The Mahabharata has two kinds of classifications: a 100-parva classification* and an 18-prava classification

I. ādi parva • 19 sections • 7,205 shlokas

1. anukramanīka parva

210 Shlokas • This parva is a later addition that acts as an index for the epic itself, summarising the main events

2. parvasamgraha parva

243 Shlokas • This is another parva which was added later that describes the epic in the 18 parva and 100 sub parva classifications

3. poushya parva

195 Shlokas • Mostly in prose, this sets up the story behind janamējaya’s snake sacrifice

4. pouloma parva

153 Shlokas • Talking about the lineage of the great sage bhrigu. His wife was puloma making all their descendants poulomas

5. āstīka parva

1,025 Shlokas • About janamējaya’s snake sacrifice, the setting in which the mahābhārata story is told. Named after the sage āstika who saved most of the snakes from the sacrifice

6. ādi-vamshāvatarana parva

257 Shlokas • Talks about incarnations of gods and demons and the story of uparichara vasu and the birth of veda vyāsa

7. sambhava parva

2,394 Shlokas • sambhava means origin. This parva is about the origins of the core story of the epic. It starts with stories of different ancestors of the kurus and ends with the completion of the pāndavas and kouravas education

8. jatugriha-dāha parva

373 Shlokas • This parva is about the burning down of the house of lac

9. hidimba-vadha parva

169 Shlokas • Killing of the demon hidimba

10. baka-vadha parva

206 Shlokas • Killing of the demon baka

11. chaitraratha parva

557 Shlokas • About the stories of the gandharva chaitraratha

12. droupadī-svayamvara parva

263 Shlokas • This parva goes through the events of droupadī’s swayamvara competition

13. vaivāhika parva

155 Shlokas • This covers droupadī’s marriage to all the pāndavas

14. vidurāgamana parva

174 Shlokas • This talks about vidura’s arrival to panchāla after the wedding

15. rājya-lābha parva

50 Shlokas • This short parva is about the acquisition of the kingdom indraprastha

16. arjuna-vanavāsa parva

298 Shlokas • This is about arjuna’s exile to the forest, the reason for it and the things he did while on exile

17. subhadrā-harana parva

57 Shlokas • The abduction of subhadrā

18. harana hārika parva

82 Shlokas • The marriage of subhadrā and the giving of gifts

19. khāndava-dāha parva

322 Shlokas • krishna and arjuna burn down the khāndava forest

II. sabhā parva • 9 sections • 2,387 shlokas

20. sabhā parva

429 Shlokas • sabhā means assembly. This parva takes place in yudhishthira’s assembly and they talk about different assemblies.

21. mantra parva

222 Shlokas • In this context, mantra means ‘process of consultation’. Where yudhishthira consults people about the rājasūya yajna.

22. jarāsandha-vadha parva

195 Shlokas • The killing of jarāsandha

23. digvijaya parva

191 Shlokas • The victory conquest of the pāndavas in all directions

24. rājasūya parva

97 Shlokas • The rājasūya yagna: a royal sacrifice

25. arghābhiharana parva

99 Shlokas • The offering of respect and gifts, and the dispute that followed it

26. shishupāla-vadha parva

191 Shlokas • The killing of shishupāla

27. dyūta parva

734 Shlokas • The game of dice

28. anudyūta parva

232 Shlokas • The aftermath of the game of dice

III. āranyaka parva • 16 sections • 10,239 shlokas

29. āranyaka parva

327 shlokas • This parva is about the pāndavas’ sojourn in the forest. The word vana also means forest and this parva is also sometimes called vana parva

30. kirmīra-vadha parva

75 shlokas • The killing of kirmīra- who was Baka’s brother- by bhīma

31. kairāta parva

1,158 shlokas • shiva disguises himself as a mountain dweller and challenges a meditating arjuna to a fight

32. indralokābhigamana parva

1,157 shlokas • arjuna visits indra’s world

33. tīrtha-yātrā parva

2,422 shlokas • This parva talks about the journey across many pilgrimage destinations and includes many stories of sages, gods and heroes.

34. jatāsura-vadha parva

61 shlokas • yudhishthira, nakula and sahadeva get abducted by a demon jatāsura. bhīma saves them and kills the demon

37. mārkandeya-samāsyā parva

1,656 shlokas • The pāndavas and sage mārkandeya have a long conversation where the sage teaches them about the yugas, kings and stories of gods

38. droupadī-satyabhāmā-samvāda parva

88 shlokas • droupadī and satyabhāmā have a conversation with each other about what makes a good wife

39. ghosha yātrā parva

519 shlokas • kouravas are captured by gandharvas while on an expedition to check on their cows. The pāndavas save the kouravas

40. mriga-svapna-bhaya parva

16 shlokas • A deer appears in yudhishthira’s dreams telling him about their greatest fears

41. vrīhi-drounika parva

117 shlokas • The story of mudgala who lived his life on one vessel of rice per day

