Udyoga Parva

Duryodhana insults Krishna in the court of Hastinapura, a scene from the Udyoga Parva painted by Raja Ravi Varma

The Udyoga Parva (Sanskrit: उद्योग पर्वः), or the Book of Effort, is the fifth of eighteen books of the Indian epic Mahābhārata.[1] Udyoga Parva traditionally has 10 parts and 199 chapters.[2][3] The critical edition of Sabha Parva has 12 parts and 197 chapters.[4][5]

Udyoga Parva describes the period immediately after the exile of Pandavas had ended. The Pandavas return, demand their half of the kingdom. The Kauravas refuse.[1] The book includes the effort for peace that fails, followed by the effort to prepare for the great war—the Kurukshetra War.[6]

Vidura Niti, a theory of leadership as propounded by Vidura, is embedded in Udyoga Parva (Chapters 33–40).[7] The Sanatsujatiya, a text commented upon by Adi Shankara, is contained within the Udyoga Parva (Chapters 41–46).[8]

  1. ^ a b van Buitenen, J.A.B. (1978) The Mahabharata: Book 4: The Book of the Virata; Book 5: The Book of the Effort. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press
  2. ^ Ganguli, K. M. (1883–1896) "Udyoga Parva" in The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (12 Volumes). Calcutta
  3. ^ Dutt, M.N. (1896) The Mahabharata (Volume 5): Udyoga Parva. Calcutta: Elysium Press
  4. ^ van Buitenen, J.A.B. (1973) The Mahabharata: Book 1: The Book of the Beginning. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, p 476
  5. ^ Debroy, B. (2010) The Mahabharata, Volume 1. Gurgaon: Penguin Books India, pp. xxiii–xxvi
  6. ^ Rosen, Steven (2006). Essential Hinduism. London: Praeger Publishers. p. 89. ISBN 0-275-99006-0.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference sr was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference kttmm was invoked but never defined (see the help page).