The BhishmaParva, or the Book of Bhishma, is the sixth of eighteen books of the Indian epicMahabharata. Bhishma Parva traditionally has 4 sub-books and 122 chapters. The critical edition of Sabha Parva has 4 sub-books and 117 chapters. Bhishma Parva describes the first 10 days of the 18-day Kurukshetra War, and its consequences. It recites the story of Bhishma, the commander in chief of the Kaurava armies, who was fatally injured and can no longer lead as the commander. This book of Mahabharata includes the widely studied Bhagavad gita, sometimes referred to as Gita, or The Song of the Lord, or The Celestial Song. Bhagavadgita chapters describe Arjuna's questioning the purpose of war, ultimate effects of violence and the meaning of life. Arjuna's doubts and metaphysical questions are answered by Krishna. Other treatises in Bhishma parva include the Just war theory in ancient India, as well as strategies of war and troop deployment. This book describes the deaths of Uttarā kumarā, Vrishasena and also Bhishma's fall respectively on 1st, 3rd and 10th days of the war. Karna did not fight in these first ten days on Bhishma's order.
Structure and chapters
This Parva traditionally has 4 sub-parvas and 124 adhyayas. The following are the sub-parvas: meet Bhishma in the battlefield before the start of Kurukshetra war. They ask for the enemy commander's permission to fight his army and him, to death.
English translations
Bhishma Parva was composed in Sanskrit. Several translations of the book in English are available. Two translations from the 19th century, now in the public domain, are those by Kisari Mohan Ganguli and Manmatha Nath Dutt. The translations vary with each translator's interpretations. Clay Sanskrit Library has published a 15 volume set of the Mahabharata which includes a translation of Bhishma Parva by Alex Cherniak. This translation is modern and uses an old manuscript of the Epic. The translation does not remove verses and chapters now widely believed to be spurious and smuggled into the Epic in 1st or 2nd millennium AD. J. A. B. van Buitenen has published an annotated edition of Bhagvadgita from Bhishma Parva, based on critically edited and least corrupted version of Mahabharata known in 1980. Debroy, in 2011, notes that updated critical edition of Bhishma Parva, with so far known spurious and corrupted text removed, has 4 sub-books, 117 adhyayas and 5,381 shlokas. Debroy's translated version of the critical edition of Bhishma Parva appeared in Volume 5 of his series.
Salient features
The Bhishma parva has several treatises embedded in it, such as the just war theory and the Bhagavad Gita.
Just war theory
The Jamvukhanda Vinirmana sub-parva of Bhishma parva is one of the several instances in the Mahabharata that provides an outline of just war theory in ancient India. Book 12 is another instance of a significant discussion of just war theory and principles of proportionate punishment. Before the first day of war, the Kurus, the Pandavas and the Somakas meet and agree on rules of war. Some examples of the agreed rules were:
Fairness - Every battle must be fair. Only armed and fighting soldiers can be attacked.
Proportional and equitable response - those who fight with words, should be fought with words; chariot warriors should fight chariot warriors, horse man with horse man. Disproportionate weapons to cause suffering or slaughter shall not be used.
Enemy soldier that surrenders should not be treated with violence, but treated with kindness and respect.
Disarmed, injured enemy should be helped, not attacked nor killed.
Logistical staff such as those who play on drums or conch to announce the daily start or stop of war, or those that bring food or equipment, must not be attacked nor injured.
Bhagavad Gita
Chapters 25 through 40 of Bhishma parva present the dialogue between Arjuna and Krishna. Arjuna sees family, friends and good human beings on both sides of the war. He does not want to kill. Arjuna argues that gaining a kingdom with stain of blood is a tragedy. He asks Krishna, why fight? Krishna's answer are in several parts:
Krishna starts with a foundation of Samkhya philosophy - the mystery of knowing Self. He says, one must distinguish between the real and unreal, the Self that is permanent and universal from the body that is temporary and fleeting. One's action should serve the cause of the permanent Self, not the temporary body. In a war motivated by just cause, virtue and ideas, the permanent Self is at stake and what one fights for.
Krishna next presents a summary of Yoga philosophy - the mystery of living in Self, as a free and liberated person. One must be free, claims Krishna, from the pairs of opposite extremes. One must act for the goodness innate in that action, not because one craves for the fruit of the action, or is angry, or is fearful.
Krishna says there are three paths to liberation, moksha: Jnana yoga, Karma yoga and Dhyana yoga. Jnana, claims he, is knowledge. Karma is action. Dhyana is meditation. By fighting a just war, to the best of his abilities, without craving about the outcome, Arjuna would be performing Karma yoga.
In Chapter 29, Krishna claims pursuit of action is superior than renunciation of action, though both lead to knowledge and liberation. Chapters 31-34 discuss bhakti as the path for spiritual emancipation.
