Ashramavasika Parva


Ashramvasik Parva, or the "Book of Hermitage", is the fifteenth of eighteen books of the Indian epic Mahabharata. It traditionally has 3 sub-books and 39 chapters. The critical edition has 3 sub-books and 47 chapters.
Ashramvasik Parva describes 15 years of prosperous rule by Yudhishthira after the great war. The Pandavas and Kauravas have lived in peace, with Yudhishthira consulting with Dhritarashtra on matters of governance. Draupadi becomes friends with Gandhari, Vyasa and other sages visit the kingdom with their fables and wisdom. The parva recites the next two years when Dhritarashtra and Gandhari take Sannyasa and live a hermit's life in a forest.

Structure and chapters

Ashramvasik Parva traditionally has 3 sub-parvas and 39 adhyayas. The sub-parvas are:
It also mentions Vidura and his death.
2. Putradarsana Parva
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. 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 a 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 became 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.

English translations

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 and Manmatha Nath Dutt. The translations vary with each translator's interpretations.
Debroy, in 2011, notes 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 and 1,061 shlokas.

Quotes and teachings

Ashramvasika parva, Chapter 5:
Putradarsana parva, Chapter 34: