Mahabharata

The great epic of Vyāsa. Its original name is “Jaya” (“Victory”). It contains the Bhagavad-gītā (Bhīṣma-parva) and is one of the key sources of Vedic philosophy.

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Śānti-parva (The Book of Peace)

Chapters 241–260 of 353

241Chapter 241 — Vyasa Teaches the Kshetrajna and the Knot of the Heart3 verses

12.241.1-5 12.241.6-10 12.241.11-14

242Chapter 242 — Vyāsa Teaches the Supreme Dharma and the River of Saṃsāra6 verses

12.242.1-4 12.242.5-7 12.242.8-11 12.242.12-17 12.242.18-21 12.242.22-25

243Chapter 243 — Vyasa on Desire, Self-Control, and Brahman8 verses

12.243.1 12.243.2-4 12.243.5-8 12.243.9 12.243.10-11 12.243.12-14 12.243.15-18 12.243.19-23

244Chapter 244 — Vyasa Teaches the Elements and the Inner Self3 verses

12.244.1-2 12.244.3-8 12.244.9-12

245Chapter 245 — Vyasa Teaches the Subtle Being and the Path to Brahman3 verses

12.245.1-4 12.245.5-10 12.245.11-14

246Chapter 246 — Vyasa Teaches the Tree of Desire and the City of the Body2 verses

12.246.1-8 12.246.9-15

247Chapter 247 — Bhishma Lists the Qualities of the Elements, Mind, and Buddhi4 verses

12.247.1-2 12.247.3-8 12.247.9-10 12.247.11-13

248Chapter 248 — Yudhiṣṭhira Asks About Death and Nārada Begins the Account (Yudhiṣṭhira Asks About Death, and Nārada Begins the Account)4 verses

12.248.1-6 12.248.7-12 12.248.13-18 12.248.19-21

249Chapter 249 — Sthāṇu Intercedes and Death Appears (Sthāṇu Intercedes, and Death Appears)4 verses

12.249.1-5 12.249.6-12 12.249.13-16 12.249.17-22

250Chapter 250 — Death Accepts Her Cosmic Function (Death Accepts Her Cosmic Service)5 verses

12.250.1-8 12.250.9-16 12.250.17-24 12.250.25-32 12.250.33-41

251Chapter 251 — Bhīṣma Defines the Marks of Dharma8 verses

12.251.1-2 12.251.3-6 12.251.7-9 12.251.10-13 12.251.14-16 12.251.17-19 12.251.20-23 12.251.24-26

252Chapter 252 — Yudhiṣṭhira Questions the Difficulty of Discerning Dharma (Yudhiṣṭhira Asks About the Difficulty of Discerning Dharma)5 verses

12.252.1-5 12.252.6-10 12.252.11-14 12.252.15-18 12.252.19-20

253Chapter 253 — The Beginning of the Story of Jājali and Tulādhāra5 verses

12.253.1-11 12.253.12-16 12.253.17-29 12.253.30-46 12.253.47-51

254Chapter 254 — Tulādhāra Teaches Jājali the Dharma of Non-Harm6 verses

12.254.1-4 12.254.5-13 12.254.14-24 12.254.25-36 12.254.37-46 12.254.47-52

255Chapter 255 — Tulādhāra Teaches the Inner Meaning of Sacrifice (Tulādhāra Explains the Inner Meaning of Sacrifice)6 verses

12.255.1-3 12.255.4-14 12.255.15-24 12.255.25-34 12.255.35-36 12.255.37-41

256Chapter 256 — The Birds Teach Jājali About Śraddhā5 verses

12.256.1-5 12.256.6-10 12.256.11-16 12.256.17-19 12.256.20-22

257Chapter 257 — Bhishma Teaches Ahimsa as the Highest Dharma3 verses

12.257.1-6 12.257.7-11 12.257.12-13

258Chapter 258 — The Story of Cirakārī and the Virtue of Deliberation (The Story of Cirakārī and the Virtue of Long Deliberation)6 verses

12.258.1-8 12.258.9-23 12.258.24-40 12.258.41-55 12.258.56-65 12.258.66-75

259Chapter 259 — Dyumatsena and Satyavān on Punishment and Nonviolence6 verses

12.259.1-6 12.259.7-16 12.259.17-22 12.259.23 12.259.24-31 12.259.32-35

260Chapter 260 — Kapila and Syūmaraśmi on Renunciation, Sacrifice, and Ahiṃsā4 verses

12.260.1-5 12.260.6-17 12.260.18-26 12.260.27-39