10. Scmplika-jtarvan. In this the three surviving Kurus make a night attack on the camp of the Pandavas and kill all their army, but not the five Pandavas.

11. Strl-parvan describes the lamentations of queen Gandhari and the other wives and women over the bodies of the slain heroes.

12. Santi-pwroan. In this Yudhi-shthira is crowned in Hastina-pura. To calm his spirit, troubled with the slaughter of his kindred, Bhishma, still alive, instructs him at great length in the duties of kings (raja- dharma 1995-4778), rules for adversity (apad-dharma 4779-6455), rules for attaining final emancipation (moksha-dharma 6456 to end).

13. AmtJascma-parvan. In this the instruction is continued by Bhishma, who gives precepts and wise axioms on all subjects, such as the duties of kings, liberality, fasting, eating, &c., mixed up with tales, moral and religious discourses, and metaphysical disquisitions. At the conclusion of his long sermon Bhishma dies.

14. Asvamedhika-parvan. In this Yudhi-shthira, having assumod the government, performs an Asva-medha or ' horse-sacrifice' in token of his supremacy.

15. Asramavasika-parvan narrates how the old blind king Dhrita- rashtra, with his queen Gandhari and with KuntI, mother of the Pandavas, retires to a hermitage in the woods. After two years a forest conflagration takes place, and they immolate themselves in the fire to secure heaven and felicity.

16. Mausala-parvan narrates the death of Krishna and Bala-rama, their return to heaven, the submergence of Krishna's city Dvaraka by the sea, and the self-slaughter in a fight with clubs (musala) of Krishna's family—the Y&davas—through the curse of some Brahmans.

17. Mahapraslhanika-parvan describes the renunciation of their kingdom by Yudhi-shthira and his four brothers, and their departure towards Indra's heaven in Mount Meru.

18. Svargarohcvnika-parean narrates the ascent and admission to heaven of the five Pandavas, their wife DraupadI, and kindred.

Supplement or Hari-vansa-parvan, a later addition, recounting the genealogy and birth of Krishna and the details of his early life.

The following is a more complete and continuous account of the story of the poem, which is supposed to be recited by Vaisampayana, the pupil of Vyasa, to Jana- mejaya, great-grandson of Arjuna.

We have seen that the Ramayana commences by recounting the genealogy of the Solar line of kings, of whom Rama