Mahabharata · Parva 12

Shanti Parva

Śāntiparvan

Complete · 371 adhyayas · 14,821 verses

The book of peace: Bhishma, from his bed of arrows, teaches Yudhishthira the duties of kings, conduct in times of distress, and the way to liberation.

Adhyayas

1Narada Meets Yudhishthira: The Secret of Karna's Birth44 v 2Karna Learns Archery and Is Cursed by a Brahmin29 v 3Karna and Parashurama: The Worm and the Curse33 v 4Karna at the Svayamvara of the Kalinga Princess21 v 5Narada Tells of Karna's Rise and Fall15 v 6Kunti Speaks; Yudhishthira's Curse on Women13 v 7Yudhishthira Resolves to Renounce the Kingdom40 v 8Arjuna Argues for Wealth and Kingship38 v 9Yudhishthira Resolves to Leave the World37 v 10Bhima Rebukes Yudhishthira28 v 11Arjuna's Tale of Indra and the Ascetics28 v 12Nakula Speaks for the Householder's Life and Sacrifice57 v 13Sahadeva: Renounce the Sense of Mine, Not the World15 v 14Draupadi Urges Yudhishthira to Wield the Rod127 v 15Arjuna Extols the Rod of Punishment58 v 16Bhima Urges Yudhishthira to Rule29 v 17Yudhishthira Answers Bhima: The Worth of Renunciation24 v 18Arjuna Tells of Janaka and His Queen40 v 19Yudhishthira Answers Arjuna: The Paths of Action and Renunciation30 v 20Devasthana: All Wealth Belongs to Sacrifice14 v 21Devasthana: Contentment and the Dharma of Kings21 v 22Arjuna Urges the Warrior's Duty15 v 23Shankha and Likhita: The Rod of Punishment53 v 24A King Who Strives Without Fault: The Tale of Hayagriva42 v 25Time Governs All: Senajit's Song of Sorrow36 v 26Yudhishthira Resolves to Fast unto Death33 v 27The Song of Ashma59 v 28Narada Consoles Srinjaya with Sixteen Kings148 v 29Narada and Parvata Curse Each Other44 v 30The Birth and Death of Golden-Spitter47 v 31Vyasa Counsels Yudhishthira37 v 32Vyasa Consoles Yudhishthira36 v 33Sins That Call for Atonement35 v 34The Atonements for Sin51 v 35What May Be Eaten and Given: Manu's Teaching50 v 36Vyasa and Krishna Send Yudhishthira Back to the City49 v 37The Rakshasa Charvaka Is Burnt by the Brahmins37 v 38Krishna Tells of the Rakshasa Charvaka13 v 39Yudhishthira's Coronation24 v 40Yudhishthira Assigns Offices19 v 41Funeral Rites and Gifts for the Dead12 v 42Yudhishthira's Hymn to Krishna18 v 43The Palaces of the Kauravas Are Shared Out16 v 44Janamejaya Asks; Yudhishthira Visits Krishna21 v 45Krishna's Meditation on Bhishma; the Chariot Is Readied35 v 46Bhishma's Hymn to Krishna146 v 47The Journey to Kurukshetra; Yudhishthira Asks About Rama16 v 48Parashurama's Birth and the Rebirth of the Warrior Class96 v 49Krishna Asks Bhishma to Console Yudhishthira39 v 50Bhishma Hails Krishna; Krishna Names the Days Left to Him18 v 51Krishna Grants Bhishma Relief; The Return to the City34 v 52Krishna Awakes; The Journey Back to Bhishma27 v 53Krishna Asks Bhishma to Teach Dharma39 v 54Bhishma Invites Yudhishthira to Question Him22 v 55Bhishma Begins the Duties of Kings61 v 56The King's Duties: Effort, Counsel and Protection45 v 57The Essence of Kingly Duty; the First Day Ends30 v 58The Origin of Kingship and the Treatise of Brahma154 v 59Bhishma on the Duties of the Four Varnas57 v 60The Four Stages of Life21 v 61The Brahmin's Stages and Forbidden Work11 v 62Forbidden Callings and the Primacy of the