Mahāprasthānika Parva

The Mahāprasthānika Parva, also written Mahā Prasthānika Parva, is the seventeenth of the eighteen books (parvas) of the Mahābhārata, with three chapters. It tells of the great departure (mahāprasthāna) of the five Pāṇḍavas and Draupadī after they learned of the destruction of the Vṛshṇis and the return of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa to the divine world.

It tells how Yudhishṭhira settled the kingdom on Parīkshit and Vajra; of the renunciation and the journey north; of the meeting with Agni and the return of the bow Gāṇḍīva to Varuṇa; of the falls, one after another, of Draupadī and the four younger brothers, with the fault that caused each; and of the great testing of Yudhishṭhira through a devoted dog who proves to be Dharma. Vaiśampāyana tells the narrative to King Janamejaya, and it runs straight on into the Svargārohaṇa Parva.

Place in the Mahābhārata

The Mahāprasthānika Parva is the seventeenth parva of the Mahābhārata. It follows the Mausala Parva’s account of the ruin of the Yādavas and comes before the closing Svargārohaṇa Parva. Its name comes from mahāprasthāna, the “great departure”: the laying down of the body, in keeping with dharma, once all worldly duties are complete. It closes the earthly history of the Kuru heroes. Through their example it teaches that for those whose duties are done and whose griefs are past bearing, renunciation and the great journey are the fitting course (chapter 1).

The narrative, chapter by chapter

Chapter 1: The resolve to depart. Hearing of the destruction of the Vṛshṇis and of Kṛshṇa’s return to the divine world, Yudhishṭhira resolves to renounce the world and accepts the noose of Kāla (Time). His brothers agree. He sets Yuyutsu over the administration, consecrates Parīkshit at Hastināpura and Vajra at Indraprastha, and charges Subhadrā to guard them. He performs the rites for the slain kinsmen, honours the great ṛshis with gifts, and entrusts Parīkshit to Kṛpācārya. The six put on garments of bark, cast their sacred fires into the waters and set out eastward, fasting. Ulūpī enters the Gaṅgā and Citrāṅgadā returns to Maṇipūra. On the shore of the sea Lauhitya, Agni appears and has Arjuna give Gāṇḍīva and the two quivers back to Varuṇa.

Chapter 2: The falls of Draupadī and the brothers. Turning north, the travellers cross Himavat and see a sea of sand and the mountain Meru. One by one they fall to the earth as their yoga slackens: Draupadī for her partiality to Arjuna, Sahadeva for pride in his wisdom, Nakula for pride in his beauty, Arjuna for pride in his valour and a broken vow, and Bhīma for gluttony and disregard of others. Yudhishṭhira names each fault and presses on without turning back, followed only by the dog.

Chapter 3: Yudhishṭhira’s ascent. Indra comes down with his chariot but bids Yudhishṭhira leave the dog behind, for dogs have no place in svarga (heaven). Yudhishṭhira refuses. To forsake a devoted being, he holds, is equal to the four great pāpas (sins), and he will not enter svarga at that price. The dog reveals himself as Dharma, who praises the king, recalls his earlier test at Dvaitavana, and grants him the highest goal in his own body. As the devas bear him upward and Nārada proclaims his matchless glory, Yudhishṭhira still longs only to reach the place where his brothers and Draupadī have gone. That longing is answered in the parva that follows.

Chapters

The Mahā Prasthānika Parva, the seventeenth parva of the Mahābhārata, tells of the great departure of the Pāṇḍavas in three chapters.

Sources

• Mahābhārata, Mahā Prasthānika Parva, chapters 1–3