पर्वः
A “parva” in the Mahabharata is a major section or book, and the epic is traditionally divided into 18 parvas. These sections cover the entire story, from the origins of the Kuru princes and their early conflicts in the Adi Parva to the final events of the Kurukshetra War and the subsequent journey of the Pandavas in the final Parvas. Each parva is itself divided into numerous chapters (adhyayas) grouped under various Upaprvas.
The Adi Parva is the first of the eighteen parvas of the epic Mahabharata,and serves as an introduction, detailing the lineage of the major characters like the Pandavas and Kauravas, the events leading up to the epic conflict, and how the epic was first narrated. It includes the story of the Kuru dynasty's origin and provides an outline of the contents of the other 17 parvas
उपपर्व
- ०. उपोद्घातम्
- १. अनुक्रमणिकापर्व
- २. पर्वसंग्रहपर्व
- ३. पौष्यपर्व
- ४. पौलोमपर्व।
- ५. आस्तिकपर्व
- ६. अंशावतरणपर्व
- ७. सम्भवपर्व
- ८. जतुगृहपर्व
- ९. हिडिम्बवधपर्व
- १०. बकवधपर्व
- ११. चैत्ररथपर्व
- १२. स्वयंवरपर्व
- १३. वैवाहिकपर्व
- १४. विदुरागमनराज्यालंभपर्व
- १५. अर्जुनवनवासपर्व
- १६. सुभ्रद्राहरणपर्व।
- १७. हरणाहरणपर्व।
- १८. खाण्डवदाहपर्व
- १९. मयदर्शनपर्व
Sabha Parva, the second parva of the Mahabharata .It details the construction of the palace at Indraprastha, Yudhishthira's Rajasuya Yajna and the pivotal game of dice that leads to the Pandavas' exile.The parva is a crucial turning point in the epic, setting the stage for the future conflict between the Pandavas and Kauravas
उपपर्व
- २०. सभाक्रियापर्व
- २१. लोकपालसभाख्यानपर्व
- २२. राजसूयारम्भपर्व
- २३. जरासन्धवधपर्वः
- २४. दिग्विजयपर्व
- २५. राजसूयपर्व
- २६. अर्घ्याभिहरणपर्व
- २७. शिशुपालवधपर्व
- २८. द्यूतपर्व
- २९. अनुद्यूतपर्व
The Vana Parva is the third of the eighteen parvas of the Indian epic Mahabharata. Vana Parva traditionally has 21 parts and 324 chapters.The Ramayana is mentioned multiple times in the Mahabharata, primarily in the Rāmopākhyāna-Parva of the Vana Parva, where Sage Markandeya narrates the story to Yudhishthira during the Pandavas' exile.
उपपर्व
- ३०. अरण्यपर्व
- ३१. किर्मीरवधपर्व
- ३२. अर्जुनाभिगमनपर्व
- ३३. कैरातपर्व
- ३४. इन्द्रलोकाभिगमनपर्व
- ३५. नलोपाख्यानपर्व
- ३६. तीर्थयात्रापर्व
- ३७. जटासुरवधपर्व
- ३८. यक्षयुद्धपर्व
- ३९. निवातकवचयुद्धपर्व
- ४०. आजगरपर्व
- ४१. मार्कण्डेय
- ४२. द्रौपदीसत्यभामासंवादपर्व
- ४३. घोषयात्रापर्व
- ४४. मृगस्वप्नोद्भवपर्व
- ४५. व्रीहिद्रौणिकपर्व
- ४६. द्रौपदीहरणपर्व
- ४७. जयद्रथविमोक्षणपर्व
- ४८. रामोपाख्यानपर्व
- ४९. परिव्रतामाहात्म्यपर्व
- ५०. कुण्डलाहरणपर्व
- ५१. आरणेयपर्व
Virata Parva is the fourth parva of the Mahabharata. It details the Pandavas' final year of exile in the kingdom of King Virata. During this time, the Pandavas live in disguise, each taking on a different role: Yudhishthira as a gambler, Bhima as a cook, Arjuna as a dance teacher, Nakula as a horse keeper, Sahadeva as a cowherd, and Draupadi as a maidservant.
The parva culminates in the Pandavas revealing themselves to defeat the Kauravas and recover King Virata's stolen cattle.
