Read Mahabharata Vol. 2 (Penguin Translated Texts) Online
Authors: Bibek Debroy
54
The critical edition excises shlokas that give the story. Agni seduced King Nila’s daughter and was caught in the act.
55
Agni was in the form of a brahmana and the king did not recognize him.
56
As wives.
57
To one husband.
58
The word used is
svairini
. This means a woman who is her own mistress and is unrestrained. But specifically, it is used for a wanton or unchaste woman.
59
One of Agni’s names. Literally, the purifier.
60
Yudhishthira.
61
Sahadeva.
62
This is not a reference to the Tripura that is towards the east. The Chedis were known as the Traipuras and their capital was Tripuri.
63
In today’s Gujarat.
64
Bhishmaka’s daughter Rukmini was married to Krishna.
65
Land between the rivers Narmada and Godavari.
66
This is a literal translation and clearly misses a nuance. For example, there may have been only footpaths in the forest and
ekapadi
means a footpath. So
ekapada
might mean those who used footpaths, rather than men with single legs.
67
Perhaps the Cholas.
68
Identified as residents of Antioch.
69
Identified as residents of Rome.
70
The yavanas.
71
Today’s Gujarat.
72
Ravana’s younger brother, the son of the sage Pulastya.
73
Sahadeva.
74
Vibhishana.
80
Vasudeva.
81
Nakula’s.
82
Nakula’s mother Madri was Shalya’s sister.
83
This can also be translated, instead of as a proper name, as
barbaras
, meaning those who were barbarians or not Aryas.
84
Dvaraka is to the west and when Dvaraka was established, these regions were conquered by Krishna.
1
Yudhishthira.
2
Krishna.
3
A demon killed by Krishna.
4
Krishna.
5
Yudhishthira.
6
The Dasharhas were the Yadavas.
7
Yudhishthira’s.
8
Yudhishthira.
9
Yudhishthira.
10
Yudhishthira’s charioteer.
11
Bhima’s charioteer.
12
Sahadeva. Yudhishthira is speaking to Sahadeva.
13
The officiating priests are called
ritvija
s. There are four types of officiating priests—
hotar
(one who recites from the Rig Veda),
udgatar
(one who recites from the Sama Veda),
adhvaryu
(one who recites from the Yajur Veda) and brahman (one who recites from the Atharva Veda). This brahman is not to be confused with the supreme soul (brahman or
paramatman
).
14
Dvaipayana or Vedavyasa.
15
He was thus the udgatar. This Dhananjaya is a lineage of brahmanas and is not to be confused with Arjuna.
16
Yudhishthira.
17
Sahadeva.
18
Nakula.
29
Vidura’s name. The word means the son of a kshatriya father.
30
The text doesn’t specify one thousand of what. The sense is that irrespective of the type of gift, the threshold was at least one thousand.
31
The kings.
1
That is, the formal anointment or coronation at the end of the sacrifice.
2
Hari is Vishnu’s name and so is Pundarikaksha. Pundarika is a lotus, typically the white lotus, and
aksha
means eye. So Pundarikaksha means lotus-eyed.
3
The gods.
4
Shambhu is one who brings prosperity. It is usually used for Shiva, and sometimes Kartikeya and Ganesha too. But here, it is being used for Vishnu.
5
Shishupala is addressing Yudhishthira.
6
Bhishma, who was Ganga’s son.
7
Krishna is Vaasudeva, that is, Vasudeva’s son. Krishna has been written as Vasudeva, not Vaasudeva, to make the reading easier. In most instances, there is no danger of confusion, this being an exception. Krishna’s father, Vasudeva, is also present.
8
This is a reference to either Kamsa or Jarasandha. But Krishna did not directly kill Jarasandha.
9
Though not explicitly mentioned, these words are clearly being uttered by Vaishampayana.
12
Alternatively, son-in-law, as indicative of someone who deserves to be honoured.
13
Those born from wombs and eggs, plants and those born from sweat (insects and worms).
14
Because he doesn’t have the intelligence.
1
Indra’s name.
2
Krishna.
3
Vishnu and Krishna’s name.
4
Krishna.
5
This is a reference to Bhishma’s vow of celibacy. By the third state, Bhishma is being called an eunuch.
6
Ogress killed by Krishna.