King's Duty32 v 63Indra Teaches Mandhata the Supremacy of Kshatriya Dharma29 v 64Indra Answers Mandhata on the Duties of the Dasyus35 v 65The Orders of Life Within the King's Duty43 v 66Why a Kingdom Needs a King39 v 67Brihaspati Teaches King Vasumanas62 v 68Spies, Fortresses and the Seven Things a King Must Guard92 v 69The Science of Punishment and the Four Ages32 v 70The Thirty-Six Qualities of a King14 v 71How a King Protects Without Being Bound33 v 72The Brahmin and the Earth: Pururavas and the Wind28 v 73The King's Priest: Aila and Kashyapa70 v 74Muchukunda and Kubera: the Powers of Brahmin and Kshatriya25 v 75The King's Share of Dharma and Sin; Yudhishthira Wishes for the Forest38 v 76Kinds of Brahmins and the King's Dues from Them27 v 77The King of the Kekayas and the Rakshasa42 v 78The Brahmin in Distress and the Taking Up of Arms44 v 79The Qualities of Priests and the Duty of Sacrificial Gifts21 v 80Friends and Foes, Counsellors and Kinsmen42 v 81Narada Counsels Krishna on His Kinsmen31 v 82Kalakavrikshiya Warns the King of Kosala73 v 83The Qualities of Counsellors and Ministers57 v 84Brihaspati Teaches Indra the Power of Gentle Speech11 v 85Bhishma Describes the King's Ministers and Officers34 v 86The King's City and Its Defences34 v 87Village Officers, Taxes and the Care of the Realm40 v 88Raising Revenue Without Oppression33 v 89The King's Watch over the Realm28 v 90Utathya's Counsel to Mandhatri: The King and Dharma41 v 91Uchathya Teaches Mandhata the Duty of a King60 v 92Vamadeva Instructs King Vasumanas19 v 93Vamadeva on Righteous Kingship41 v 94Vamadeva on Winning Without War26 v 95The Rules of Righteous Warfare26 v 96Victory Only Through Dharma24 v 97The Warrior’s Death and Its Reward32 v 98Ambarisha, Indra and the Sacrifice of Battle78 v 99Janaka Shows His Warriors Heaven and Hell18 v 100Bhishma on Marching and Fighting an Army51 v 101Warriors by Region and Bodily Signs21 v 102Signs of Victory; Conciliation and Forbearance41 v 103Brihaspati Teaches Indra How to Deal with Foes53 v 104Kalakavrikshiya Consoles the Fallen Prince of Kosala58 v 105Kalakavrikshiya's Counsel for Winning a Kingdom23 v 106Kausalya and Videha Make Peace28 v 107How Republics Prosper and Fall32 v 108Honouring Mother, Father and Teacher33 v 109When Truth and Falsehood Change Places34 v 110Crossing the Hard Places34 v 111The Tiger and the Jackal86 v 112The Camel and the Jackal21 v 113The Ocean, the Rivers and the Reed14 v 114Bearing the Abuse of Fools21 v 115Why a King Needs Good Helpers23 v 116The Sage Turns the Dog into a Leopard and a Tiger24 v 117The Sage Raises the Dog to a Sharabha and Curses Him34 v 118Choosing Ministers, Counsellors and Warriors46 v 119Each Servant in His Proper Place20 v 120The King Should Be Like the Peacock56 v 121The Nature and Names of Danda60 v 122Vasuhoma Tells Mandhata How Danda Arose85 v 123Dharma, Wealth and Desire; Kamanda's Counsel to Arishta25 v 124Good Character: Prahlada, Indra and the Departure of Shri71 v 125Yudhishthira's Question on Hope; Sumitra Chases the Deer19 v 126Sumitra at the Hermitage Asks About Hope19 v 127Rishabha Tells of the Lean Sage Tanu and King Viradyumna26 v 128Tanu Names the Hopes That Are Thinner Than He29 v 