Is Bhagavath Gita part of Jaya, Bharatha or Mahabharatha?

Question

The Mahābhārata itself (1.1.61) distinguishes a core portion of 24,000 verses: the Bhārata proper, as opposed to additional secondary material, while the Ashvalayana Grihyasutra (3.4.4) makes a similar distinction. At least three redactions of the text are commonly recognized: Jaya (Victory) with 8,800 verses attributed to Vyasa, the Bharata with 24,000 verses as recited by Vaisampayana, and finally the Mahābhārata as recited by Ugrashrava Sauti with over 100,000 verses Source

I understand from this that there are three concentric(?) portions of Mahabharatha.

1. Jaya - 8800 verses
2. Bharatha - 24,000 verses
3. Mahabharatha - 100,000 verses verses

Total: 1,32,800 verses.

Bhagavath Gita is a part of Bhishma Parva. Now my question is in which section does Bhagavath Gita is present? Is it a part of Jaya, Bharata or Mahabharata?

Also Mahabharata has 2,00,000 verses, but this only adds to a total of 1,32,800 verses. To whom are the rest of the verses attributed? Or in other words what is the proper way to categorize Mahabharata so all the verses are included?

Answer 1

The Ithihasa narrated by Vaisampayana to Janamejaya was the 100,000 verse long Mahabharata , not 24,000.

1. Vaishampayana says -

This Bharata consists of a hundred thousand sacred slokas composed by the son of Satyavati, of immeasurable mental power. He that reads it to others, and they that hear it read, attain to the world of Brahman and become equal to the very gods.

• Section LXII, Adivansavatarana Parva, Mahabharata.

2. Sauti also says that 100,000 verses composed by Vyasa are available to humans -

After that he executed another compilation, consisting of six hundred thousand verses. Of those, thirty hundred thousand are known in the world of the Devas; fifteen hundred thousand in the world of the Pitris: fourteen hundred thousand among the Gandharvas, and one hundred thousand in the regions of mankind.

• Section 1, Anukramanika parva, Mahabharata.

3. In Sangraha Parva, Sauti gives a summary of all the Parvas he heard from Vaisampayana. In it he clearly mentions the Bhagavad Gita as well -

"In this the high-souled Vasudeva by reasons based on the philosophy of final release drove away Arjuna’s compunction springing from the latter’s regard for his kindred (whom he was on the eve of slaying)."

• Section 2, Sangraha Parva, Mahabharata

So Bhagavad Gita is part of the same Mahabharata recited by Vaisampayana to Janamejaya in the presence of Veda Vyasa.

Answer 2

The relationship between the Bhagavad Gita and the Mahabharata is complex and has been the subject of much scholarly debate. Here’s a systematic answer to address the question:

The Mahabharata is a large epic composed over a long period by multiple authors. Its original, shorter version was known as "Jaya," which was expanded upon over centuries by storytellers and bards.

Theories on the Composition and Insertion of the Bhagavad Gita:

• Insertion at a Later Date: Some scholars believe that the Bhagavad Gita was inserted into the Mahabharata at a later date.
• Different Scholarly Opinions:
  • S.D. Pendse: He suggests that only the first three chapters of the Bhagavad Gita are original.
  • S. Das Gupta and Others: They argue that the Gita was composed long before the Mahabharata and was inserted into the epic later on.
  • C.V. Vaidya: He opines that the Mahabharata was the work of three authors, but the Gita was composed before the third author, Sauti, who did not contribute to the Gita.
  • G.V. Ketkar: He proposes that the Bhagavad Gita is a composite work of three different authors.

The Additional Verses

These additional verses may have been included into the text by Interpolations like many other Hindu Scriptures.

Conclusion

There is no exact answer to this question As of now what we have are just theories. I personally think that Bhagavad Geeta later become Part of the Epic either in Bharat or Mahabharat but I can't say for sure.