Manuscript Number : GISRRJ225320

According to Vyāsa’s Mahābhārata,[1] Vyāsa composed the epic and taught it to his five disciples, who included Vaiśaṃpāyana.[2] We hear nothing more about transmission through four of the disciples but do learn that Vaiśaṃpāyana narrates the story two generations later at a ritual performed by Janamejaya, the great-grandson of Arjuna, where Ugraśravas Sūta hears it.[3] Sūta later recounts the whole narrative in a gathering of sages who know about Vyāsa’s composition.[4] While Vyāsa’s and Vaiśaṃpāyana’s accounts are often indistinguishable, Sūta’s version can sometimes be identified, particularly in the gambling episode. This highlights the need to examine the layers of the text, revealing the presence of different versions, even within the Critical Edition. Although the incident of mockery is mentioned several times in the Critical Edition, its details are reported only on two occasions: first, in Vaiśaṃpāyana’s account, and the second in Sūta’s account. The differences between the two are indicative of how the narrative changed over time.