Mahabharata · Parva 13
Anushasana Parva
Anuśāsanaparvan
Complete · 274 adhyayas · 11,044 verses
Bhishma's final instructions on dharma, gifts and conduct, including the Vishnu Sahasranama, and his departure from the body.
Adhyayas
1Yudhishthira's Grief; the Tale of Gautami, the Hunter and the Serpent84 v2Sudarshana Conquers Death112 v3Matanga and the She-Donkey30 v4Indra Warns Matanga of the Long Road to Brahminhood16 v5Matanga's Boon from Indra28 v6How Did Vishvamitra Become a Brahmin?19 v7How Vishvamitra Became a Brahmin62 v8Vitahavya Becomes a Brahmin67 v9Destiny and Human Effort51 v10The Fruits of Deeds and Austerities30 v11Indra and the Faithful Parrot32 v12Bhishma Praises the Brahmins32 v13The Four Vedas on the Guest and on Anger5 v14Indra, Agni, Surya and Shachi Speak Their Truths6 v15The King of Madra Questions Vyasa on Sacrifice12 v16Vishnu Is the Whole of the Sacrifice8 v17Faith, Sacrifice and the One Veda5 v18Krishna Is Worshipped in Every Sacrifice13 v19Yudhishthira Asks About Garuda8 v20Kashyapa's Boons to Kadru and Vinata22 v21The Birth of Garuda and the Wager of Kadru and Vinata15 v22Kadru Orders Her Sons to Darken the Horse's Tail20 v23Kadru Curses the Serpents; Vinata Loses the Wager15 v24Narada Tells Garuda of His Mother's Slavery23 v25Garuda Seeks His Father's Counsel on Winning the Nectar15 v26Garuda Seizes the Elephant and the Tortoise37 v27Brahma Tells Garuda How to Quench the Fire14 v28Garuda Seizes the Amrita and Meets Indra's Thunderbolt23 v29Garuda Frees His Mother and Returns the Amrita to Indra23 v30The Jackal and the Monkey: the Promise Made to a Brahmin28 v31The Shudra Ascetic and the Priest Who Laughed75 v32Shri Tells Rukmini Where She Dwells24 v33Vatsanabha and Dharma: Atonement for the Ungrateful25 v34Bhangasvana Becomes a Woman: Whose Pleasure Is Greater54 v35The Ten Paths of Action and Devotion to Narayana7 v36Yudhishthira's Dread of Rebirth and His Plea for the Vaishnava Dharma65 v37The Eternal Purusha and the Impermanence of the World18 v38Sanatkumara and Narada: The Nine Creations62 v39The Dissolution of the World and the Presiding Powers38 v40Brahma Tells the Gods of Garuda and Narayana79 v41Garuda Follows Narayana into the Darkness and the Fire44 v42Garuda Follows the Lord to the Lake of Fires68 v43The Lord Reveals His Fourfold Nature to Garuda73 v44The Fruit of Hearing Garuda's Account12 v45Krishna Tells of Upamanyu and the Grace of Mahadeva418 v46The Boons Krishna Received from Shiva and Uma11 v47Tandi's Hymn to Mahadeva76 v48Upamanyu Recites the Thousand and Eight Names of Shiva182 v49Great Sages Recount Mahadeva's Boons83 v50Ashtavakra Seeks Vadanya's Daughter and Journeys North110 v51The Old Woman Becomes a Maiden; Ashtavakra Holds to Restraint26 v52The Quarter of the North Sends Ashtavakra Home23 v53Sages of Unusual Birth39 v54Narada Tells Markandeya of the Failing of Dharma26 v55Narada on the Giving of Daughters22 v56The Eight Ways of Taking a Wife6 v57Narada on Sons Born of Another's Wife25 v58Narada on the Fault of Women and Its Atonement11 v59Narada on Abandoning a Wife and on Worthy Brahmins50 v60Who Is a Worthy Recipient of Gifts41 v61Bhishma on the Shraddha: Who Is Fit to Be Invited57 v62Worthy Recipients of Gifts; Deeds That Lead to Hell and to Heaven59 v63How Brahmin-Slaying Is Incurred Without Killing12 v64Angiras Teaches Gautama the Merit of the Holy Fords72 v65The Siddha's