The Karna Parva, or the Book of Karna, is the eighth of eighteen books of the Indian Epic Mahabharata. Karna Parva traditionally has 96 chapters. The critical edition of Karna Parv has 69 chapters Karna Parva describes the appointment of Karna as the third commander-in-chief of the Kaurava alliance. The Parva recites how war begins to tire and frustrate everyone. This book describes how brutal war leads to horrifying behavior over the 16th and 17th day of the 18-day Kurukshetra War. Karna Parva includes a treatise by Aswatthama which focuses on the motive of the deeds of human life. The crowning incident of this Parva is the final confrontation between Karna and Arjuna, in which Karna is killed.

Structure and chapters

This Parva (book) traditionally has 96 adhyayas (chapters). The following are the sub-parvas:

16th day war

17th day war

Telugu translation

Karna Parva was composed in Sanskrit. Several translations of the book in English are available. Two translations from the 19th century, now in public domain, are those by Kisari Mohan Ganguli and Manmatha Nath Dutt. The translations vary with each translator's interpretations. Clay Sanskrit Library has published a 15 volume set of the Mahabharata which includes a translation of Karna Parva by Adam Bowles. This translation is modern and uses an old manuscript of the Epic.

Quotations and teachings

Karna Parva, Chapter 6: "Passion, engagement, skill and policy - these are the means to accomplish objectives." Karna Parva, Chapter 69: "Many people maintain that morality can be learned from the scriptures alone; I do not find fault with that, but then everything is not provided in the scriptures. Moral precepts have been made for the well bring of all creatures. Moral precepts have been made to free the creatures from all injuries. Dharma - morality - is so called because it protects all. Morality saves all creatures. That is moral that keeps creatures from injuries. An untruth spoken to save creatures from injuries is in the cause of morality, and does not amount to a falsehood."