In Volume 9; the war is over and Yudhishthira crowned. Bhishma s instructions and advice that began in the eighth volume continue past the Shanti Parva into the Anushasana Parva.
#2464520 in Books 2014-12-31 .0 x .0 x .0l; 1.45 #File Name: 014342291X600 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Ninth Volume in a 10-vol. complete translationBy Burt ThorpThis volume in Debroy's complete translation of the entire Mahabharata; complete in ten volumes; contains part of the epic's twelfth major section or book; this is a section that comprises religious and philosophical discourses told in the popular fashion of this text. And then the volume contains part of section (book) 13; a book that deals with the ritual topic of "gifts." So we are well away from the central epic narrative of war and its results: thus less like the Iliad and more like a book of doctrine enlivened by some stories; such as the interesting Narayaniya on pages 384 and following. Lots of philosophical and mystical terms are brought up; but it's not always clear what their precise meanings are. These problems are discussed by Belvalkar; the editor of the Sanskrit text-edition that Debroy has used; Belvalkar notes that the twelfth book of the Mahabharata is "the longest and most difficult Book of the Epic." Debroy's relatively rapid translation method does not help resolve these problems; but that was probably not his intent. The University of Chicago Press translation has not reached these chapters yet; but will doubtless provide more historical context to the doctrines. I also feel that Debroy's discussion of the text is cursory and a little off (pages xxi-xxii). Better is the introduction by Smith to his one-volume version of the epic in Penguin Classics. Nevertheless; Debroy has produced; on his own; a readable translation based on the best edition of the text. The University of Chicago Press began its translation in 1973 and it's still not complete!