Praise of the Ganga111 v66Narada Tells Krishna Whom He Honours37 v67King Vrishadarbha and the Hawk39 v68The King's Foremost Duty: Honouring Brahmins27 v69Honouring Brahmins; the Earth Answers Vasudeva29 v70The Greatness of Brahmins25 v71Shakra and Shambara on Honouring Brahmins20 v72Who Is a Worthy Recipient of Gifts19 v73Panchachuda Tells Narada the Nature of Women31 v74Yudhishthira Asks How Women Can Be Guarded17 v75Devasharma Entrusts Ruchi to Vipula, Who Enters Her Body61 v76Indra Is Turned Away by Vipula36 v77Vipula Hears the Curse of the Quarrelling Couple33 v78Devasharma Praises Vipula; Bhishma on Guarding Women31 v79Forms of Marriage and the Question of the Bride-Price57 v80The Maiden Whose Price Is Paid; the Sale of Daughters Condemned23 v81Honouring Women15 v82Division of a Father's Wealth among the Sons of Different Wives61 v83The Mixed Classes and the Signs of a Man's Birth49 v84The Kinds of Sons48 v85Chyavana Drawn Up in the Fishermen’s Net26 v86The Price of Chyavana: A Cow51 v87Cyavana Comes to King Kushika39 v88Cyavana Tests Kushika and His Wife70 v89Chyavana Shows Kushika a Vision of Heaven40 v90Why Chyavana Tested Kushika38 v91The Birth of Parashurama and Vishvamitra Foretold21 v92The Fruits of Austerity and Gifts: Bhishma's Teaching on the Bed of Arrows44 v93The Merit of Tanks and Planting Trees33 v94The Best Gift, and Honouring the Brahmins40 v95Giving to Those Who Do Not Ask20 v96The Duty of Giving and of Protecting the Realm40 v97The Gift of Land and Brihaspati's Teaching to Indra100 v98The Gift of Food52 v99Gifts for the Lunar Mansions: Narada and Devaki36 v100Gifts of Gold, Water, Ghee, Fuel, Umbrella and Cart19 v101Gifts of Sandals, Sesame, Land, Cows and Food64 v102The Gift of Water19 v103Yama and the Brahmin Sharmin35 v104Gifts of Cows, and the Sin of Taking a Brahmin's Property26 v105Nriga in the Well33 v106Nachiketa Visits Yama57 v107Indra Questions Brahma about the World of Cows12 v108Brahma Describes the World of the Cows51 v109The Fruit of Stealing and Selling Cows; Gold as the Fee16 v110The Fruits of Vows, Self-Restraint, Truth and Celibacy40 v111The Rite of Giving Cows31 v112The Origin of the Tawny Cows36 v113Vasishtha Teaches Saudasa the Greatness of Cows26 v114The Boon of the Cows and the Worlds Won by Gifts of Cows27 v115The Verses of the Cows and Saudasa's Gift17 v116The Sanctity of the Cow: Vyasa's Teaching to Shuka47 v117Surabhi and the Gift of Brahma24 v118The Offspring of Surabhi29 v119Indra Drinks Surabhi's Milk; the Gods Dwell in the Cow25 v120Sumitra Becomes Phenapa29 v121The Cows Resolve to Kill Sumitra22 v122Sumitra Is Carried to Goloka14 v123Rantideva's Sacrifice of the Cows23 v124Vyasa Teaches Shuka the Greatness of Cows44 v125Using the Tawny Cow: Vyasa's Ruling to Shuka11 v126How Agni Made the Tawny Cows the Best11 v127The Marks of the Tawny Cow17 v128Shri Makes Her Home in Cow-Dung27 v129Brahma Tells Indra Why the World of Cows Stands Above the Gods49 v130The Origin and Merit of Gold82 v131The Origin of Gold: Agni, Ganga and Skanda83 v132The Birth of Gold from the Seed of Brahma80 v133The Birth of Skanda and the Death of Taraka35 v134The Merits of Shraddha on the Lunar Days21 v135Offerings to the Ancestors and How Long They Satisfy15 v136Shraddha under the Nakshatras15 v137Brahmins Fit and Unfit for Shraddha56 v138Nimi's Shraddha and Atri's Rules45 v139Agni Relieves the Ancestors24 