The Shalya Parva ( sa, शल्य पर्व), or ''the Book of Shalya,'' is the ninth of eighteen books of the Indian epic ''
Mahabharata''. Shalya Parva traditionally has 4 parts and 65 chapters.
[Ganguli, K.M. (1883-1896)]
Shalya Parva
in ''The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa'' (12 Volumes). Calcutta[Dutt, M.N. (1901) ''The Mahabharata (Volume 9): Shalya Parva''. Calcutta: Elysium Press] The critical edition of Shalya Parva has 4 parts and 64 chapters.
Shalya Parva describes the appointment of
Shalya as the fourth commander-in-chief of the Kaurava alliance, on the 18th day of the
Kurukshetra War
The Kurukshetra War ( sa, कुरुक्षेत्र युद्ध ), also called the Mahabharata War, is a war described in the ''Mahabharata ( sa, महाभारत )''. The conflict arose from a dynastic succession struggle be ...
.
[ The parva recites Salya's death, how ]Duryodhana
Duryodhana ( sa, दुर्योधन, ) also known as Suyodhana, is the primary antagonist in the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata.'' He was the eldest of the Kauravas, the hundred sons of the blind king Dhritarashtra and his queen Gandhari. Being ...
becomes mortally wounded and out of the entire Kaurava army, only 3 survive. Shalya parva also describes how Pandavas and Krishna are victorious in the war, but lament the enormous toll of the 18-day war on human lives on both sides. The book mentions the anger and hatred among survivors on the Kauravas side, particularly Duryodhana
Duryodhana ( sa, दुर्योधन, ) also known as Suyodhana, is the primary antagonist in the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata.'' He was the eldest of the Kauravas, the hundred sons of the blind king Dhritarashtra and his queen Gandhari. Being ...
, Aswatthama, Kritavarman and Kripa
Kripa ( sa, कृप, Kṛpa, pity), also known as Kripacharya ( sa, कृपाचार्य, Kṛpācārya, Kripa the master), is a figure in Hindu mythology. According to the epic ''Mahabharata'', he was a council member of Kuru Kingdo ...
.[John Murdoch (1898) ''The Mahabharata - An English Abridgment''. London: Christian Literature Society for India, pp 96-101]
Structure and chapters
This '' Parva'' (book) traditionally has 4 sub-parvas (parts or little books) and 65 adhyayas (sections, chapters).[ The following are the sub-parvas:
: 1. Shalya-vadha Parva (Chapters: 1–22)
: 2. Shalya Parva (Chapters: 23–27)
: 3. Hrada-praveca Parva (Chapters: 28–29)
: 4. Gadayuddha Parva (Chapters: 30–65)
After three commander-in-chiefs of Kauravas army slain, Shalya is appointed the leader. He too is killed, as is ]Shakuni
Shakuni ( sa, शकुनि, , ) plays a key role in the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. He is one of the main antagonists of the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. He was the prince of the kingdom of Gandhara when introduced, later becoming its king a ...
. Millions more soldiers die on the last day of war. Duryodhana
Duryodhana ( sa, दुर्योधन, ) also known as Suyodhana, is the primary antagonist in the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata.'' He was the eldest of the Kauravas, the hundred sons of the blind king Dhritarashtra and his queen Gandhari. Being ...
in anguish leaves the battlefield, and goes to a lake. Bhima
In Hindu epic Mahabharata, Bhima ( sa, भीम, ) is the second among the five Pandavas. The ''Mahabharata'' relates many events that portray the might of Bhima. Bhima was born when Vayu, the wind god, granted a son to Kunti and Pandu. Af ...
meets him there, challenges him to a battle. Bhima mortally wounds Duryodhana
Duryodhana ( sa, दुर्योधन, ) also known as Suyodhana, is the primary antagonist in the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata.'' He was the eldest of the Kauravas, the hundred sons of the blind king Dhritarashtra and his queen Gandhari. Being ...
by crushing his thighs and later, Duryodhana dies.
Out of 11 Akshauhinis of the Kauravas, only survivors are mortally injured Duryodhana along with Aswatthama, Kritavarman and Kripa.[Bibek Debroy (2013), The Mahabharata, Volume 7, Penguin, , Section 74 - Shalya Parva] From Pandavas army, all five brothers, Krishna, 2000 chariots, 700 elephants, 5,000 horsemen and 10,000 foot soldiers survive. Shalya parva describes the war as over with a heavy toll on human lives, Pandavas are victorious, yet a desire for revenge is brewing in Duryodhana, Aswatthama, Kritavarman and Kripa.[
]
English translations
Shalya Parva was composed in Sanskrit. Several translations of the book in English are available. Two translations from 19th century, now in public domain, are those by Kisari Mohan Ganguli[ and Manmatha Nath Dutt.][ The translations vary with each translator's interpretations.
Clay Sanskrit Library has published a 15 volume set of the Mahabharata which includes Shalya Parva. This translation is modern, by multiple authors and uses an old manuscript of the epic. The translation does not remove verses and chapters now widely believed to be spurious and smuggled into the epic in 1st or 2nd millennium AD.
Debroy, in 2011, notes that updated critical edition of Shalya Parva, after removing verses and chapters generally accepted so far as spurious and inserted into the original, has 4 parts, 64 adhyayas (chapters) and 3,541 shlokas (verses).][Bibek Debroy, The Mahabharata : Volume 3, , Penguin Books, page xxiii - xxiv of Introduction] Debroy has published a translated version of the critical edition of Shalya Parva in Volume 7 of his series.
Quotes and teachings
Shalya-vadha Parva, Chapter 1:
Gadayuddha Parva, Chapter 32:
Gadayuddha Parva, Chapter 60:
See also
* Previous book of Mahabharata: Karna Parva
* Next book of Mahabharata: Sauptika Parva
References
External links
Translation
by Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Kisari Mohan Ganguli (also K. M. Ganguli) was an Indian translator known for being the first to provide a complete translation of the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata in English. His translation was published as ''The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vy ...
.
Shalya Parva
Translation by Manmatha Nath Dutt
Le Mahabharata
Translation in French, by H. Fauche (Paris, 1868)
Shalya Parva in Sanskrit
by Vyasadeva and commentary by Nilakantha (Editor: Kinjawadekar, 1929)
{{Mahabharata
Parvas in the Mahabharata
Kurukshetra War