129Yama Teaches Gautama How to Repay the Debt to Parents11 v 130Bhishma on Filling the Treasury in a Time of Distress51 v 131What a Beleaguered King Should Do: Peace, Flight or Battle14 v 132A Brahmin's Livelihood in Evil Times22 v 133The Treasury and the Limits of Robbers20 v 134Strength as the Root of Dharma17 v 135Kapavya, the Robber Who Kept to Dharma26 v 136Whose Wealth a King May Take11 v 137The Three Fish and the Drying Pool24 v 138The Cat and the Mouse: An Alliance with an Enemy220 v 139The Bird Pujani and King Brahmadatta: Why Enemies Are Not to Be Trusted114 v 140Bharadvaja Teaches King Shatruntapa the Policy for Times of Distress71 v 141Vishvamitra and the Chandala: Dog's Flesh in the Famine104 v 142The Many-Branched Dharma and the Limits of a King's Severity38 v 143The Fowler Takes Shelter in the Storm33 v 144The Dove's Lament and His Wife's Counsel30 v 145The Dove Offers Himself to the Fowler26 v 146The Fowler Resolves to Fast and Frees the Dove11 v 147The She-Dove's Lament and Her Entry into the Fire12 v 148The Fowler Enters the Forest Fire and Reaches Heaven20 v 149Shaunaka Rebukes Janamejaya for Killing a Brahmin19 v 150Janamejaya Pleads and Shaunaka Sets His Terms22 v 151Shaunaka's Teaching on Atonement and Janamejaya's Horse Sacrifice39 v 152The Vulture and the Jackal: A Dead Child at the Cremation Ground124 v 153Narada Praises the Shalmali Tree21 v 154The Shalmali Boasts Against the Wind18 v 155The Wind Humbles the Shalmali35 v 156Greed, the Root of Sin34 v 157Ignorance and Its Kinship with Greed14 v 158Bhishma Praises Self-Control38 v 159Bhishma on Austerity13 v 160Truth and Its Thirteen Forms26 v 161The Thirteen Enemies of Mankind21 v 162Bhishma Describes the Cruel Man13 v 163Taking Wealth for Sacrifice, and Expiations for Sins80 v 164The Origin of the Sword: Rudra and the Danavas89 v 165Dharma, Wealth and Desire: The Brothers Speak51 v 166Whom to Befriend and Whom to Shun26 v 167The Brahmin Gautama among the Bandits24 v 168Gautama Meets the Crane King Rajadharma23 v 169Rajadharma Sends Gautama to Virupaksha26 v 170Virupaksha's Gifts and Gautama's Treachery31 v 171The Ungrateful Gautama Is Cut Down27 v 172Rajadharma Restored to Life25 v 173Senajit's Grief and the Song of Pingala65 v 174Medhavi Urges His Father to Act at Once39 v 175Shamyaka on Poverty and Wealth23 v 176Manki's Song and Bodhya's Six Teachers68 v 177The Python's Way: Prahlada and the Sage37 v 178Indra as the Jackal and Kashyapa54 v 179Deeds Follow the Doer22 v 180Bhrigu Tells Bharadvaja How the World Was Created39 v 181The Rise of Water, Wind, Fire and Earth17 v 182The Five Elements, the Senses and the Life of Trees42 v 183The Winds and the Fire in the Body17 v 184Bharadvaja Doubts that the Soul Exists15 v 185Bhrigu Teaches That the Soul Outlasts the Body31 v 186Bhrigu on the Origin of the Four Classes20 v 187The Marks of the Four Classes; Restraint of Anger and Greed18 v 188Truth, Falsehood and the Nature of Happiness16 v 189The Fruit of Giving; the Student and the Householder18 v 190The Hermit, the Wanderer and the Northern World27 v 191Bhishma on Right Conduct33 v 192Bhishma Teaches Adhyatma: The Elements, the Senses and the Three Qualities74 v 193Bhishma Teaches the Fourfold