v140What Constant Fasting and Brahmacharya Really Mean17 v141The Seven Sages Refuse Vrishadarbhi's Gifts49 v142Indra Tests the Sages with the Stolen Lotus Stalks87 v143The Sages' Oaths over Agastya's Lotus54 v144Jamadagni Takes Aim at the Sun28 v145The Sun Gives the Umbrella and Sandals22 v146Service of the Shudras and the Rules of Purification64 v147Parashara on the Shudra's Service of Mendicants31 v148Serving the Sick Mendicants14 v149Conduct and Expiation for the Servant of Mendicants26 v150Parashara on the Signs of Death and the Fate of the Righteous37 v151The Brahmin's Course to the Moon and on to Liberation35 v152Parashara's Teaching on Liberation for the Four Classes31 v153Indra Tells Matali Whom He Honours17 v154The Householder's Duties: The Earth Instructs Krishna26 v155The Gift of Flowers, Incense and Lamps66 v156Nahusha and the Seven Sages29 v157Nahusha's Fall: Agastya, Bhrigu and the Gift of Lamps39 v158The Chandala and the Kshatriya: The Sin of Taking a Brahmin's Property33 v159Gautama and Indra: The Worlds Beyond, and the Elephant Won Back63 v160Bhagiratha and Brahma: No Austerity Beyond Fasting46 v161The Conduct That Lengthens Life174 v162How Elder and Younger Brothers Should Treat Each Other20 v163Angiras on the Fruits of Fasting70 v164Fasting Rules Equal to Sacrifices133 v165Rudra Questions Sanatkumara on the Principles42 v166Sanatkumara on Dissolution and the Divinities of the Senses42 v167The Divinities in the Body and the Practice of Yoga51 v168Sanatkumara Teaches Rudra the Sankhya Doctrine45 v169Sanatkumara on the Signs of Death and Liberation55 v170The Best of Holy Places: Tirthas of the Mind21 v171Worship of Vishnu on the Twelfth Day Through the Year17 v172The Lunar Vow for a Perfect Body10 v173Brihaspati on Karma and Rebirth133 v174Brihaspati on Atonement and the Gift of Food35 v175Brihaspati Teaches Non-Violence11 v176Bhishma on the Fourfold Non-Violence and Meat-Eating22 v177Bhishma Explains the Merit of Not Eating Meat83 v178Bhishma Praises Non-Violence and Compassion44 v179The Worm on the Cart Road29 v180Vyasa Raises the Worm to a Prince22 v181The Worm Becomes a Brahmin14 v182Vyasa and Maitreya on the Worth of Giving28 v183Maitreya on the Learned Brahmin and the Gift19 v184Vyasa Praises Austerity, Giving and the Worship of Hari23 v185Shandili Teaches Sumana the Duties of a Devoted Wife25 v186Narada Teaches Pundarika to Worship Narayana24 v187The Brahmin and the Rakshasa: Winning by Gentle Words44 v188The Secret of the Shraddha and the Three Pindas80 v189What Pleases Vishnu, the Gods and Brahma47 v190Secrets of Dharma from Vibhavasu, Shri and the Sages19 v191Vayu on Sesame Offerings and Atonement10 v192Lomasha on Others' Wives, Ghee and Rice, and Sesame15 v193Arundhati and Citragupta on Gifts of Cows, Water and Lamps38 v194The Pramathas Tell What Draws Them and What Keeps Them Away12 v195The Elephant Renuka and the Offering at the Anthill17 v196Maheshvara Praises the Daily Gift to Cows9 v197Skanda, Vishnu and Bhishma Close the Secrets of Dharma17 v198Whose Food May Be Eaten21 v199Atonements for Accepting Gifts and Forbidden Food25 v200Kings Who Gained Heaven by Giving32 v201The Five Kinds of Giving11 v202Yudhishthira Asks Bhishma to Speak Again15 v203Krishna's Vow and the Burning of the Mountain39 v204Narada Is Asked to Speak21 v205Uma Covers Shiva's Eyes57 v206Shiva's Four Faces, Blue Throat, Pinaka