Mahābhārata (III)
- Language:
- English
- Status:
- Complete work
- Authorship:
- Attributed (authorship debated)
- Condition of the text:
- No scanning noise detected (automatic measure over the whole text, not checked by hand)
- Extent:
- ~980,000 words · 4,642 passages
Cite this work
- APAMahabharata. (n.d.). The Mahabharata, Vol. III (Books 8-12) — Ganguli [Mahābhārata (III)]. Digital reproduction: SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/mahabharata/the-mahabharata-vol-iii-books-8-12-ganguli
- MLAMahabharata. The Mahabharata, Vol. III (Books 8-12) — Ganguli [Mahābhārata (III)]. Digital reproduction, SigPhi, https://sigphiai.com/en/works/mahabharata/the-mahabharata-vol-iii-books-8-12-ganguli.
- ChicagoMahabharata. The Mahabharata, Vol. III (Books 8-12) — Ganguli [Mahābhārata (III)]. Digital reproduction, SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/mahabharata/the-mahabharata-vol-iii-books-8-12-ganguli.
Reference to the edition that SigPhi reproduces: SigPhi is its digital reproduction, not its publisher. The edition's year is not in the metadata (hence "n.d."), and the translator appears only when recorded.
What it is about
The Karna, Shalya, Sauptika, Stri and Shanti books: the end of the battle, the night slaughter in the camp, the lament of the women, and the enormous discourse of the dying Bhishma.
Context and history
The Shanti Parva is the longest book of the poem and the least narrative: Bhishma, lying on his bed of arrows, speaks to Yudhishthira about the duty of a king, about law, and about what to do when the rules fail. A reader following the war will meet hundreds of pages of doctrine all at once — and that is how the original stands, not an addition of this edition. Ganguli's translation, 1883-1896.
Editorial context, not a citable source: unlike the passages of the work itself, these statements cannot be checked against the corpus.
understanding that the ladies of the household were there, the king, O monarch, remained perfectly silent for some time like one reft of reason. Having reflected then for some time, and repeatedly drawn long breaths, the king censured his own sons and applauded the Pandavas. Censuring also his own intelligence and that of Shakuni the son of Subala, the king, having reflected for a long time, began to tremble repeatedly. Controlling his mind once more, the king, with sufficient fortitude, questioned his charioteer Sanjaya the son of Gavalgana. "Dhritarashtra said, 'I have heard, O Sanjaya, all that thou hast said. Hath my son Duryodhana, O Suta, who is ever desirous of victory, already gone to Yama's abode, despairing of success? Tell me truly, O Sanjaya, all this even if thou wilt have to repeat it!'" Vaishampayana continued, "Thus addressed by the king, O Janamejaya, the Suta said unto him, 'The mighty car-warrior Vaikartana, O monarch, hath been slain with his sons and brothers, and other Suta warriors, all of whom were mighty bowmen ready to lay down their lives in battle! Duhshasana also hath been slain by the renowned son of Pandu. Indeed, his blood also hath been, from wrath, drunk by Bhimasena in battle!'" Vaishampayana said, "Hearing these words, O monarch, Ambika's son Dhritarashtra, with heart agitated by grief, addressed his driver Sanjaya, saying, 'Though the evil policy, O sire, of my son of little foresight, Vikartana's son hath been slain! This intelligence is cutting the very core of my heart! I am desirous of crossing this sea of grief! Remove my doubts, therefore, by telling me who are still alive and who are dead amongst the Kurus and the Pandavas!'