Mahabharata Book Six (Volume 2): Bhisma

ISBN: 9781479855957 出版年：2017 页码： Alex Cherniak Clay Sanskrit

This second half of Bhishma describes the events from the beginning of the fifth day till the end of the tenth of the great battle between the Kuravas and the Pndavas. Despite grandfather Bhishma's appeal to conclude peace with the Pndavas, Duryódhana continues the bloody battle. The key strategist is general Bhishma, commander of the Kurava forces. Even though he is compelled to fight on the side of the Kuravas, Bhishma's sympathies are with the Pndavas. After the ninth day of war, when Bhishma has wreaked havoc with their troops, the Pndavas realise that they will be unable to win as long as invincible Bhishma is alive. Bhishma willingly reveals to them how he can be destroyed. Strictly observing the warrior code, he will never fight with Shikhndin, because he was originally born a woman. Bhishma advises the Pndava brothers that Árjuna should strike him from behind Shikhndin's back, and they follow the grandfather's advice.