Can the Shanti Parva be applied to daily life?

[Eric11235]

Vannakam,

For scholars of the Mahabharata or anyone acquainted, I find the Shanti parva to be a fascinating section of the Mahabharata but I have a question for anyone willing to answer.

Does anyone think it could be used like Sun Tzu's "the art of war" and be applied past its literal meaning to daily life? I have as of yet only read the parts pertaining to Kingcraft, so taht is why I ask, but I want other's opinions. I'm guessing most would agree that that can be done.

For everyone who has read the mahabharata, what is the value of the Shanti Parva to the story itself? I'm loving reading it, and i've read that it is an interpolation but I'd like other insights as to its usefulness to the main story arc

Namaste

[anisha_astrologer]

Shanti Parva is included in political science curriculum in many universities, which means it is important to understand politics and the principles to govern a state. if a person is determined and ready to walk on the path of Dharma then Shanti Parva can definitely be applied to daily life.:)

[harih]

Namaste Eric,

Really glad to see someone here who has plodded through the entire MBH, that too a Victorian-era translation. As a humble reader of this epic, one of these days I hope to carry out some detailed discussions with you!

Shanti Parvan in one sense is indeed being applied to daily life. Shiva Bhaktas regularly recite the Siva-sahasranama found in it. That of course is just the tip of the iceberg.

Many of the precepts advised by Bheeshma are repeated in later Puranas like the Naradeeya Purana & Matsya Purana and into the Smritis. As you might know, the Smritis were the law code for most of India until the Ulema under Mughals and later the British replaced it with their own law codes. Even under the British the Hindu smritis formed the basis of the Hindu law code. All this can be traced back to the Shanti and Anushasana Parvan of MBH. That's it for now.

By the way, I have only just now been re-reading the chapter on the encounter of Bhima with Hanuman. Wonderful (the only word in my little English knowledge, that I can use to describe it)