The Mahabharta: Thirteenth Parva: Anushasana Parva
The Code of Dharma for Daily Life.
When the Dying Warrior Teaches How to Live, Rule, and Rise.
The Anushasana Parva, or Book of Instructions, is the thirteenth book of the Mahabharata, and the last testament of Bhishma, the grandsire of the Kuru dynasty. While the Shanti Parva focused on statecraft, philosophy, and liberation, the Anushasana Parva delves deep into everyday dharma—covering the ethics of society, charity, family, rituals, women’s duties, spiritual practices, and more.
This is not just a book for kings. It is a guide for householders, seekers, teachers, warriors, and common folk alike.
Context: The Final Instructions of a Great Soul
Lying on his bed of arrows, Bhishma continues teaching Yudhishthira, as the king begins his reign with humility, guilt, and the desire to do right. As Uttarayana approaches (the sun’s northern movement), Bhishma senses his end is near. But before departing, he gifts Yudhishthira his most practical wisdom—the Anushasana, or codes of righteous conduct.
Shloka (Anushasana Parva):
“धर्मः श्रेष्ठो हि लोकस्य न किञ्चित् धर्मात् परम्।”
Translation:
“Dharma is the highest for all beings—nothing is superior to dharma.”
Structure and Themes of the Anushasana Parva
This Parva contains over 1,700 verses and is often read as a moral handbook. The key teachings can be grouped into several broad areas:
1. Dana Dharma – The Ethics of Charity
Bhishma emphasizes the supreme value of charity (dāna). He says that a king’s wealth or a householder’s earnings have no value unless shared selflessly.
- Charity must be given with respect, humility, and sincerity.
- The intention matters more than the amount.
- Donors must remain detached from pride, expecting no return or recognition.
Shloka:
“यद्दत्तं श्रद्धया दीयते तदन्नन्तफलं स्मृतम्।”
Translation:
“What is given with faith yields endless merit.”
Bhishma lists various forms of charity: food, shelter, knowledge, cows, gold, clothing, and even time or wisdom.
2. Ashrama Dharma – Duties in All Stages of Life
Bhishma outlines the four ashramas (life stages) and their responsibilities:
- Brahmacharya (student): pursue learning, celibacy, discipline
- Grihastha (householder): raise a family, give charity, uphold dharma
- Vanaprastha (retired forest-dweller): reduce attachments, guide others
- Sannyasa (renunciate): abandon worldly life, seek moksha
He stresses that none is superior—each has a purpose in the soul’s journey.
3. Stri Dharma – The Role and Power of Women
In a society still recovering from Draupadi’s humiliation and the silent pain of countless queens, Bhishma offers strong guidance on the honor, dignity, and spiritual power of women.
- A woman must be respected as the mother of dharma.
- She is never to be insulted, abandoned, or harmed, even if she errs.
- The prosperity of a house depends on the well-being and dignity of its women.
- A virtuous wife has the power to raise or ruin a dynasty.
Shloka:
“यत्र नार्यस्तु पूज्यन्ते रमन्ते तत्र देवताः।”
Translation:
“Where women are honored, there the gods dwell.”
4. Vrata and Tirtha Dharma – Observances and Pilgrimages
Bhishma discusses the value of vratas (vows, fasts) and tirtha-yatras (pilgrimages), not as superstition, but as inner discipline.
- Regular fasting cleanses the mind and builds restraint.
- Visiting sacred places revives spiritual memory and awakens humility.
- Observances are most fruitful when done with devotion and simplicity.
He also advises rulers to sponsor public dharmic events and maintain temples and sacred sites for the well-being of the kingdom.
5. Moksha Marg – The Final Truth Beyond All Duties
As his discourse nears its end, Bhishma reminds Yudhishthira that all duties are steps toward liberation—but eventually, one must go beyond:
- Renounce attachment to results
- Cultivate inner silence and compassion
- Contemplate on the Self
- Understand that all beings are one in the Divine
Shloka (Anushasana Parva):
“मुक्तिः कर्मविनिर्मुक्ता ज्ञानान्मोक्ष इति स्थितिः।”
Translation:
“Liberation is freedom from karma, rooted in the stillness of true knowledge.”
The Passing of Bhishma
After this grand discourse, Bhishma closes his eyes, his body still lying on the bed of arrows. As the sun turns north, he breathes his last, with Krishna by his side, and the gods watching silently.
The moment is cosmic.
Bhishma dies not in bitterness, but in peace—having fulfilled his vow, and having offered his final act of service: the transmission of dharma.
The Essence of Anushasana Parva
This Parva teaches that:
- Dharma is not only about great wars or heroic vows—it is about small, daily choices.
- Every human—king or farmer, woman or sage—can walk the path of truth.
- The purpose of life is not power, but purity of heart.
- Death is not the end—it is the flowering of a well-lived life.
Modern Relevance
Today, Anushasana Parva is a manual for ethical living:
- In a time of material excess, it teaches giving and simplicity.
- In a world of stress, it guides us to spiritual rhythm and family values.
- In a time of gender injustice, it restores dignity to womanhood.
- And in an age of confusion, it becomes the moral compass every soul seeks.
Conclusion: The Warrior Becomes Sage, and Dharma Walks Again
With the death of Bhishma, a chapter ends. But his voice lives forever—as the moral spine of the Mahabharata. He did not just die a warrior. He rose as a guru.
And as Yudhishthira walks back to Hastinapura, he is no longer burdened by war. He carries the lamp of dharma, passed from Bhishma’s breath to his crown.
Next on Sanatana Decode:
The Ashvamedhika Parva awaits—where Yudhishthira performs the horse sacrifice, and Arjuna sets out across Bharat to reestablish dharma.