Yoga of Meditation23 v 194The Japaka: Yudhishthira Asks About Muttered Prayer28 v 195Why Some Japakas Fall to Hell13 v 196The Reciter and the Hells12 v 197The Brahmin Reciter and King Ikshvaku138 v 198The Reciter and the King Enter Brahma34 v 199Manu Teaches Brihaspati the Fruit of Knowledge30 v 200Manu on the Elements, the Senses and the Unseen Self23 v 201The Unseen Self Like the Moon at the New Moon23 v 202Manu on the Senses, the Mind and the Unmanifest26 v 203Manu on Sorrow, Mind and the Way to the Qualityless Brahman26 v 204Manu on Brahman, Vasudeva and the Realm Beyond the Qualities44 v 205Nibandhana's Parable and Narada's Vision of Vishnu72 v 206The Order of Creation and the Descent of Krishna68 v 207The Prajapatis, the Adityas and the Sages of the Quarters38 v 208Vishnu Takes the Boar Form and Slays the Danavas47 v 209Narada Seeks the Truth of Krishna79 v 210Remembering Narayana at the Hour of Death87 v 211Garuda's Account of Vishnu's Greatness71 v 212The Teacher's Instruction on the Purusha and Nature61 v 213The Wheel of Cause and Effect22 v 214The Qualities and Faults of the Embodied50 v 215Desire, Birth and the Chain of Sorrow25 v 216Brahmacharya and the Nature of the Body36 v 217The Guru's Teaching on Restraint and Liberation33 v 218Sleep, Dream and the Mind28 v 219The Manifest, the Unmanifest and the Knower of the Field46 v 220Panchashikha Wins Janaka from His Hundred Teachers51 v 221Panchashikha Teaches Janaka the Self (a Southern-Recension Adhyaya)53 v 222Panchashikha's Teaching on Liberation63 v 223Janaka and the Burning of Mithila20 v 224The Marriage of Shvetaketu and Suvarchala105 v 225The Praise of Self-Control20 v 226What Fasting and Austerity Truly Are17 v 227The Sages' Dispute and Sanatkumara's Teaching46 v 228What Austerity Means: The Tale of Suvarchala35 v 229Prahlada Teaches Indra That All Comes from Nature72 v 230Indra Finds Bali Reduced to a Donkey34 v 231Bali Tells Indra That Time Rules All66 v 232Shri Leaves Bali and Is Divided into Four Parts42 v 233Namuchi Tells Indra Why He Does Not Grieve24 v 234Bali and Indra: The Rule of Time119 v 235Shri Tells Indra Why She Left the Asuras122 v 236Jaigishavya Teaches Devala Calm in Praise and Blame60 v 237Narada's Virtues and the Weapon That Is Not Iron42 v 238Vyasa Teaches Shuka the Order of Creation and the Ages112 v 239The Dissolution of the Elements into Brahman19 v 240The Duties of a Brahmin and the Glory of Giving38 v 241The River of Time and the Brahmin's Crossing32 v 242The Chariot of Yoga and the Mark of the Sankhya42 v 243Knowledge, Own-Nature, and the Ranks of Beings25 v 244Vyasa on Effort, Fate and Nature, and the Ages of the Vedas21 v 245Shuka Asks the Way to Brahman; Vyasa on the Body, the Senses and the Self34 v 246Vyasa Teaches the Discipline of Yoga36 v 247Vyasa on the Two Paths: Action and Knowledge21 v 248Vyasa Teaches Shuka the Student's Life29 v 249Vyasa Describes the Householder's Life29 v 250The Life of the Forest Hermit30 v 251The Life of the Wandering Mendicant36 v 252Vyasa Opens the Teaching on the Self23 v 253The Elements, the Senses and the Three Qualities25 v 254The Intellect, the Senses and the Knower of the Field24 v 255Sattva and the Knower of the Field; the