42. droupadī-harana parva

1,247 shlokas • The abduction of droupadī by jayadhratha, his defeat and the story of the rāmāyana

43. kundala-aharana parva

294 shlokas • karna’s earrings and armour are taken from him by indra

44. āraneya parva

191 shlokas • yudhishthira answers the questions of a lake yaksha that killed his brothers bringing his brothers back to life as a reward

IV. vairāta parva • 4 sections • 1,736 shlokas

45. vairāta parva

282 shlokas • The pāndavas arrive at virāta in their disguises where they spend the 13th year of their exile

46. kīchaka-vadha parva

353 shlokas • kīchaka was the general of the virāta army and the brother of the queen. He lusts after droupadī and is killed by bhīma for it

47. gou-grahana parva

1,009 shlokas • kouravas attack virāta subsequent to the death of kīchaka. While most of the army fights them other kuru princes seize their cows. arjuna and virāta prince uttara fight them off

48. vaivāhika parva

179 shlokas • pāndavas exile period is over and they reveal themselves. arjuna’s son abhimanyu marries king virāta’s daughter uttarā

V. udyoga parva • 12 sections • 6,001 shlokas

49. udyoga parva

575 shlokas • The preparations for war begin. Both arjuna and duryodhana go to krishna for help

50. sanjaya-yāna parva

311 shlokas • sanjaya is sent as a messenger to the pāndavas. yudhishthira asks for 5 villages

51. prajāgara parva

541 shlokas • dhritharāshtra lays unable to sleep at night as he awaits yudhishthira’s response

52. sanatsujāta parva

121 shlokas • dhritharāshtra asks sage sanatsujāta about death and immortality

53. yāna-sandhi parva

726 shlokas • yāna means journey and sandhi means peace. This parva is about the journey for peace taken by both sanjaya and krishna

54. bhagavat-yāna parva

2,055 shlokas • krishna attempts to negotiate for peace and prevent the war

55. karna-upanivāda parva

351 shlokas • krishna and kuntī both separately reveal to karna the truth of his birth and attempt to get him to the side of the pāndavas

56. abhiniryāna parva

169 shlokas • Both armies march out to Kurukshetra

57. bhīshma-abhishechana parva

122 shlokas • Declaration of bhīshma as the commander of the kourava army

58. ulūka-yāna parva

101 shlokas • duryodhana sends ulūka the son of shakuni to negotiate with the pāndavas

59. ratha-atiratha-samkhya parva

231 shlokas • The counts of the ranks of warriors in each army and the number of soldiers in each rank

60. ambā-upākhyāna parva

755 shlokas • The story of ambā and her rebirth as shikhandi

VI. bhīshma parva • 4 sections • 5,381 shlokas

61. jambūkhanda-vinirmāna parva

378 shlokas • This parva is about the geography of jambūkhanda also known as jambūdvīpa

62. bhūmi parva

87 shlokas • This parva describes the earth

63. bhagavad gītā parva

994 shlokas • This parva contains the conversation between arjuna and krishna that is popularly known as the bhagavad gītā

64. bhīshma vadha parva

3,947 shlokas • This parva describes all the first ten days of the battle in detail and ends with the fall of bhīshma

VII. drona parva • 8 sections • 8,069 shlokas

65. dronābhisheka parva

634 shlokas • In this parva, drona is made the commander of the kourava army and the 11th day of the war is described

66. samshāptaka vadha parva

717 shlokas • samshaptakas are warriors who have taken an oath. These warriors take an oath to either kill arjuna or to die. It also describes the 12th day of the war

67. abhimanyu-vadha parva

643 shlokas • This parva covers the 13th day of the war. The formation of the chakravyūha and the death of abhimanyu

68. pratijnā parva

365 shlokas • arjuna takes a vow to kill jayadratha before the following sunset or die if he fails

69. jayadratha-vadha parva

2,914 shlokas • The description of the 14th day of the war which revolved around the killing of jayadratha

70. ghatotkacha-vadha parva

1,642 shlokas • After the killing of jayadratha, the battle continued into the night where the son of bhīma, ghatotkacha, was more powerful as a rākshasa. He had to be killed by karna

71. drona-vadha parva

692 shlokas • The 15th day of war and the killing of drona

72. nārāyana astra moksha parva

538 shlokas • drona’s son ashvathāmā is furious at the death of his father and releases the nārāyana astra on the pāndava army. The army is only saved because they heeded krishna’s advice to lay down their weapons so the astra wouldn’t harm them

VIII. karna parva • 1 section • 3,870 shlokas

73. karna vadha parva

3,870 shlokas • After drona’s death, karna is made the kourava commander. He was the commander for the 16th and 17th day of the war. The 17th day is the day that bhīma kills dushasana and drinks his blood and finally, arjuna kills karna

IX. shālya parva • 4 sections • 3,315 shlokas

74. shalya-vadha parva

844 shlokas • shalya is appointed as the next kourava commander. He was commander for only the 18th day. He was killed by yudhishthira

