CONTENTS
Order of Contents
Ramayana–Mahabharata: Correspondence Table8
Bhamati–Nyayakusumanjali–Tattvachintamani: Philosophical Map9
Map of Characters, Lineages and Relationships11
Principal Characters: Decisions and Commitments15
157 Occupations and Communities: Characters and Narrative Worlds18
Detailed Chapter-by-Chapter Contents
Volume I · Chapters 1–108. Chapter titles and page numbers refer to this volume.
PARVA 1 · Ādi | Bāla Kāṇḍa | Chapters 1–12
1. The Dead Person’s Kitchen32
2. Twenty-Seven Names39
3. Time at the Crossroads46
4. The River’s First Home54
5. Janaka’s Measure61
6. The Arithmetic of Home68
7. The Bench of Five Generations75
8. The Letter from Simatirtha82
9. The Blocked Channel89
10. The Shadow of a Name95
11. My Phone, My Terms101
12. The City Behind the Ghat107
PARVA 2 · Sabhā | Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa | Chapters 13–24
13. The Dead Woman Called to the Stage114
14. The Representative’s Chair120
15. Draupadi’s Question127
16. The Silence After Vikarna134
17. Kaikeyi’s Due141
18. Urmila’s Night147
19. Champa’s Message153
20. Premature Publication159
21. Whose Voice?166
22. The Order Concerning the House173
23. Bharata’s Refusal180
24. The Veranda Outside186
PARVA 3 · Vana | Araṇya Kāṇḍa | Chapters 25–36
25. An Empty Space on the Train193
26. Guha’s Riverbank199
27. Shabari’s Dawn205
28. Hidimba’s Pact211
29. The Child Stealer218
30. Ahalya’s Voice225
31. Ekalavya’s Lesson231
32. Athāto: Whose Right to Inquire?238
33. The Lamp and the Paper245
34. The Unseen Cause252
35. The Recognition of the Gavaya259
36. The School Beyond the Walls266
PARVA 4 · Virāṭa | Araṇya Kāṇḍa | Chapters 37–48
37. The Cook’s Name273
38. Brihannala’s Classroom279
39. The Weaver’s Due286
40. The Cloth Register293
41. The Carpenter’s Signature300
42. The Future of Clay306
43. The Brassworker and the Goldsmith313
44. The Blacksmith’s Tools320
45. The Weaver’s Consignment327
46. The Washerwoman, the Dyer and the Cotton-Fluffer334
47. The Measurement of the Gate341
48. Three Reasons for Disguise348
PARVA 5 · Udyoga | Kiṣkindhā Kāṇḍa | Chapters 49–60
49. The Price of Cooperation355
50. Sugriva’s Fear362
51. Tara’s Reckoning369
52. Angada’s Tomorrow376
53. Ruhani’s Key383
54. Ritual Without a Presiding Authority390
55. The Missing Child’s Mother397
56. Medicine Given in Charity404
57. Janaka and the People411
58. The Web of Causes417
59. The Envoy’s Conditions424
60. The First Agreement Breaks431
PARVA 6 · Bhīṣma | Sundara Kāṇḍa | Chapters 61–72
61. Ganga’s Condition438
62. Bhishma’s Vow445
63. Amba’s Time452
64. Shikhandi’s Decision459
65. The Hospital’s Old Wing466
66. Krishna and Arjuna’s Pause473
67. Seeing from Afar480
68. A Copy of the Warning487
69. The Meaning of Absence495
70. Mahesh’s Night502
71. Death and Documents509
72. Sanjaya’s Distance516
PARVA 7 · Droṇa | Sundara Kāṇḍa | Chapters 73–84
73. The Landing at Simatirtha523
74. Drona’s Due530
75. The One Last Digit537
76. After Ekalavya545
77. Trijata’s Message552
78. Mandodari’s Home559
79. The Resemblance of Faces566
80. The Weaver’s Second Ledger574
81. The Child in Another Place582
82. Maithili’s Page589
83. Sarita’s Labour597
84. The Teacher’s Acknowledgement604
PARVA 8 · Karṇa | Sundara Kāṇḍa | Chapters 85–96
85. Radha’s Labour611
86. The Original Page618
87. Five Altered Identities625
88. Fourteen Discrepancies633
89. Four Living, Four Dead641
90. Subhadra’s Condition648
91. A Convenient Error655
92. The Unravelling of an Accusation662
93. The Link Between Consignments670
94. The Rights of a Guardian678
95. The Order to Kill685
96. Reconciling the Twenty-Seven692
PARVA 9 · Śalya | Yuddha Kāṇḍa | Chapters 97–108
97. Shalya’s Allegiance700
98. Vibhishana’s Path707
99. Kumbhakarna’s Awakening714
100. The Second Agreement722
101. The Patient’s Time730
102. The Layers of Repair737
103. Positive Reasoning744
104. The Question of Power751
105. Binout’s Bridge759
106. Acceptance of Treatment766
107. Five Signatures774
108. Beyond the Water Level781