All Parvas
50 Story Arcs
Each arc is a chapter of the epic built around a dramatic question. Browse in book order to follow the narrative, or by significance to start with the most consequential arcs.
Ruru's Quest to Revive Pramadvara
Can Ruru save his beloved Pramadvara from death by snake-bite?
The Birth of Astika to Save the Serpents
Can the ascetic Jaratkaru be persuaded to father a son who will save the serpent race?
The Rivalry of Kadru and Vinata and the Birth of Garuda
How will the rivalry between the sisters Kadru and Vinata shape the fate of their offspring?
Garuda's Quest to Free His Mother
Can Garuda successfully obtain the amrita to free his mother Vinata from slavery?
The Snakes' Plan to Avert Annihilation
How will the snakes, cursed by their mother Kadru, attempt to avert their prophesied destruction in Janamejaya's sacrifice?
The Curse on Parikshit and the Genesis of the Snake Sacrifice
How does the curse on King Parikshit by Shringi set in motion the events leading to Janamejaya's Snake Sacrifice?
The Birth of Astika to Save the Snakes
Can the sage Jaratkaru beget a son to save his serpent ancestors from destruction?
The Death of Parikshit and Janamejaya's Vengeance
Will King Janamejaya succeed in avenging his father Parikshit's death by snake-bite?
Astika's Intervention at the Snake-Sacrifice
Can Astika stop Janamejaya's snake-sacrifice and save his serpent kin, including Takshaka?
The Commissioning of the Mahabharata Recital
How does Janamejaya come to hear the full story of his ancestors, the Mahabharata?
The Redemption of Shakuntala
Can a king's forgotten gandharva wife and her son claim their rightful place at court?
The Curse of Yayati
Can a king escape the consequences of breaking a marital vow?
The Fall and Redemption of Yayati
Can a fallen king regain heaven through the merit of his descendants?
The Curse of the Vasus and the Birth of Bhishma
How will the cursed Vasus be born and fulfill their destiny on earth?
Bhishma's Vow and the Kuru Succession Crisis
How will the Kuru lineage survive after Bhishma's vow of celibacy?
The Secret Birth and Rise of Karna
Can a child born from a divine boon and abandoned at birth overcome his origins to become a great warrior?
Pandu's Curse and Forest Exile
How will a king, cursed to die if he engages in intercourse, secure an heir and fulfill his royal duty?
The Divine Birth of the Pandavas
Will the divine births secured through Kunti's mantra produce the heirs needed to restore the Kuru lineage?
The Death of Pandu and Return of the Heirs
What becomes of the Pandavas after their father's tragic death?
The Origins of the Kuru Preceptors
How do Kripa and Drona, the future teachers of the Kuru princes, come to be?
Drona's Humiliation and Revenge
Will Drona succeed in avenging his public humiliation by King Drupada?
The Arena Tournament and the Birth of a Rivalry
How will the public display of the princes' skills redefine the political and personal rivalries in Hastinapura?
The House of Lac and the Great Escape
Will the Pandavas survive Duryodhana's plot to kill them in the house of lac?
Bhima and the Rakshasa Hidimba
Will Bhima protect his family from the man-eating rakshasa Hidimba?
The Union of Bhima and Hidimba
Can a rakshasi's love for a Pandava be accepted and lead to a legitimate union?
Bhima's Slaying of Bakasura
Can the Pandavas, while in hiding, protect a village from a rakshasa without revealing their identity?
The Feud of Drona and Drupada
Will Drona achieve revenge against his childhood friend who scorned him?
The Pandavas' Journey to Panchala and Prophecy
Will the exiled Pandavas successfully reach Panchala and fulfill the prophecy of Draupadi's marriage?
The Union of Samvarana and Tapati
Can a king overcome divine and natural obstacles to win a celestial bride?
The Feud of Vashishtha and Vishvamitra
What is the origin and consequence of the bitter rivalry between the sages Vashishtha and Vishvamitra?
The Curse and Redemption of King Kalmashapada
Can a king, cursed to become a man-eating rakshasa, be purified and secure an heir?
Ourva's Vengeance and the Contained Fire
Can the sage Ourva's destructive wrath, born from the massacre of his ancestors, be prevented from annihilating the world?
The Pandavas' Disguised Victory at Draupadi's Svayamvara
Can the exiled Pandavas, disguised as Brahmins, win the princess Draupadi and secure a powerful alliance?
The Marriage of Draupadi and the Pandavas' Return to Status
Will the Pandavas, living in disguise, secure the alliance of Panchala and be publicly restored to their royal standing?
Narada's Warning and the Tale of Sunda-Upasunda
How can the Pandavas, now sharing one wife, avoid the destructive discord that felled even powerful demons?
Narada's Warning Against Discord
Can the Pandavas heed Narada's warning and avoid the destructive discord that Sunda and Upasunda fell into?
Arjuna's Exile and Marital Journeys
How will Arjuna navigate his twelve-year exile, upholding dharma and securing alliances through marriage?
The Burning of the Khandava Forest
Can Krishna and Arjuna successfully aid Agni in consuming the Khandava forest against divine opposition?
The Survival of Mandapala's Family in the Khandava Fire
Will Mandapala's family survive the Khandava forest fire, and can he reconcile with them after his neglect?
The Construction of the Maya Sabha
Will the Pandavas, with Maya's help, build a hall worthy of a great king?
Narada's Counsel and the Rajasuya Ambition
Will Yudhishthira, inspired by divine examples, undertake the Rajasuya sacrifice?
The Jarasandha Expedition
Can Krishna and the Pandavas overcome the mighty Jarasandha to clear the path for the Rajasuya?
The Slaying of Jarasandha
Can Krishna and the Pandavas eliminate the tyrannical Jarasandha to enable the Rajasuya?
The Pandava Digvijaya (Conquest of the Quarters)
Can the Pandava brothers successfully subdue the known world to gather tribute for the Rajasuya?
The Insult and Slaying of Shishupala
Will Shishupala's relentless public dishonoring of Krishna at the Rajasuya lead to his destruction?
The Envy That Leads to the Dice
Will Duryodhana's burning envy and humiliation at Indraprastha lead him to destroy the Pandavas?
The Fateful Dice Game
Will Yudhishthira's adherence to kshatriya duty lead to his complete ruin in the rigged dice game?
The Humiliation of Draupadi in the Kuru Assembly
Will Draupadi be enslaved and disgraced after Yudhishthira's loss at dice?
The Final Gamble and Exile of the Pandavas
Will the Pandavas be sent into exile by a final, rigged dice game?
The Aftermath of Exile and Prophecies of Doom
How do the Kurus react to the Pandavas' departure, and what fate is foretold?