The Stri Parva ( Sanskrit : स्त्री पर्व ), or the "Book of the Women," is the eleventh of eighteen books of the Indian epic Mahabharata . It traditionally has 4 parts and 27 chapters, as does the critical edition.
36-535: Sometimes spelled Stree Parva, it describes the grief of women because of the war. The parva recites the grief of men too, such as of Dhritrashtra and the Pandava brothers. The chapters include a treatise by Vidura and Vyasa on passage rites with words of comfort for those who have lost loved ones, as well as the saṃsāra fable of the man and a well. This Parva (book) has 2 sub-parvas (parts or little books) and 27 adhyayas (sections, chapters). The following are
72-575: A 15 volume set of the Mahabharata which includes a translation of Stri Parva by Kate Crosby. This translation is modern and uses an old manuscript of the Epic. The translation does not remove verses and chapters now widely believed to be spurious and smuggled into the Epic in 1st or 2nd millennium AD. Debroy, in 2011, notes that updated critical edition of Stri Parva, after removing verses and chapters generally accepted so far as spurious and inserted into
108-455: A blindfold in order to truly experience her husband's blindness. Gandhari and he had one hundred sons, called the Kauravas , and one daughter Dushala . He also had a son named Yuyutsu mothered by a maid. After the incident with Rishi Kindama , Pandu retired to the forest. Hence, Dhritarashtra was offered the crown. Through the blessings of Vyasa , he and Gandhari had one hundred sons and
144-468: A daughter, with his eldest son, Duryodhana , becoming his heir. Upon Duryodhana's birth, ill omens appeared; many sages and priests advised Dhritarashtra and Gandhari to abandon the baby. But they refused to do so; Duryodhana grew up with a princely education and his parents believed that he would be a great heir. However, when Pandu died, Kunti and her sons returned to Hastinapura, living alongside Dhritarashtra's children. Yudhishthira , Pandu's eldest son,
180-418: A devoted wife who, in a gesture of solidarity, blindfolded herself for life to share in her husband's blindness. Together, they had one hundred sons, known as the Kauravas , and a daughter, Dushala . Throughout his reign, Dhritarashtra struggled with the conflicting roles of father and king. His deep affection for Duryodhana, often clouded his judgment, leading him to overlook his son's misdeeds and fail to curb
216-488: Is completely different than just a subtle sight ("Sanjaya's Gift"). One who possesses a subtle sight sees image of things invisible in his mind, whereas in divine vision, instead of it being in the mind, it is like seeing it in person. Also, the sounds are heard with the physical ear and not as a current of thought. While Sanjaya was still in Hastinapur, the series of events that happened on the battlefield of Kurukshetra
252-424: Is known to be very frank in his narration of the battle events and his opinions and he also predicted the destruction of Kauravas at the hands of Krishna and Arjuna ("Sanjaya, Charioteer"). Sanjaya was Dhritarashtra's honest advisor. Sanjaya is a virtuous character who "represents intuitive knowledge, which arises from long and arduous spiritual practice, a predominance of sattva and inner awakening" (V, "Symbolism in
288-598: Is stated to have the gift of divya drishti (divine vision), the ability to observe distant events within his mind, granted by Vyasa. He narrates to Dhritarashtra the events of the Kurukshetra War , including the ones described in the Bhagavad Gita . Before this great war broke out, Sanjaya had gone to Yudhishtira as the Ambassador of Kauravas to negotiate on behalf of them. Having a divine vision
324-432: Is universal. Do not indulge in your grief. Grief itself, by being indulged in, never becomes light. By dwelling on it, one cannot lessen it. On the other hand, grief grows with indulgence. One should treat mental grief by wisdom, just as physical grief should be treated by medicine. Wisdom hath this power. Dhritrashtra Dhritarashtra ( Sanskrit : धृतराष्ट्र , romanized : Dhr̥tarāṣṭra )
360-660: The House of Lac incident, in which the Pandavas are believed to have been immolated, Dhritarashtra mourns, but was able to finally name Duryodhana as his heir. When the Pandavas are revealed to have survived, Duryodhana refuses to cede his title as heir when the sour relations between the Kauravas and the Pandavas simmer. On Bhishma's advice, Dhritarashtra bifurcates the kingdom, giving Hastinapura to Duryodhana and Khandavaprastha to Yudhishthira. Shakuni , Gandhari 's brother,
396-492: The Bhagavadgita"). Despite him not being as lucky as Arjuna to earn the divine grace, he is still able to receive knowledge from Lord Krishna because he mastered having control over his body and mind (V, "Symbolism in the Bhagavadgita"). He represents having a sense of awareness as he is able to witness all of the details occurring in the battle. Sanjaya was able to spot when "Arjuna dropped his bow and arrows, and sat down on
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#1732773181552432-605: The Gita ("Sanjaya's Gift"). Sanjaya clearly has an advantage over an average person because he could hear things that would even frighten the average person. He was described to be gifted as he could see "events at a distance granted by the Rishi Vyasa" ("Sanjaya, Charioteer"). On the eve of the Mahabharata War, the Gita was spoken, "we find in the very first verse of the Gita, King Dhritarashtra seeking information about
