Virata Parva, also known as the “Book of Virata”, is the fourth of eighteen books of the Indian epic Mahabharata. [1] Virata Parva traditionally has 4 parts and 72 chapters. [2] [3] The critical edition of Virata Parva has 4 parts and 67 chapters. [4] [5]
It discusses the 13th year of exile which the Pandavas must spend incognito to avoid another 12 years of exile in the forest. They do so in the court of Virata. [2] They assume a variety of identities. Yudhishthira assumes the identity of game entertainer to the king and calls himself Kanka, Bhima of a cook Ballava, [6] Arjuna teaches dance and music as eunuch Brihannala and dresses as a woman, Nakula tends horses as Granthika, Sahadeva herds cows as Tantipala, and Draupadi in the name of Malini went as Sairandhri to queen Shudeshna. [1]
This is a controversial book in the Mahabharata. In the 2nd-century CE Spitzer Manuscript found in Kizil Caves, India, which includes a table of contents of the Mahabharata, there is no mention of the Virata Parva and Anushasana Parva. It could have been written as late as 18th century in India, as per many researchers. Bibek Debroy says, "The original epic by Vyasa is completely destroyed and not available anywhere on this planet, what we have now is only multiple versions and stories, some centralizes Yudhisthira and the other centralizes Karna's achievements and childhood of Krishna. [7] [8]
This book traditionally has 4 sub-parvas (parts or little books) and 72 adhyayas (sections, chapters). [2] [3] The following are the sub-parvas: [9]
Several translations of the Sanskrit book Virata Parva in English are available. Two translations from 19th century, now in public domain, are those by Kisari Mohan Ganguli [16] and Manmatha Nath Dutt. [3] The translations vary with each translator's interpretations.
J. A. B. van Buitenen completed an annotated edition of Virata Parva, based on critically edited and least corrupted version of Mahabharata known in 1975. [1] Debroy, in 2011, notes that updated critical edition of Virata Parva, with spurious and corrupted text removed, has 4 parts, 67 adhyayas (chapters) and 1,736 shlokas (verses). [23] Debroy's translation of a critical edition of Virata Parva appears in Volume 4 of his series. [24]
Clay Sanskrit Library has published a 15-volume set of the Mahabharata that includes a translation of Virata Parva by Kathleen Garbutt. 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 CE. [25]
The entire parva has been "transcreated" and translated in verse by the poet Dr. Purushottama Lal published by Writers Workshop.
Pandava Pravesha Parva, Chapter 4:
A wise man should never contract friendship with the wife of the king nor with other attendants of his, nor with those whom he despises and who are hostile to him.
— Pandava Pravesha Parva, Virata Parva, Mahabharata Book iv.4.19 [27]
Pandava Pravesha Parva, Chapter 14:
Tell me, O lady, who is this bewitching girl of fine beauty, endued with the grace of a goddess, and whose she is and where she comes from. She has brought me to subjection by grinding my heart. I think there is no other medicine to heal me, except her.
— Kichaka lusting for Draupadi, Pandava Pravesha Parva, Virata Parva, Mahabharata Book iv.14.8 [28]
Kichaka-vadha Parva, Chapter 21:
That wicked-souled Kichaka is war like, proud, outrager of female modesty and engrossed in all objects of pleasure. He steals money from the king. He extorts money from others, even if they cry in woe; he never stays in paths of rectitude nor does he even feel inclined to virtue. He is wicked-souled, of sinful disposition, impudent, villaneous and afflicted by Cupid's shaft. Although I have repeatedly rejected him, he will, I am sure, outrage me, whenever he happens to see me.
— Draupadi explaining her case against Kichaka, Kichaka-badha Parva, Virata Parva, Mahabharata Book iv.21.36-39 [29]
Go-harana Parva, Chapter 38:
Uttara said: Let the Kurus take away the profuse riches of the Matsyas as they like; let men and women laugh at me, O Vrihannala. Let the kine go any where, let my city be desolate, let me fear my father, but I shall not enter into battle.
