Pictorial Mahabharata vol 4

This volume gives us a thrilling account of the greatest war of ancient times. But it was different from modern wars where violence, cruelty, deceit are all unlimited. Kurukshetra is a Dharmakshetra, the field of righteousness. A rigid moral code governs all the epic fights. Each day the battle begins with the formal blowing of conchs and ends at sunset. We even find that the Pandavas visit the camp of the Kauravas at night to discuss matters. This is almost like a cricket-match where the two opposing teams of batsmen meet and have lunch together during the interval.

For the first ten days, the commander-in-chief of the Kaurava army is Bhishma who works havoc with the Pandava forces. He is succeeded by Drona who also gives a grand account of his military prowess. The two sections of this volume are, therfore, called Bhismha-Parva and Drona-Parva.

Just before the war starts, Sri Krishna gives the celebrated discourse known as the Bhagavad gita which is a brilliant exposition of Sanatana-Dharma, the Eternal Truth.