468-540: The Kuru lineage. Dhritarashtra was born blind to Vichitravirya’s elder queen, Ambika . Despite being the eldest, his blindness disqualified him from inheriting the throne, which passed to his younger half-brother, Pandu . However, after Pandu renounced the throne and retired to the forest, Dhritarashtra assumed kingship of the Kuru kingdom, albeit as a nominal ruler heavily influenced by his grandsire, Bhishma , and his eldest son, Duryodhana . Dhritarashtra married Gandhari ,
504-470: The Pandavas. However, the results of the war devastated him. All of his sons and grandsons but one were killed in the carnage. Dhritarashtra's only daughter Duhsala was widowed. Yuyutsu had defected to Pandava side at the onset of the war, and was the only son of Dhritarashtra who had managed to survive the Kurukshetra War. After the war ended, the victorious Pandavas arrived at Hastinapura for
540-571: The War from Sanjaya who had received the gift of divine vision" ("Sanjaya's Gift"). As Dhritarashtra's advisor, Sanjaya's job was not as hard. Until he had to tell Dhritarashtra the news of the death of his "hundred sons at the hands of Bhima at different points of time in the battle and offers the sorrowing king solace in his darkest hours" ("Vyasa"). Sanjaya tells every incident of the Kurukshetra war. Sanjaya also gives various descriptions of: Earth,
576-482: The blind king while challenging the king with his own viewpoints and morals. When Lord Krishna displayed his Vishvarupa (True form) to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra , Dhritarashtra regretted not possessing the divine sight. Dhritarashtra was confident that Bhishma, Drona , Karna and the other invincible warriors would make the Kaurava camp victorious. He rejoiced whenever the tide of war turned against
612-552: The entire details of the war, the deaths of the prominent warriors, and the profound teachings of the Bhagavad Gita . After the war, which resulted in the fall of the Kauravas, a grief-stricken Dhritarashtra withdrew to the forest with Gandhari, Kunti , and Vidura . He spent his final years in asceticism and meditation, ultimately passing away in a forest fire, attaining liberation. Dhṛtarāṣṭra means "He who supports/bears
648-448: The failure of the mission. After Krishna's peace mission failed and a war seemed inevitable, Vyasa approached Dhritarashtra and offered to grant him a divine vision so that Dhritarashtra could see the war. However, not willing to see his kin slaughtered, Dhritarashtra asked that the boon be given to Sanjaya , his charioteer. Sanjaya dutifully narrated the war to his liege, reporting how Bhima killed all his children. Sanjaya would console
684-501: The formal transfer of power. The Pandavas set forth to embrace their uncle and offer him their respects. Dhritarashtra hugged Yudhishthira heartily without a grudge. When Dhritarashtra turned to Bhima, Krishna sensed his intentions and asked Bhima to step back and placed Bhima's iron statue in his place. Dhritarashtra crushed the statue into pieces and then broke down crying, his rage leaving him. Broken and defeated, Dhritarashtra apologised for his folly and wholeheartedly embraced Bhima and
720-420: The injustices inflicted upon their cousins, the Pandavas . His hundred sons, led by Duryodhana, became the antagonists in the Mahabharata, opposing the Pandavas in the Kurukshetra War . Dhritarashtra also fathered a son, Yuyutsu , through a maid, who later sided with the Pandavas during the war. During the Kurukshetra War, Dhritarashtra depended on his charioteer Sanjaya , who had divine vision, to learn about
756-687: The nation". A historical Kuru King named Dhr̥tarāṣṭra Vaicitravīrya is mentioned in the Kāṭhaka Saṃhitā of the Yajurveda ( c. 1200–900 BCE) as a descendant of the Rigvedic -era King Sudas of the Bharatas . His cattle was reportedly destroyed as a result of the conflict with the vrātya ascetics; however, this Vedic mention does not provide corroboration for the accuracy of the Mahabharata's account of his reign. Dhritarashtra did not accept
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#1732773181552792-449: The original, has 4 parts, 27 adhyayas (chapters) and 713 shlokas (verses). The entire parva has been "transcreated" and translated in verse by the poet Dr. Purushottama Lal published by Writers Workshop . Jalapradanika parva , Chapter 2: When all else is asleep, Time is awake, Time is irresistible. Youth, beauty, life, possessions, health, and the companionship of friends, all are unstable. It behoveth thee not to grieve for what
828-412: The other Pandavas. 15 years after the great war of Mahabharata , the grief-stricken blind king along with his wife Gandhari , sister-in-law Kunti , and half brother Vidura left Hastinapura for penance . It is believed that all of them (except Vidura who predeceased him) perished in a forest fire and attained moksha . Throughout his reign as King of Hastinapura, Dhritarashtra was torn between
864-453: The other planets, and focuses on the Indian subcontinent and gives an elaborate list of hundreds of kingdoms, tribes, provinces, cities, towns, villages, rivers, mountains, and forests of the (ancient) Indian Subcontinent (Bharata Varsha). He also explains about the military formations adopted by each side on each day, the death of each hero and the details of each war-racing ("Vyasa"). Sanjaya