Fearless Knower14 v 256The Highest Dharma: Mastery of the Mind25 v 257Freedom from Desire: The True Brahmin24 v 258The Five Elements and Their Qualities12 v 259The Subtle Self Freed from the Body15 v 260The Tree of Desire and the City of the Body15 v 261The Qualities of the Elements, the Mind and the Intellect13 v 262Why Do Men Die? Brahma's Wrath21 v 263Shiva's Plea and the Birth of Death22 v 264Death's Tears Become Diseases43 v 265Bhishma Describes the Marks of Dharma27 v 266Yudhishthira Questions the Authority of Dharma20 v 267Jajali's Pride and the Voice from the Sky51 v 268Tuladhara Teaches Jajali the Dharma of Non-Harm55 v 269Tuladhara Answers Jajali on True Sacrifice42 v 270The Birds on Jajali's Head and the Power of Faith27 v 271Vichakhyu's Verse on Non-Violence15 v 272Chirakarika Weighs a Father's Command78 v 273Dyumatsena and Satyavan on Punishing Wrongdoers36 v 274Kapila and the Cow: Syumarashmi Defends Sacrifice43 v 275Kapila and Syumarashmi on the Householder, the Renouncer and the Guarded Doors68 v 276Kapila on the Veda and the Path of Works48 v 277Kundadhara and the Brahmin Who Wanted Wealth56 v 278The Gleaner's Sacrifice and the Deer20 v 279How a Man Becomes Sinful, and How He Turns to Dharma and Liberation24 v 280The One Path to Liberation: Conquering the Faults19 v 281Asita Devala Teaches Narada the Elements, the Senses and the Self38 v 282The Song of the King of Videha on Giving Up Craving14 v 284Harita's Rule for the Wandering Ascetic23 v 285Vritra's Calm in Defeat34 v 286Sanatkumara Teaches Vritra the Greatness of Vishnu70 v 287Indra and Vritra in Battle44 v 288Vritra Slain and the Brahmahatya Divided66 v 289The Birth of Fever from Rudra's Wrath at Daksha's Sacrifice63 v 292Samanga Tells Narada Why He Does Not Grieve21 v 293Narada Tells Galava What the Highest Good Is59 v 294Tarkshya Teaches King Sagara the Way to Liberation47 v 295Ushanas in the Belly of Shiva39 v 296Parashara Answers Janaka: Dharma and the Fruit of Action26 v 297Parashara on Sin, Atonement and Good Action23 v 298Parashara on Giving, Debts and the Sacred Fires23 v 299Parashara on Livelihood, Good Company and the Grades of Giving22 v 300Parashara on Livelihood and the Fall of Peoples from Dharma31 v 301Parashara on Attachment and the Power of Austerity39 v 302Janaka Questions Parashara on Class, Gotra and Duty39 v 303Parashara on Death, Rebirth and the Worth of Human Birth42 v 304Parashara Teaches Janaka the Way to the Highest Good47 v 305The Swan and the Sadhyas47 v 306Yoga and Sankhya Compared: The Strength of the Yogi62 v 307The Sankhya Teaching: The Faults of Existence and the Road to Narayana116 v 308The Perishable and the Imperishable: Vasishtha Begins His Teaching to Karala Janaka49 v 309How the Unawakened Self Wanders Through Births54 v 310Vasishtha Teaches Karala Janaka about the Unawakened and the Twenty-fifth50 v 311Vasishtha Explains Yoga, Sankhya and the Twenty-fifth Principle50 v 312Vasishtha on Knowledge and Ignorance48 v 313The Awakened and the Unawakened51 v 314The Bhrigu Sage Instructs a Prince of Janaka's Line25 v 315Yajnavalkya Teaches Janaka the Eight Prakritis and the Nine Creations26 v 316The Day and Night of the Unmanifest and of the Created Beings21 v 