This article examines the gendered dynamics of revenge in The Mahabharata, addressing a significant gap in the scholarly analysis of this ancient Indian epic. Despite revenge being a prominent theme throughout the epic, it has largely been overlooked in academic discourse. This study employs textual analysis and comparative methodologies to explore how revenge functions differently for male and female characters within the sociocultural context of the epic. The article identifies and analyzes five key strategies of revenge: lamentation, cursing, bodily sacrifice, suicide threats, and warfare. The findings reveal that while male characters primarily engage in direct warfare, female characters employ indirect methods due to societal constraints. The research examines how revenge operates as an inherited duty that transcends simplistic gender binaries, while exposing the constraints imposed on women’s agency by patriarchal norms.
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