Bow and Bull36 v207Why Shiva Lives in the Cremation Ground and Wears the Moon43 v208The Duties of the Four Castes and the Four Stages of Life56 v209Shiva Teaches the Dharma of the Forest Hermits41 v210The Rewards of the Forest Hermits44 v211Shiva Teaches Uma the Dharma of the Householder60 v212Shiva Teaches Uma the Dharma of Kings72 v213Shiva Teaches Uma About Non-Violence54 v214Fate and the Sacrifice of Battle64 v215The King's Hunt and the Honour Due to Brahmins45 v216Livelihood and the Duties of a Householder66 v217Karma and Caste: Why Fortunes Differ47 v218The Fruits of Karma: Wealth, Age, Beauty and Fortune45 v219Learning, Giving and Their Fruits35 v220Why Men Suffer Blindness, Disease and Deformity51 v221Why Men Are Dwarfed, Mad, Childless, Poor or Impotent37 v222Why Women Fall, Why Some Are Servants, and How a Master Should Act34 v223Why Men Suffer: Deeds and Their Fruit78 v224The Fruit of Deeds, Here and Hereafter11 v225Planets, Death and Long Life41 v226The Self Is Neither Man Nor Woman21 v227Intention, the Four Births and the Power of Scripture41 v228Fate and Effort, the Entry of the Self, and the Doubt of Unbelievers60 v229Yama's Realm and the Roads of the Dead41 v230The Five Hells and the Rebirth of Sinners41 v231Sins of Mind, Speech and Body; the Origin of Drink51 v232The Good Deeds of Restraint: Truth, Vows and Purity42 v233On Meat, Gurus, Fasting, Continence and Holy Fords68 v234The Six Factors of a Gift and Its Fruit36 v235The Great Gifts: Food, Gold, Cows, Land, a Bride and Learning78 v236The Gift of Sesame and the Fruits of Many Gifts31 v237Sacrifice and the Worship of the Gods26 v238The Shraddha Rite and the Ancestors52 v239The Measure of Gifts and the Kinds of Dharma29 v240The Heavens of the Righteous30 v241Signs of the Divine and the Demonic21 v242The Four Ways of Giving Up the Body, and Rites for the Dead32 v243Liberation as the Highest Dharma, and the Seeker's Discipline40 v244Maheshvara Teaches Uma Dispassion75 v245The Sankhya Doctrine of Maheshvara61 v246Maheshvara Teaches Uma the Discipline of Yoga47 v247Maheshvara Describes the Pashupatas and the Worship of the Linga38 v248Maheshvara Asks Uma for the Dharma of Women34 v249Uma on the Duties of Wives: Devapriya and Yama26 v250Uma Completes Her Teaching on Wives and Women71 v251Ishvara Foretells the Birth of Krishna62 v252The Sages Praise Krishna and Bhishma Ends His Teaching66 v253Protecting the Learned11 v254Vishnu SahasranamaVishnu Sahasranama255The Savitri Prayer and the Roll of Sacred Names82 v256The Honour Due to Brahmins23 v257Kartavirya Arjuna and the Voice from the Sky28 v258Vayu Rebukes Arjuna and Praises the Brahmins19 v259Kashyapa and Utathya: Vayu's Tales of Brahmin Power32 v260Vayu Tells of Agastya and Vasishtha26 v261Atri Lights the Darkness; Chyavana Wins Soma for the Ashvins34 v262The Brahmins Destroy the Kapas27 v263Bhishma Sends Yudhishthira to Krishna46 v264Krishna Tells of Durvasa's Wrath and Blessing57 v265Krishna Describes the Greatness of Rudra44 v266The Names and Forms of Mahadeva29 v267Perception, Scripture and Conduct as Sources of Dharma26 v268The Marks of the Good and the Wicked42 v269Fortune, Effort and the Fruit of Deeds15 v270Time, Dharma and Trust16 v271The Roll of Gods, Rivers, Sages and Kings64 v272Bhishma Gives Yudhishthira Leave to Return17 v273Bhishma Takes Leave of Krishna52 v274Bhishma's Departure and Funeral35 v