Read Mahabharata: Volume 8 Online
Authors: Bibek Debroy
Mahabharata: Volume 8
Volume 8 (Sections 78 to 86)
SECTION SEVENTY-EIGHT
SOUPTIKA PARVA
Ashvatthama sees an owl kill sleeping crows and decides that the Pandavas and Panchalas should be killed in the night, while they are asleep
SECTION SEVENTY-NINE
AISHIKA PARVA
Ashvatthama and Arjuna invoke their brahmashira weapons, which threaten to destroy the worlds; Arjuna withdraws his and Ashvatthama’s is diverted towards the wombs of the Pandava women
Vidura attempts to dispel Dhritarashtra’s sorrow
Pandavas meet Dhritarashtra and Gandhari; Dhritarashtra wants to crush Bhima to death, but is offered an iron image instead by Krishna; Vedavyasa dissuades Gandhari from cursing the Pandavas; Gandhari’s glance distorts Yudhishthira’s nails
SECTION EIGHTY-TWO
SHRADDHA PARVA
The dead warriors are cremated and their funeral rites performed
SECTION EIGHTY-THREE
JALA-PRADANIKA PARVA
The observation of water-rites and the offering of water to the dead warriors takes place; Kunti tells the Pandavas that Karna was their elder brother
SECTION EIGHTY-FOUR
RAJA DHARMA PARVA
Yudhishthira sorrows over Karna and Narada recounts the story of Karna being cursed and his exploits; Yudhishthira wishes to leave for the forest, but is dissuaded and is asked to learn about dharma from Bhishma; Yudhishthira is crowned
SECTION EIGHTY-FIVE
APAD DHARMA PARVA
Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira about the nature of dharma to be followed during a misfortune or a calamity
SECTION EIGHTY-SIX
MOKSHA DHARMA PARVA
Bhisma talks about moksha, which means liberation, as opposed to the pursuit of dharma, artha and kama