Contents
PART III | THE INNER LIFE OF NARRATIVE 15
Critical Introduction: Work, Evidence and Method 16
Chapter 1 — The Kitchen of the Dead 18
Chapter 2 — Twenty-Seven Names 21
Chapter 3 — Time at the Crossroads 25
Chapter 4 — The River’s First Home 28
Comparative Conclusions on the First Four Chapters of the Adi Parva 32
Chapter 5 — Janaka’s Measure 34
Chapter 6 — The Household Tables 38
Chapter 7 — The Bench of Five Generations 42
Chapter 8 — The Letter from Simatirtha 47
Chapters 5–8: Comparative Narratological Conclusions 52
Chapter 9 — The Blocked Drainage Channel 55
Chapter 10 — The Shadow of a Name 58
Chapter 11 — My Phone, My Conditions 61
Chapter 12 — The City Behind the Ghat 64
Adi Parva / Bala Kanda: Combined Narratological Conclusions on Chapters 9–12 67
Chapter 13 — The Dead Woman Who Was Summoned 70
Chapter 14 — The Representative’s Chair 73
Chapter 15 — Draupadi’s Question 76
Chapter 16 — The Silence After Vikarna 79
Sabha Parva / Ayodhya Kanda: A Combined Study of Chapters 13–16 83
Chapter 17 — Kaikeyi’s Debt 85
Chapter 18 — Urmila’s Night 88
Chapter 19 — Champa’s Message 93
Chapter 20 — Premature Publication 96
Sabha Parva / Ayodhya Kanda: Comparative Narratological Study of Chapters 17–20 100
Chapter 21 — Whose Voice? 102
Chapter 22 — The Order Concerning the Home 106 
Contents · continued
Chapter 23 — Bharata’s Refusal 110
Chapter 24 — The Outer Veranda 113
Sabha Parva / Ayodhya Kanda: Comprehensive Parva-wise Narratological Assessment of Chapters 13–24 117
Vana Parva / Aranya Kanda 121
Chapter 25 — An Empty Space on the Train 121
Chapter 26 — Guha’s Riverbank 124
Chapter 27 — Shabari’s Dawn 127
Chapter 28 — Hidimba’s Pact 132
Vana Parva / Aranya Kanda: Comparative Discussion of Chapters 25–28 135
Chapter 29 — Child Thief 137
Chapter 30 — Ahalya’s Voice 142
Chapter 31 — Ekalavya’s Lesson 146
Chapter 32 — Now, Whose Inquiry? 149
Vana Parva / Aranya Kanda: Comparative Criticism of Chapters 29–32 154
Chapter 33 — The Lamp and the Paper 157
Chapter 34 — The Unseen Cause 160
Chapter 35 — Recognising the Gavaya 163
Chapter 36 — The School Outside 166
Vana Parva / Aranya Kanda: Overall Critical Assessment of Chapters 25–36 170
Chapter 37 — The Cook’s Name 175
Chapter 38 — Brihannala’s Class 178
Chapter 39 — The Weaver’s Dues 181
Chapter 40 — The Laundry Register 185
Virata Parva / Aranya Kanda: A Combined Critical Study of Chapters 37–40 188
Chapter 41 — The Carpenter’s Signature 191
Chapter 42 — The Future of Clay 194
Chapter 43 — The Brassworker and the Goldsmith 199
Chapter 44 — The Blacksmith’s Tools 203
Virata Parva / Aranya Kanda: Comparative Criticism of Chapters 41–44 207 
Contents · continued
Chapter 45 — The Weaver’s Consignment 209
Chapter 46 — Washerfolk, Dyers, and Cotton Carders 212
Chapter 47 — Measuring the Gate 215
Chapter 48 — Three Reasons for Disguise 218
Virata Parva / Aranya Kanda: Overall Critical Assessment of Chapters 37–48 222
Udyoga Parva / Kishkindha Kanda 225
Chapter 49 — The Price of Cooperation 225
Chapter 50 — Sugriva's Fear 227
Chapter 51 — Tara's Reckoning 230
Chapter 52 — Angada's Tomorrow 234
Udyoga Parva / Kishkindha Kanda: Combined Criticism of Chapters 49–52 238
Chapter 53 — Ruhani's Key 239
Chapter 54 — A Ritual Without a Chief 242
Chapter 55 — The Missing Child's Mother 247