75. hrada-pravesha parva

664 shlokas • bhīma kills the rest of duryodhana’s brothers. sahadeva kills shakuni and duryodhana hides in a lake

76. tīrtha yātrā parva

1,261 shlokas • duryodhana is found. bhīma and duryodhana prepare to fight. balarāma returns from his pilgrimage. His pilgrimage is also described

77. gadā yuddha parva

546 shlokas • The club fight between bhīma and duryodhana culminating in bhīma illegally breaking duryodhana’s thigh

X. souptika parva • 2 sections • 771 shlokas

78. souptika parva

515 shlokas • On the 18th night, ashvathāmā kills all the surviving pāndava soldiers including all of droupadī’s children and brothers. duryodhana is informed of this and then dies

79. aishīka parva

257 shlokas • The pāndavas pursue ashvathāmā in revenge. Both ashvathāmā and arjuna release their bramhastras. arjuna withdraws his but ashvathāmā redirects his to the wombs of pāndava women. krishna saves parīkshit in uttarā’s womb

XI. strī parva • 4 sections • 713 shlokas

80. vishoka parva

194 shlokas • vishoka means end of sorrow. It is about vidurā’s attempt to dispel dhritarashtra’s sorrow

81. strī parva

468 shlokas • The women mourn. dhritharashtra attempts to kill bhīma. gāndhāri curses krishna

82. shrāddha parva

44 shlokas • Funerals are performed

83. jala-pradānika parva

24 shlokas • After the cremation, this parva is named after the observation of water-rites and the offering of water to the dead warriors. kuntī also tells the pāndavas that karna was their elder brother.

XII. shānti parva • 3 sections • 13,006 shlokas

84. rāja-dharma parva

4,506 shlokas • yudhishthira mourns karna being kuntī’s son. He wishes to abandon the throne but is dissuaded. He learns the dharma of a king from bhīshma

85. āpad dharma parva

1,560 shlokas • bhīshma teaches yudhishthira about the dharma that is followed in times of calamity

86. moksha dharma parva

6,935 shlokas • moksha means liberation. Liberation from the cycle of life and death, of dharma, artha and kama. This parva is about the attainment of moksha

XIII. anushāsana parva • 2 sections • 6,493 shlokas

87. dāna dharma parva

6,409 shlokas • The instruction bhīshma is giving yudhishthira continues as he teaches about the dharma to be followed while giving charity

88. bhīshma-svargārohana parva

84 shlokas • This parva is about bhīshma’s death and ascent to heaven

XIV. ashvamedhika parva • 1 section • 2,743 shlokas

89. ashvamedhika parva

2,743 shlokas • This parva is about the ashvamedha yagna- the horse sacrifice. The preparations for the yagna and the yagna itself. parīkshit is born. arjuna meets his son babruvāhana. A mongoose visits the celebrations.

XV. āshramavāsika parva • 3 sections • 1,061 shlokas

90. āshramavāsa parva

737 shlokas • dhritarashtra, gāndhāri, sanjaya, vidurā and kuntī leave for the forest to spend the last days of their lives in meditation. vidurā dies and merges into yudhishthira.

91. putra darshana parva

234 shlokas • yudhishthira wishes to stay in the forest with the elders. vyāsa uses his divine vision to show the deaths of the sons of the kuru family and explains the importance of yudhishthira’s return to hastinapura. He then returns

92. nāradāgamana parva

91 shlokas • nāradā arrives in hastināpura to inform the pāndavas of the death of the elders

XVI. mousala parva • 1 section • 273 shlokas

93. mousala parva

273 shlokas • The yādavas kill each other in accordance to an old curse. krishna and balarāma give up their lives. arjuna loses his powers.

XVII. mahāprasthānika parva • 1 section • 106 shlokas

94. mahāprasthānika parva

106 shlokas • This parva describes the great journey the pāndavas and droupadī take into the after-life. There is a loyal dog that follows them all the way.

XVIII. svargārohana parva • 1 section • 194 shlokas

95. svargārohana parva

194 shlokas • yudhishthira reaches heaven with his human body. He is tested by being shown hell before being allowed to go to heaven. The dog was his father yama all along.

XIX. harivamsha • 3 sections • 6053 shlokas

(harivamsha is sometimes referred to as the 19th parva. It is an appendix to the Mahabharata. Some stories about krishna, which are not part of the Mahabharata, are to be found here.)

96. harivamsha-parva

2,442 shlokas • The stories of vishnu and his many avatāras

97. vishnu parva

3,426 shlokas • The story of the life of krishna

98. bhavishya parva

205 shlokas • The narration finally returns to janamejaya and vaishampāyana. The snake sacrifice is stopped and the importance of the story of his ancestors is understood by janamejaya

* Note: It's called a 100-parva classification, but it really contains 95 parvas if we count only Mahabharata. Even after counting Harivamsha, it still reaches 98 parvas.

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