900-465: The principles of dharma and his love for his son Duryodhana. He often ended up endorsing his son's actions merely out of fatherly love. Dhritarashtra is physically strong, yet psychologically weak, easily manipulated by his brother-in-law, Shakuni. Dhritarashtra appears in Mahabharata sections that have been circulated as separate scriptures, most notably the Bhagavad Gita , whose dialogue
936-476: The queens Ambika and Ambalika under the Niyoga practice. When Vyasa went to impregnate Ambika, his appearance was scary and frightened her, so she closed her eyes during their union; hence her son was born blind. Dhritarashtra, along with his younger half-brother Pandu , was trained in the military arts by Bhishma and Kripacharya . Hindered by his handicap, Dhritarashtra was unable to wield weapons, but had
972-625: The seat of the chariot, with his mind overwhelmed with sorrow" (Sharma 11). Seeing Arjuna past his physical appearance as being exhausted from the battle, Sanjaya displays his mastery in the mind and body as he was able to see Arjuna as sorrowful. "Sanjaya, Charioteer of Maharaja Dhritarashtra." IndiaNetzone, 9 November 2014, www.indianetzone.com/35/sanjaya_charioteer_maharaja_dhritarashtra.htm. Accessed 24 February 2017. "Sanjaya's Gift of Divine Vision." Site of Sri Aurobindo & The Mother, www.aurobindo.ru/workings/sa/04/0018_e.htm. Accessed 25 February 2017. Sharma, Mahesh. "Bhagavadgita: A Journey From
1008-591: The strength of one hundred thousand elephants due to a boon given by Vyasa , and was said to be so strong that he could crush iron with his bare hands. When it came time to nominate an heir, Vidura suggested that Pandu would be a better fit because he was not blind. Though bitter about losing his birthright, Dhritarashtra willingly conceded the crown, though this act would seep into the obsession he would have over his crown later in life. Dhritarashtra married Gandhari of Hastinapura's weakened and lowly vassal Gandhara ; After their marriage, Gandhari covered her eyes with
1044-566: The sub-parvas: An alternate grouping of the sub-parvas: Stri Parva was composed in Sanskrit. Some Sanskrit manuscripts discovered in different parts of India title the parts differently. Several translations in English are available. Two translations from 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
1080-543: The vratyas into his territory, and with the aid of rituals, the vratyas destroyed his cattle. The group of vratyas were led by Vaka Dālbhi of Panchala . With Vichitravirya having died of sickness, Bhishma unable to take the throne because of his vow, and Bahlika 's line unwilling to leave the Bahlika Kingdom, there was a succession crisis in Hastinapura . Satyavati invites her son Vyasa to impregnate
1116-463: Was a master of dice as he could load them without his opponents having a clue. He, along with his nephew Duryodhana , conspired in a game of dice and invited the Pandavas to gamble. The Pandavas eventually lost their kingdom, wealth, and prestige and were exiled for thirteen years. Draupadi , the wife of the Pandavas, was humiliated in court after Dushasana tried to disrobe her. The blind king only intervened after counselling with Gandhari when Draupadi
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1152-608: Was a ruler of the ancient Kuru kingdom , featured as a central character in the Hindu epic Mahabharata . He is also attested in the Yajurveda , where he is acknowledged as the son of King Vichitravirya . According to the Mahabharata , Dhritarashtra’s birth was the result of the ancient practice of Niyoga . After Vichitravirya died childless, his half-brother Vyasa fathered children with Vichitravirya’s widows to continue
1188-503: Was going to curse the Kuru dynasty. Though notables like Vikarna and Vidura objected to the sins of Duryodhana, most of the spectators were helpless due to their obligations to Hastinapura ; Dhritarashtra could have spoken out, but did not. Krishna , as a peace emissary of the Pandavas, travelled to Hastinapura to persuade the Kauravas to avoid the bloodshed of their own kin. However, Duryodhana conspired to arrest him, which resulted in
1224-401: Was narrated to him. Sanjaya Traditional Sanjaya ( Sanskrit : सञ्जय, meaning "victory") or Sanjaya Gavalgana is a figure from the ancient Indian Hindu epic Mahābhārata . Sanjaya is the advisor of the blind king Dhritarashtra , the ruler of the Kuru kingdom and the father of the Kauravas , as well as serving as his charioteer. Sanjaya is a disciple of Sage Vyasa . He
1260-500: Was older than Duryodhana. Given that Pandu was the king and that Yudhishthira was the son of the god of Dharma (Dharmaraja, also known as Yama ) he had a strong claim to the throne. A succession crisis began; though recognising Yudhishthira's merits, Dhritarashtra favoured his own son, blinded by affection. Upon much pressure from the Brahmins, Vidura , and Bhishma , Dhritarashtra reluctantly named Yudhishthira as his heir. After
1296-456: Was very clear to him ("Sanjaya's Gift"). He saw with his eyes as if he was on the battlefield. Sanjaya saw: partisans of Dhritarashtra and the Pandavas gathered there, heard with his ears the words of Duryodhana, the fierce battle-cry of grandfather Bhishma, the mighty sound of Panchajanya proclaiming the destruction of the Kurus, and the dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna bringing out the import of
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