18 Parvans of Mahabharata - Sabha Parvan
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A live thread on the lecture
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A live thread on the lecture
The incidence of Sabhā may seem small in the vast expanse of Mahābhārata, but its impact far outweighs that of many longer chapters.
In a very short span, we see the becoming of Yudhiṣṭhira in a mighty emperor and then in matter of few throws of dice, we see him being stripped away of all his glory and grace.
The first major incidence of the Sabha Parvan is the creation of Maya Sabha - a palatial court unparalleled on earth.
And then comes the Rajasuya yajna of Yudhisthira, with a warning from Narada about all the destruction it could lead to.
And then comes the Rajasuya yajna of Yudhisthira, with a warning from Narada about all the destruction it could lead to.
We have all heard about the incidence, where Duryodhana confuses pool for the floor and vice versa, and how Pandavas and Draupadi mocked him. The Critical Edition offers a very different account of that.
https://twitter.com/BhandarkarI/status/1400751399042895874
The last chapter of the Sabha Parvan is Dyuta Sabha. This sordid saga - in its description of the morbid glee of Kauravas, haplessness of elders such as Bhishma, Drona & Vidura, defeated rage of the Pandavas and the pious fury of Draupadi - offers many perspectives on "Dharma".
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