manjusri, He of the Sword. Although he's known by many other names, we think it's telling that this is the first one we're given.
Quote #2
"To struggle against the dreamers who dream ugliness, be they men or gods, cannot but be the will of the Nameless. […]; but this suffering is productive of a higher end in the light of the eternal values of which the sages so often speak." (1.419)
The novel has a lot of actual war in it, but it also spends a fair amount of time on more metaphorical types of war, too. Here, we get a twofer: Sam wants the people to struggle against "the dreamers who dream ugliness," meaning fight the gods, but also the social ugliness produced by the gods' dreams.
Quote #3
"Sins I have yet to commit, but which are being written in my mind as I consider them now."
"You plan to oppose the gods?"
"Yes." (2.187-189)
The themes of religion and war come together. To oppose the gods is to sin, and to sin is to war against the gods. To war against the gods… we'll stop here. You take the point.