Ashramavasika Parva

Kunti leading Dhritarashtra and Gandhari as they head to Sannyasa

Ashramvasik Parva (book) traditionally has 3 sub-parvas (sub-books or little books) and 39 adhyayas (sections, chapters).[1] The sub-parvas are:

1. Asramavasa Parva

This sub-book describes the 15 years of prosperous rule by Yudhishthira, followed by the departure of Kunti, Dhritarashtra and Gandhari to Vyasa's hermitage for sannyasa.

It also mentions Vidura and his death.

2. Putradarsana Parva

This sub-book recites the visit of Pandavas to meet Kunti, Dhritarashtra and Gandhari at the hermitage. In the forest on the request of Gandhari, Kunti & other women, sage Vyasa with his powers, resurrect the dead warriors of Kurukshetra war for one night.

3. Naradagamana Parva

This sub-book describes the death of Kunti, Dhritarashtra and Gandhari. Narada visits to console those in grief. Yudhishthira performs cremation rites for all of them.

The parva describes the 15 year rule by Pandavas with Yudhishthira as the king. The Dhritarashtra who was deprived of all his children, might not feel unhappy in any matter, was Yudhishthira command to his brothers. They all used to show obedience to the old king. There was one exception, however, the wicked deeds of Dhritarashtra from the match of dice, did not disappear from the heart of Bhima. Vrikodara secretly did many acts that were disagreeble to the old king & through deceitful servitors caused the commands of his uncle disobeyed. The wrathful Vrikodara, recollecting his foes, one day secretly, mocked him with harsh words reminding him how he dispatched all his mighty sons to the other worlds. Hearing these words, king Dhritarashtra gave way to cheerlessness and sorrow. After 15 years of peaceful co-existence, Dhritarashtra and his wife asks king permission for sannyasa (renunciation of domestic life for moksha). Yudhishthira first disagrees but with Vyasa words agrees. Before leaving Dhritarashtra dispatched Vidura to king, asking for some wealth to perform sraddha for his deceased Kurus. Both Yudhishthira and Arjuna became glad at these words. Bhima, however, did not accept it for giving away his wealth to his foes. Yudhishthira rebuked him and told him to be silent. Arjuna lectures Bhima. After performing Sraddha, they leave the kingdom, and head into the forest to Vyasa's hermitage. Yudhishthira attempts to dissuade them, but they insist on completing their fourth period of ashrama life. Kunti, Sanjaya and Vidura join them in the hermitage. After a year Pandavas with their troops goes to meet with them. Yudhishthira meets with them and asks for Vidura well being. Yudhishthira goes further distance to see Vidura, doing austere penances, naked, his body besmeared with filth and dust. Without taking food for much time his arteries & nerves were visible. King Yudhishthira pursues him and he ran away deeper into the forest. After reaching a solitary spot in the forest, he stood still, leaning against a tree. Yudhishthira addresses him but Vidura casting his gaze on the king stood still. Then an energy escaped from Vidura's body and entered into the king's body. The king saw that life had fled out of Vidura body. At the same time, he felt he had become stronger than before and had acquired many additional virtues and accomplishments. Yudhishthira tries to cremate his body but an invisible voice stops him from doing so. On returning, he represented everything to others, filling them with wonder. Later Vyasa comes and tells him about Vidura, being the deity of righteousness born in the mortal world through curse of Mandavya. He tells him that he that is Dharma is Vidura; and that is Vidura is the eldest son of Pandu.

In next parva, Vyasa understanding the sorrow of Dhritarashtra, Gandhari and Kunti tells them that after doing long year of penances he had acquired much greater abilities which could amaze even deities, Gandharvas and Rishis. After being asked for beholding their sons Vyasa tells them to wait for the night near Bhagirathi. At evening, after all had taken bath and finished their sacred rites, they approached Vyasa. The Vyasa going in water summoned all the deceased warriors, fought in battle, both sides. All of them rose from the waters of the Bhagirathi, with celestial bodies, free from all animosity, pride, wrath and jealousy. Vyasa gave blind Dhritarashtra celestial vision for beholding those heroes. All heroes meet with their respective families. The Pandavas, full of joy, met with the mighty bowman Karna as also Abhimanyu and sons of Draupadi. With happy hearts the sons of Pandu approached Karna and became reconciled with him. After some time that large ghostly host disappeared and went to their respective regions. Hearing this story of the re-appearance and departure of his forefathers, king Janamejaya doubts Vyasa and asks for boon to show him too his slain sire. At this Vyasa brought Parikshit from the other world with others temporarily, dispelling his doubts. After a month, Pandavas as per Dhritarashtra words returns to their kingdom.

After two years had elapsed from Pandavas return, celestial Rishi, Narada, came to Yudhishthira and informs him that all three - old Dhritarashtra, Gandhari and Kunti- died, in a forest-conflagration at their own will. Sanjaya had escaped as per their words from there. The news of their death causes grief to Pandavas and citizens of the kingdom. Sage Narada consoles them saying that Dhritarashtra with his wife had acquired the region of Kuvera and Yudhishthira performs Shraddha rites for those who had died at the hermitage.[2]

Ashramvasik Parva was composed in Sanskrit. Several translations of the book in English are available. Two translations from the 19th century, now in the public domain, are those by Kisari Mohan Ganguli[1] and Manmatha Nath Dutt.[2] The translations vary with each translator's interpretations.

Debroy, in 2011, notes[6] that updated critical edition of Ashramvasik Parva, after removing about 30% of verses generally accepted so far as spurious and inserted into the original, has 3 sub-books, 47 adhyayas (chapters) and 1,061 shlokas (verses).

Ashramvasika parva, Chapter 5:

Let thy judicial officers, O Yudhishthira, inflict punishments on offenders, according to the law, after careful determination of the gravity of the offenses.

— Dhritarashtra, Ashramvasika Parva, Mahabharata Book xv.5[7]

Putradarsana parva, Chapter 34:

He who knows himself attains the highest understanding and becomes freed from error,
All creatures appear from an invisible state, and once more disappear into invisibleness.

He enjoys, or endures, the fruits of all his act, where he does them,
If the act be a mental one, its consequences are enjoyed, or endured, mentally;
If it is done with the body, its consequences are to be enjoyed, or endured, in the body.

— Vaisampayana, Ashramvasika Parva, Mahabharata Book xv.34[8]

• Previous book of Mahabharata: Ashvamedhika Parva
• Next book of Mahabharata: Mausala Parva

• Ashramvasik Parva, English Translation by Kisari Mohan Ganguli
• Ashramvasik Parva, English Translation by Manmatha Nath Dutt
• Ashramvasik Parva in Sanskrit by Vyasadeva with commentary by Nilakantha - Worldcat OCLC link
• Ashramvasik Parva in Sanskrit and Hindi by Ramnarayandutt Shastri, Volume 5