317The Dissolution of the World17 v 318Self, Element and Deity in Each Organ; the Qualities of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas28 v 319The Destinations of the Three Qualities; Janaka Asks about Liberation18 v 320Yajnavalkya on Sankhya: the Unmanifest and the Person22 v 321Yajnavalkya Teaches Yoga to Janaka27 v 322The Soul's Departure and the Signs of Approaching Death21 v 323Yajnavalkya and Vishvavasu: The Twenty-Fifth and the Twenty-Sixth112 v 324Panchashikha Tells Janaka That Old Age and Death Cannot Be Escaped15 v 325Sulabha Tests King Janaka192 v 326Asuri Questions Kapila on the Unmanifest and the Manifest6 v 327Kapila Explains the Unmanifest, the Manifest and Egoism17 v 328Kapila on the Number of the Principles8 v 329Vyasa Instructs Shuka to Prepare for Death and the Next World93 v 331Vyasa's Austerity for a Son29 v 332The Birth of Shuka from the Fire-Stick27 v 333Shuka Journeys to King Janaka46 v 334Shuka Questions Janaka on the Way to Liberation51 v 335Shuka Returns to Vyasa; Vyasa's Rules for Teaching the Veda52 v 336Narada Rouses Vyasa; the Seven Winds Taught to Shuka80 v 337Narada Teaches Shuka the Way to Liberation60 v 338Narada Teaches Shuka How to Overcome Sorrow30 v 339Shuka Resolves to Seek Liberation and Leaves for Kailasa65 v 340Shuka Rises into the Sky30 v 341Shuka Reaches the Supreme State; Rudra Consoles Vyasa42 v 342Narada Asks Narayana Whom He Worships46 v 343Narada Goes to the White Island; the Seven Sages' Treatise and King Uparichara56 v 344Brihaspati Is Angry at Vasu's Sacrifice; the Sages Tell How They Sought to See Narayana69 v 345Vasu Uparichara Falls from the Sky47 v 346Narada's Hymn of Names at the White Island4 v 347The Lord Reveals Himself to Narada76 v 348Narayana Describes His Manifestations to Narada91 v 349The Lord of Sacrifice and the Gods' Shares117 v 350Krishna Explains His Names to Arjuna59 v 351Agni and Soma, and the Greatness of the Brahmins50 v 352Krishna Explains His Names; the Battle of Rudra and Narayana84 v 353Narada Reaches Nara and Narayana at Badari67 v 354Nara and Narayana Describe the Supreme Abode28 v 355Why the Ancestors Are Called Pindas27 v 356Narada Returns Home; the Close of the Narayaniya20 v 357Hayagriva Recovers the Vedas from Madhu and Kaitabha94 v 358The Origin and Lineage of the Ekanti Dharma88 v 359Narayana and the Birth of Vyasa74 v 360Brahma and Rudra on the One Person25 v 361Brahma Describes the Supreme Person to Rudra23 v 362Bhishma Introduces Narada's Tale to Indra11 v 363A Householder of Mahapadma Seeks the Highest Good9 v 364The Householder Asks the Way; the Guest Shares His Doubt16 v 365The Guest Directs the Brahmin to the Serpent Padmanabha11 v 366The Brahmin Sets Out for the Serpent's House11 v 367The Brahmin Waits on the Gomati for the Absent Serpent13 v 368The Serpent Kinsmen Plead with the Fasting Brahmin13 v 369Padmanabha Returns and His Wife Speaks of Duty16 v 370The Serpent Quells His Anger and Goes to the Brahmin20 v 371Padmanabha Meets the Brahmin16 v 372The Serpent Tells of the Wonders of the Sun18 v 373The Sun Names the Gleaner Who Entered His Orb6 v 374The Brahmin Takes Leave of the Serpent10 v 375The Gleaner Enters the Forest; End of the Shanti Parva9 v