Chapter 56 — Medicine Given in Charity 250
Udyoga Parva / Kishkindha Kanda: Combined Assessment of Chapters 53–56 254
Chapter 57 — Janaka and the People of the Realm 256
Chapter 58 — The Web of Causes 259
Chapter 59 — The Envoy's Conditions 262
Chapter 60 — The First Agreement Falls Through 265
Udyoga Parva / Kishkindha Kanda: Comprehensive Critical Assessment of Chapters 49–60 269
Bhishma Parva / Sundara Kanda 272
Chapter 61 — Ganga's Condition 272
Chapter 62 — Bhishma's Vow 275
Chapter 63 — Amba's Time 279
Chapter 64 — Shikhandi's Decision 282
The First Four Chapters of Bhishma Parva: Comparative Critical Conclusions 287
Chapter 65 — The Old Hospital Wing 289
Chapter 66 — The Pause of Krishna and Arjuna 292 
Contents · continued
Chapter 67 — Seeing from Afar 296
Chapter 68 — A Copy of the Warning 299
Bhishma Parva / Sundara Kanda: Comparative Criticism of Chapters 65–68 302
Chapter 69 — The Meaning of Absence 304
Chapter 70 — Mahesh’s Night 308
Chapter 71 — Death and Documents 312
Chapter 72 — Sanjaya’s Distance 316
Bhishma Parva / Sundara Kanda: Comprehensive Critical Assessment of Chapters 61–72 319
Chapter 73 — The Landing at Simatirtha 323
Chapter 74 — Drona's Due 326
Chapter 75 — The Same Final Digit 329
Chapter 76 — After Ekalavya 332
Drona Parva / Sundara Kanda: Comparative Criticism of Chapters 73–76 336
Chapter 77 — Trijata's Message 338
Chapter 78 — Mandodari's Household 342
Chapter 79 — The Resemblance of Faces 346
Chapter 80 — The Weaver’s Second Account 350
Drona Parva / Sundara Kanda: Joint Critical Assessment of Chapters 77–80 353
Chapter 81 — The Child’s Other Place 355
Chapter 82 — Maithili’s Pages 360
Chapter 83 — Sarita’s Labour 364
Chapter 84 — The Teacher’s Acknowledgment 369
Drona Parva / Sundara Kanda: Overall Critical Assessment of Chapters 73–84 373
Chapter 85 — Radha’s Labour 377
Chapter 86 — The Original Page 381
Chapter 87 — Five Changed Identities 385
Chapter 88 — Fourteen Discrepancies 389
Karna Parva / Sundara Kanda: Joint Critical Assessment of Chapters 85–88 393
Chapter 89 — Four Alive, Four Dead 396
Chapter 90 — Subhadra's Conditions 400 
Contents · continued
Chapter 91 — A Convenient Error 404
Chapter 92 — The Breaking of an Accusation 408
Karna Parva / Sundara Kanda: Joint Critical Assessment of Chapters 89–92 413
Chapter 93 — The Connection Between Consignments 415
Chapter 94 — The Rights of the Foster Parent 419
Chapter 95 — The Order to Kill 423
Chapter 96 — Reconciling the Twenty-Seven 428
Karna Parva / Sundara Kanda: Overall Critical Assessment of Chapters 85–96 432
Chapter 97 — Shalya's Loyalty 433
Chapter 98 — Vibhishana's Path 436
Chapter 99 — Kumbhakarna's Awakening 438
Chapter 100 — The Second Agreement 441
Shalya Parva / Yuddha Kanda: Joint Critical Assessment of Chapters 97–100 443
Chapter 101 — The Patient's Time 446
Chapter 102 — Layers of Repair 450
Chapter 103 — The Positive Argument 453
Chapter 104 — The Question of Power 457
Shalya Parva / Yuddha Kanda: Joint Critical Assessment of Chapters 101–104 461
Chapter 105 — Binout’s Bridge 464
Chapter 106 — Acknowledgment in Treatment 468

Chapter 216 — Kurukshetram of the Inner Mind 871
Svargarohana Parva / Uttara Kanda: Overall Narratological Assessment of Chapters 205–216 874
The Whole Novel: A Narratological Assessment 877
Incongruity and Narrative Method 880