Parva by Dr. S. L. Bhyrappa is a book that stayed with me long after I finished it. I had already written in my previous blog post about what an exceptional writer he is, and this book only reinforced that feeling. It took me almost a year to get through its 700 pages, but even now, I keep going back to its scenes in my mind, almost like watching a play unfold again. And now I find myself wondering how I’m going to fill that space until I can get my hands on his next book—which, for now, is sitting miles away, waiting for me.

पर्व इति आख्यायिका महाभारतमाधारीकृत्य लेखकस्य कल्पनां योजयित्वा इत्युक्तौ मानुषीकृत्य लिखितमस्ति। एवं करणेन किं साधितं लेखकेनेति पृच्छाधुनापि मां बाधते। इदमेव मयोत्तरकाण्डपठनात् परमप्युक्तम्। यद्यपि विचारोयं मन्मनस्यासीत् तथापि पुस्तकमिदमधः स्थापयितुं न शक्तम्। आ संवत्सरं परीक्षापठनमिव प्राप्तेषु समयेषु पुटद्वयं वा त्रयं वा पाठं पाठं कथञ्चित् समापितम्। पुस्तकं तु बृहदासीदिति कारणेन सर्वत्र नेतुं न शक्यमासीत्।

Alright, enough dawdling—this was truly a great read. I was completely fascinated, drawn in, and found myself living in the world of Parva. As I usually do, I trained my mind to treat it as fiction; it made it easier to accept certain parts and move on. But what stayed with me was how beautifully the emotions of each character were portrayed. I only wish I had the chance to speak with the author and ask him what drove those choices, and why.

इदं पुस्तकं पठित्वा प्रथमवारं अर्जुनाय द्वेष्मि। तस्य कथापात्रमपि महाभारतात् किञ्चिद् भ्रष्टमासीत्। अहो युधिष्ठिरस्य कातर्यमपि , यद्यपि स धर्मपुत्रः इति ख्यातः तथापि अस्मिन् पुस्तके सः एव अधमः। परन्तु अत्र तु लेखकेन सर्वाणि पात्राणि स्वीकृत्य सूक्ष्मतया परीक्षितम्। अत्र अस्य चिन्तनं वा आलोडनं वा शोधनं वा श्लाघनीयमेव।

I’ve come across countless reviews of this book, so I won’t claim to add anything new—but if you’re planning to read Parva, here are a few things I’d say:

1. Be patient. It’s a massive book, and it takes time to get through.
2. Be open-minded. Since it’s based on the Itihāsa, your mind may resist or question certain interpretations.
3. Treat it as fiction—you’ll enjoy the journey much more that way.

Now, you might say, “I’d rather skip this one!”—and that’s perfectly fair. But if you’re an avid reader like me, this is not something you’d want to miss. And the interesting part? The one character you’ll likely continue to love, no matter what, is Krishna. In fact, seeing him in a more human light somehow makes him even more endearing—if that’s even possible.

Anyways, makkale, I read the Sanskrit version, and as always, it was a rewarding experience. That said, the book is available in many languages, so pick whichever you’re most comfortable with.

One small word of caution—if you’re not much of a reader, this might feel overwhelming, so perhaps not the best place to start.

With that, signing off until my next book review!