Vrihannala said: To fly is not the practice of the brave; death in battle is preferable to flight in fear.— Vrihannala (incognito Arjuna) and Prince Uttara fearful of war, Go-harana Parva, Virata Parva, Mahabharata Book iv.38.26-29 [30]
Virata Parva, also known as the “Book of Virata”, is the fourth of eighteen books of the Indian epic Mahabharata. [1] Virata Parva traditionally has 4 parts and 72 chapters. [2] [3] The critical edition of Virata Parva has 4 parts and 67 chapters. [4] [5]
It discusses the 13th year of exile which the Pandavas must spend incognito to avoid another 12 years of exile in the forest. They do so in the court of Virata. [2] They assume a variety of identities. Yudhishthira assumes the identity of game entertainer to the king and calls himself Kanka, Bhima of a cook Ballava, [6] Arjuna teaches dance and music as eunuch Brihannala and dresses as a woman, Nakula tends horses as Granthika, Sahadeva herds cows as Tantipala, and Draupadi in the name of Malini went as Sairandhri to queen Shudeshna. [1]
This is a controversial book in the Mahabharata. In the 2nd-century CE Spitzer Manuscript found in Kizil Caves, India, which includes a table of contents of the Mahabharata, there is no mention of the Virata Parva and Anushasana Parva. It could have been written as late as 18th century in India, as per many researchers. Bibek Debroy says, "The original epic by Vyasa is completely destroyed and not available anywhere on this planet, what we have now is only multiple versions and stories, some centralizes Yudhisthira and the other centralizes Karna's achievements and childhood of Krishna. [7] [8]
This book traditionally has 4 sub-parvas (parts or little books) and 72 adhyayas (sections, chapters). [2] [3] The following are the sub-parvas: [9]
Several translations of the Sanskrit book Virata Parva in English are available. Two translations from 19th century, now in public domain, are those by Kisari Mohan Ganguli [16] and Manmatha Nath Dutt. [3] The translations vary with each translator's interpretations.
J. A. B. van Buitenen completed an annotated edition of Virata Parva, based on critically edited and least corrupted version of Mahabharata known in 1975. [1] Debroy, in 2011, notes that updated critical edition of Virata Parva, with spurious and corrupted text removed, has 4 parts, 67 adhyayas (chapters) and 1,736 shlokas (verses). [23] Debroy's translation of a critical edition of Virata Parva appears in Volume 4 of his series. [24]
Clay Sanskrit Library has published a 15-volume set of the Mahabharata that includes a translation of Virata Parva by Kathleen Garbutt. 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 CE. [25]
The entire parva has been "transcreated" and translated in verse by the poet Dr. Purushottama Lal published by Writers Workshop.
Pandava Pravesha Parva, Chapter 4:
A wise man should never contract friendship with the wife of the king nor with other attendants of his, nor with those whom he despises and who are hostile to him.
— Pandava Pravesha Parva, Virata Parva, Mahabharata Book iv.4.19 [27]
Pandava Pravesha Parva, Chapter 14:
Tell me, O lady, who is this bewitching girl of fine beauty, endued with the grace of a goddess, and whose she is and where she comes from. She has brought me to subjection by grinding my heart. I think there is no other medicine to heal me, except her.
— Kichaka lusting for Draupadi, Pandava Pravesha Parva, Virata Parva, Mahabharata Book iv.14.8 [28]
Kichaka-vadha Parva, Chapter 21:
That wicked-souled Kichaka is war like, proud, outrager of female modesty and engrossed in all objects of pleasure. He steals money from the king. He extorts money from others, even if they cry in woe; he never stays in paths of rectitude nor does he even feel inclined to virtue. He is wicked-souled, of sinful disposition, impudent, villaneous and afflicted by Cupid's shaft. Although I have repeatedly rejected him, he will, I am sure, outrage me, whenever he happens to see me.
— Draupadi explaining her case against Kichaka, Kichaka-badha Parva, Virata Parva, Mahabharata Book iv.21.36-39 [29]
Go-harana Parva, Chapter 38:
Uttara said: Let the Kurus take away the profuse riches of the Matsyas as they like; let men and women laugh at me, O Vrihannala. Let the kine go any where, let my city be desolate, let me fear my father, but I shall not enter into battle.
Vrihannala said: To fly is not the practice of the brave; death in battle is preferable to flight in fear.— Vrihannala (incognito Arjuna) and Prince Uttara fearful of war, Go-harana Parva, Virata Parva, Mahabharata Book iv.38.26-29 [30]