Upākhyānās
An Upākhyāna is a story told inside a larger story. In the Itihāsas and Purāṇas, a character often pauses to tell an older tale that answers a question, settles a doubt or gives comfort. That smaller tale is called an upākhyāna. The main story is called the ākhyāna.
Meaning of the word
The word is made of two parts. Upa means “near” or “secondary,” and ākhyāna means “a telling” or “a tale.” So an upākhyāna is a tale that stands beside the main one.
Key features of an Upākhyāna
- A story within a story: it is told by one character to another, in the course of the main narrative.
- It answers a need: it is told in reply to a question, a doubt or a sorrow of the listener.
- It teaches: it shows a point of dharma, duty or philosophy through the life of a person.
- It is complete: it can be read and understood by itself, apart from the main story.
Well-known Upākhyānas
The Mahābhārata contains dozens of upākhyānas. Among the best known are the Nalopākhyāna, the story of King Nala and Damayantī; the Sāvitrī Upākhyāna, in which Sāvitrī wins back the life of her husband Satyavān from Yama; the Śakuntalā Upākhyāna; and the Rāmopākhyāna, a short telling of the story of Śrī Rāma. Several of these are told to Yudhishṭhira in the forest, to comfort him in his own loss.
The Purāṇas have them too. The Madālasā Upākhyāna of the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa tells of Queen Madālasā, who taught her sons the knowledge of the Self from the cradle.
On this website
Each upākhyāna on this site has its own page, with where it is told, who tells it and what it teaches.
