Contents Acknowledgements Introduction Part I: The Text and the Story The Older Generation: The Birth of Pandu, Dhritarashtra, and Vidura The Birth of the Sons of Pandu and Kunti The Marriage of Draupadi Part II: The Last Books of the Mahabharata Book Fifteen (Ashramavasika, Living in the Ashram) and Book Eleven (Stri, The Women) Book Sixteen (Mausala, The Battle of the Clubs), Gandhari''s Curse, and Buddhist and Jain Variants Book Seventeen (Mahaprasthanika, The Great Departure) and Yudhishthira''s Dog Book Eighteen (Svargarohana, Climbing to Heaven) and the Transfer of Karma Part III: The Meaning of the End of the Story Death and Transfiguration Theodicy and the Cause of Devastating War Vengeful Pride as a Cause of War Part IV: An Apology for My Translation Criticizing the Critical Edition, and Leaving Key Words in Sanskrit The Problem of Adjectives and Epithets The Poet and his Formulas, or, Parry and Lord to the Rescue The Translation Book Fifteen, Ashramavasika Parvan, The Book of Living in the Ashram Chapters Twenty-Six to Forty-Seven Preface to Book Fifteen Part One: Living in the Ashram Chapter 26: Narada Arrives and Predicts Dhritarashtra''s Arrival in Heaven Chapter 27: Narada Predicts Dhritarashtra''s Worlds Chapter 28: The Pandavas Worry about Their Mother and Dhritarashtra Chapter 29: The Pandavas Set Out for the Forest Chapter 30: The Pandavas Enter the Forest with their Army Chapter 31: The Pandavas meet Kunti, Dhritarashtra, and Gandhari Chapter 32: Sanjaya, the Bard, Introduces the Pandavas to the Hermits Chapter 33: Vidura Enters the Body of Yudhishthira Chapter 34: Yudhishthira Distributes Gifts and Vyasa Arrives Chapter 35: Vyasa Explains Who Vidura Was and Offers to Perform a Miracle Part Two: The Vision of the Sons Chapter 36: Narada Arrives and Dhritarashtra Grieves Chapter 37: Gandhari Tells Vyasa of the Women''s Grief Chapter 38: Kunti Tells Vyasa How She Abandoned Karna Chapter 39: Vyasa Explains the Incarnation of the Gods as Warriors Chapter 40: The Dead Warriors Appear Out of the Ganges Chapter 41: The Returned Warriors Depart and Their Wives Enter the Ganges Chapter 44: The Pandavas Take Leave of Dhritarashtra, Gandhari, and Kunti Part Three: The Arrival of Narada Chapter 45: Narada Arrives and Tells Yudhishthira How Dhritarashtra, Gandhari, and Kunti Died Chapter 46: Yudhishthira Mourns for the Dead and Curses Kingship Chapter 47: Narada Explains the Fire and Yudhishthira Performs the Funerals Book Sixteen, Mausala Parvan, The Book of the Battle of the Clubs Preface to Book Sixteen Chapter 1: Yudhishthira Sees Omens and Learns about the Battle of the Clubs Chapter 2: The Sages Curse the Vrishnis and the Club Appears Chapter 3: Omens Appear and Krishna Proclaims a Pilgrimage Chapter 4: The Vrishnis Go on a Pilgrimage and a Fight Breaks Out Chapter 5: Krishna and Balarama Depart and Die Chapter 6: Arjuna Goes to Dvaraka Chapter 7: Arjuna Visits Vasudeva, Who Grieves and Vows to Die Chapter 8: Arjuna Leads the Vrishni Women Out of Dvaraka and Bandits Attack Chapter 9. Arjuna Visits Vyasa and Yudhishthira Book Seventeen, Mahaprasthanika Parvan, The Book of the Great Departure Preface to Book Seventeen Chapter 1. The Pandavas Install the Kings, Depart and Encounter Fire Chapter 2. Draupadi, Sahadeva, Nakula, Arjuna, and Bhima Fall Chapter 3. Yudhishthira Goes to Heaven, With a Dog Book Eighteen, Svargarohana Parvan, The Book of Climbing to Heaven Preface to Book Eighteen Chapter 1. Yudhishthira Reaches Heaven and Encounters Duryodhana Chapter 2. Yudhishthira Goes to Hell and Meets His Brothers and Draupadi Chapter 3. Yudhishthira Remains in Heaven and Bathes in the Heavenly Ganges Chapter 4.

Yudhishthira in Heaven Meets the Reborn Warriors from Both Sides Chapter 5. Everyone Becomes the Gods They Always Were Appendices Appendix One: Adjectives Applied to Several Characters Appendix Two: Names and Epithets of Central Characters Appendix Three: Minor Characters and Classes of Beings Appendix Four: The Earlier Lives of the Protagonists of the Last Books of the Mahabharata Appendix Five: Bibliography for Further Reading Appendix Six: Technical Textual Notes.