7
That is, those who are childlike in intelligence.
8
Putana assumed the form of a vulture.
9
Demons killed by Krishna. Keshi was in the form of a horse (
ashva
) and Arishta was in the form of a bull (
vrishabha
).
10
One of Krishna’s feats as a baby. He was asleep under the cart.
11
Krishna held up the mountain to provide shelter from the pouring rain.
12
Vrishabha.
13
Putana.
14
A bird that lives off carrion. It picks out bits of meat from the mouths of predators.
15
This is a reference to Dvaipayana fathering Dhritarashtra and Pandu.
16
Bhishma has not served his ancestors, because he did not have a son.
20
That is, refused the food.
21
The Ganga flows in heaven, earth and the nether regions.
22
The great god. In this context, Shiva.
23
Another name for Kartikeya.
24
Shishupala.
25
Bhima.
26
Shishupala.
27
Shishupala.
28
Balarama.
29
Shishupala’s father was married to a princess from the Yadava clan.
30
Damodara is one of Krishna’s names.
31
That is, sunk into the forehead and disappeared.
32
The word used is
nandana
, meaning son. But the word also means someone (or something) that brings delight and pleasure. Therefore, it can also be interpreted as Krishna, the one who brings pleasure to the Yadu lineage.
33
Bhishma is speaking to Bhima.
34
Since it is so meagre.
35
Drona’s son, that is, Ashvatthama.
36
Implying, censure and worship of those one doesn’t have complete information about.
37
Kamsa was the king of Bhoja and Bhoja is one of Kamsa’s names.
38
The Yadavas.
39
Horse sacrifice.
40
Another name for Akrura.
41
She was to have been married to Karusha.
42
Krishna’s wife.
43
Rukmini was the daughter of King Bhishmaka of Vidarbha. Her father had promised her in marriage to Shishupala. However, Rukmini loved Krishna and sent him a letter. At that, Krishna and Balarama arrived, defeated Rukmini’s brother Rukmi, and took Rukmini away.
44
They were undecided.
45
Yudhishthira.
46
Yudhishthira again.
47
Shishupala’s.
48
In general, a bow made of horn. Specifically, the name of Vishnu’s bow.
49
The text has the word
avavritha
. This is the ceremonial bathing at the end of any sacrifice, for purposes of purification.
50
Yudhishthira’s name.
51
Drupada.
52
Subhadra’s son was Abhimanyu.
53
As has been mentioned before, the word nandana also means beloved. So, this can also be translated as—O beloved of the Kuru lineage!
54
The text says Tarkshya, which is one of Garuda’s names.
55
Parjanya. Indra is the god of rain, so Parjanya is one of Indra’s names. The word
parjanya
can also mean clouds in general and that translation, without invoking the god of rain, is also possible.
56
Indra.
57
Shakuni was the son of Subala, king of Gandhara.
1
The word used is nandana, which can also be translated as beloved.
2
Nagasahrya is another name for Hastinapura.
3
Duryodhana.
4
Yudhishthira. At the end of the last chapter, it was mentioned that only Duryodhana and Shakuni remained. Since the Pandavas were still there, this means that these were the only two among the invited guests who remained.
5
Duryodhana took the land to be water.
6
In this context, Yudhishthira.
7
Gaja, naga
and
hasti
, all mean elephant. Gajasahrya is another name for Hastinapura.
8
Shakuni’s sister was Gandhari, Duryodhana’s mother.
9
Arjuna’s horses were white.
10
Yudhishthira.
11
The expression in the text translates as the onset of
shuchishukra
and there is repetition.
Shuchi
means the months of Jyeshtha and Ashada and would have sufficed.
Shukra
means the month of Jyeshtha.
12
Yadavas, the foremost one being Krishna.
13
Yudhishthira.
16
Ashvatthama.
17
Karna, who was brought up by a suta or charioteer. The charioteer’s wife was Radha, explaining Karna’s name of Radheya.
18
Kripacharya, who was descended from the Goutama lineage.
19
Bhurishrava, the son of Somadatta.
20
The Pandavas.
21
Dyuta is the act of playing or gambling. Here, the text uses the word for a dice, that is,
aksha
.
22
Referring to Dhritarashtra.
23
Yudhishthira.