The Mahabharata is described as a collection of 100,000 verses (shatasahasri samhita). At the modern times there are 18 Parvas of Mahabharat. In these Parvas division into 100 sub-parvas are also mentioned which are older, and most parvas are named after one of their constituent sub-parvas. The Harivamsa consists of the final two of the 100 sub-parvas, and was considered an appendix (khila) to the Mahabharat. The division of Mahabharat into 18 Parvas is as follows:

`Adi Parva` is the `Book of the Beginning` among the 18 Parvas of Mahabharata which has 1-19 sub parvas: it contains how the Mahabharat was narrated by Sauti to the assembled rishis at Naimisharanya.

`Sabha Parva` is the `Book of the Assembly Hall`. It is the second parva among the 18 parvas. There are twenty to twenty eight sub parvas. In this Parva or chapter it is mentioned Maya Danava erects the palace and court (sabha), at Indraprastha.

The third chapter of the 18 parvas of Mahabharat is the `Vana Parva`. This parva also came to be known as Aranyaka-parva or the Aranya-parva. This is the `Book of the Forest` including twenty nine to forty - four sub parvas.

`Virata Parva` is the `Book of Virata`. Among the 18 parvas of Mahabharat, it mentions the year in incognito spent at the court of Virata.

In the 18 parvas of Mahabharata, `Udyoga Parva` or the `Book of the Effort `describes the preparations for war by the karauvas and the pandavas.

Among the 18 parvas of Mahabharat `Bhishma Parva` is the `Book of Bhishma`. It is the first part of the great battle.

`Drona Parva` or the `Book of Drona` mentions about great battle as it continues, with Drona as commander.

`Karna Parva` is the `Book of Karna` with seventy three sub parvas. In this parva the battle again is described with Karna as commander.

`Shalya Parva` is the `Book of Shalya` with seventy four-seventy seventy. This section deals with the last day of the battle, with Shalya as commander.

`Sauptika Parva` is the `Book of the Sleeping Warriors` which speaks about Ashvattama, Kripa and Kritavarma who killed the remaining Pandava armies in their sleep.

Among the 18 parvas of the Mahabharata, `Stri-parva` is the` Book of the Women`. It deals with queens Gandhari, Kunti and the women (stri) of the Kurus and Pandavas lament the dead.

`Shanti-parva` or the` Book of Peace` contains eighty six -eighty-eight sub parvas. The crowning of Yudhisthira as king of Hastinapura is mentioned.

`Anushasana-parva` is the` Book of the Instructions` and is one of the major sections among the 18 parvas of the Mahabharat.

Ashvamedhika-parva is the Book of the Horse Sacrifice which depicts the royal ceremony of the Asvamedha (Horse sacrifice) conducted by Yudhishtira.

`Ashramavasika-parva` or the `Book of the Hermitage` takes in the eventual deaths of Dhritarashtra, Gandhari and Kunti in a forest fire when they are living in a hermitage in the Himalayas.

`Mausala-parva` is the `Book of the Clubs` among the 18 parvas of Mahabharat and in this section the infighting between the Yadavas with maces (mausala) and the eventual destruction of the Yadavas are mentioned.

`Mahaprasthanika-parva` or the `Book of the Great Journey` tells the tale of Yudhisthira and his brothers across the whole country.

`Svargarohana-parva` is `the Book of the Ascent to Heaven` with ninety eight sub parvas. It describes Yudhisthira`s final test and the return of the Pandavas to the spiritual world (svarga).

Another parva is included among the 18 parvas of Mahabharata which is called khila. It is `Harivamsa-parva` or the `Book of the Genealogy of Hari`, speaking of the life of Krishna which is not covered in the 18 parvas of the Mahabharata.