Udyoga Parva is the fifth parva of the Mahabharata, detailing the efforts to prevent the Kurukshetra War after the Pandavas' exile ends.It covers the failed peace negotiations, including Krishna's mission to Hastinapur, and the subsequent preparations for war.Key sections include the Vidura Niti (Adhyaya - 33–40), a discourse on leadership, and the Sanatsujatiya (Adhyaya - 41–46), a philosophical text.
उपपर्व
- ५७. सेनोद्योगपर्व
- ५८. सञ्जययानपर्व
- ५९. प्रजागरपर्व
- ६०. सनत्सुजातपर्व
- ६१. यानसन्धिपर्व
- ६२. भगवद्यानपर्व
- ६३. सैन्यनिर्याणपर्व
- ६४. उलूकदूतागमनपर्व
- ६५. रथातिरथसंख्यानपर्व
- ६६. अम्बोपाख्यानपर्व
Bhishma Parva is the sixth parva of the Mahabharata, detailing the first ten days of the Kurukshetra War. Bhagavad Gita,, where Lord Krishna advises Arjuna on his moral dilemma is in this parva.The book focuses on the war's events, Bhishma's leadership and eventual fall, and includes treatises on ancient Indian war strategy and the theory of just war.
The war continues with Drona as the Kaurava commander-in-chief, describing major battles and the deaths of key warriors like Abhimanyu, Jayadratha, and Drona himself.
उपपर्व
- ७१. द्रोणाभिषेकपर्व - १
- ७२. संशप्तकवधपर्व - २
- ७३. अभिमन्युवधपर्व - ३
- ७४. प्रतिज्ञापर्व - ४
- ७५. जयद्रथवधपर्व - ५
- ७६. घटोत्कचवधपर्व - ६
- ७७. द्रोणवधपर्व - ७
- ७८. नारायणास्त्रमोक्षपर्व - ८
Details the battles with Karna leading the Kaurava army, focusing on his valor and his ultimate death in battle against Arjuna.
It is the final days of the war with Shalya as the last commander of the Kauravas, culminating in the mace duel between Bhima and Duryodhana.
The Sauptika Parva is the tenth of the eighteen parvas of the Mahabharata.Sauptika Parva has 2 upa parvas and 18 Adhayas, Sauptika Parva is mainly the story of the revenge of the 3 survivors of the Kaurava army: Ashwatthama, Kritavarma and Kripacharya.
The Stri Parva is the eleventh of the eighteen parvas of the Mahabharata. It has 3 Upa parvas and 27 Adhyayas . It describes the grief of women because of the war, through the words of the Kaurava mother, Gandhari.
The ‘Shanti Parva’ is one of the longest parvas, detailing Yudhishthira's grief and his long discourses on duties of a king, dharma, and proper governance as he reluctantly accepts the throne.
A continuation of the instructions on ethics, dharma, and social duties given by the dying Bhishma to Yudhishthira. The well known Vishnushahasranama and Shivasahasranama are part of this parva.
Describes the Ashvamedha (horse sacrifice) ritual performed by Yudhishthira to consolidate his sovereignty, and Arjuna's accompanying military campaign.
Chronicles the departure of Dhritarashtra, Gandhari, and Kunti to live as ascetics in the forest, and their deaths in a forest fire.
Describes the internecine war among the Yadavas (Krishna's clan) due to the curse of Gandhari, and the eventual sinking of their city, Dwarka, into the sea.
Mahaprasthanika Parva is the seventeenth parva of the Mahabharata . It details the final journey of the Pandavas and Draupadi, who, along with a dog, travel towards the Himalayas. This short book describes their pilgrimage and the deaths of the Pandavas along the way.
The Svargarohana Parva is the 18th and final parva of the Mahabharata. It describes Yudhishthira's journey to heaven.After the Pandavas' final journey, Yudhishthira is the only one to reach heaven, where he is initially troubled to find the virtuous in hell and the wicked in heaven. This is revealed to be a test of his virtue, and he insists on staying in hell with his loved ones, after which the illusion is removed, and he is reunited with his family in heaven.
The Harivamsha of Veda Vyasa contains roughly 16,000 Sanskrit metrical verses (shlokas) and consists of three sections (Harivamsa-parva, Vishnu-parva and Bhavishya-parva). This edition is a prose English translation although it preservers the verse-numbers.