Read Mahabharata Vol. 3 (Penguin Translated Texts) Online
Authors: Bibek Debroy
658
Shvetavahana is literally one whose transport (vahana) is white (
shveta
) meaning one whose horses are white. Arjuna’s horses are white and Shvetavahana is one of Arjuna’s names.
659
Nakula and Sahadeva.
660
Droupadi is presumably speaking to Bhima. But it could be Yudhishthira too.
661
Kiratas, tanganas and kunindas are all mountain-dwelling hunter races.
662
That is, when the sun could be clearly seen.
668
Sahadeva was in charge of carrying the sacred fire.
671
Meaning Droupadi.
672
As will be clear, other rakshasas had come to help Ghatotkacha.
673
Other rakshasas.
674
Barbarians, those who do not speak Sanskrit.
675
Badari is a jujube tree. The hermitage of Badari is so named because a giant badari tree stood there.
676
The text says
kamala
and
utpala
. Kamala is lotus in general, while utpala is either a blue lotus or a lily.
682
Both Hanuman and Bhima were sons of Vayu or the wind-god, though from different mothers. Hanuman was the older of the two.
683
Nirguna
, or without qualities. The paramatman is synonymous with the brahman.
684
The use of ‘Him’ shouldn’t suggest there is a gender in the Sanskrit. There isn’t. But without using ‘Him’, there are difficulties in translation.
685
Indra’s weapon is vajra, but here the intention is metaphorical. The word used is
ayudha
, which means weapon. A rainbow is called Indra’s bow and the metaphor is of a rainbow.
686
The word used is
kshetra
, best translated as field. Kesari was a chief of the monkeys and was married to Anjana. Thus, Anjana is Kesari’s field or kshetra. However, Hanuman was the son of Vayu and Anjana, not Kesari and Anjana.
687
Sugriva was Vali’s younger brother.
688
Dasharatha’s son.
689
On Ravana’s instructions, Maricha adopted the form of a deer.
690
Sugriva.
691
This vulture, or giant bird, was named Sampati.
692
In the kingdom in Ayodhya.
693
The word tata is affectionately used for anyone who is inferior or younger.
694
The four eras (yuga) are satya (or krita), treta, dvapara and kali. The incidents of the Ramayana occurred in treta yuga and those of the Mahabharata in dvapara yuga. Dharma decays as one moves down these eras.
695
The word krita has several meanings and one meaning is done or accomplished. The sense is that deeds were accomplished in krita yuga.
696
Dharma has four feet (pada) in krita yuga, three in treta, two in dvapara and one in kali. The face of a dice with four spots is also called krita, with three treta, with two dvapara and with one kali.
697
The three qualities (
guna
) are
sattva
,
rajas
and
tamas
. These were irrelevant in krita yuga.
698
Narayana or Vishnu.
699
In a desire for the fruits of these deeds.
700
Pavana or Vayu is the wind-god and Bhima was his son.
701
Marut is another name for Pavana or Vayu and Hanuman was the wind-god’s son too.
702
Rama is descended from Raghu’s lineage and Raghava is one of Rama’s names.
703
We have translated Sougandhika as a proper name.
Sougandhika
means something that is extremely fragrant and might be an adjective too.
704
The lord of riches is Kubera.
705
The word used is tata, applied affectionately to any inferior or junior.
706
Brihaspati is the preceptor of the gods and Ushanas (Shukra) is the preceptor of the demons.
707
The word used is dvija. Though sometimes applied to brahmanas, this is also used for the first three varnas—brahmanas, kshatriyas and vaishyas. In the given context, this broader meaning seems to be indicated.
708
Accepting gifts.
709
Students in the brahmacharya stage.
710
Sama is conciliation or pacification, dana is the giving of gifts or bribery, danda is punishment and bheda is the creation of dissension and strife (among enemies).
711
Vijaya is Arjuna’s name. Hanuman was perched on Arjuna’s flagstaff at the time of battle.
720
Yudhishthira.
7
Baka and Hidimba are rakshasas who were killed by Bhima earlier.
8
Threw down Yudhishthira, Nakula and Droupadi.
9
Bala was a demon killed by Indra. The text should actually say Bala, not Bali.
10
Nakula and Sahadeva.
11
Addressing Yudhishthira.
12
The Vali and Sugriva story is from the Ramayana, though the Mahabharata also mentions it, such as in Section 33.
1
Yudhishthira.
2
Jaya and Vijaya are Arjuna’s names. Bibhatsu is also one of Arjuna’s names, as is Gandivadhanva, the one with the Gandiva as his bow.
3
Referring to Arjuna.
4
Referring to Yudhishthira.
5
The brahmanas and ascetics spoke these words.
8
Sharabha has many meanings—young elephant, camel. It is also a mythical animal with eight legs, believed to be stronger than a lion. In this context, one probably means the mythical animal.
9
The name of Indra’s pleasure garden.
10
Amrataka.
11
Kind of tree.
12
Kind of tree.
13
Kind of tree.
14
Bijapuraka
s.
15
Likucha
s.
16
Mocha
s.
17
The critical edition’s text says
amravetasa
, which doesn’t sound right. It should probably be
amlavetasa
, that is, tamarind.
18
Kind of tree.
19
Kshoudra is another name for the champaka tree.
20
Nipa
is another name for the
kadamba
tree.
21
Tree sacred to Shiva.
22
Kapittha
s.
23
Jambu
s.
24
More a plant than a tree.
25
Plakshas.
26
Kind of tree.
27
Vata
s.
28
Ashvattha
s.
29
Tree difficult to identify, but must have been milky-white in colour.
30
Bhallatakas.
31
Amalaka
s.
32
Type of myrobalan.
33
Type of myrobalan.
34
Medicinal tree.
35
Kind of tree.
36
Name of a tree.
37
Tree with yellow and fragrant flowers.
38
Tree with red flowers.
39
Flowering plant. Ketakas are mentioned twice.
40
Tree with fragrant flowers.
Bakula
s are mentioned twice.
41
Flowering tree also known as
nagakeshara.
42
Name of a tree.
43
Tree whose flowers have no smell.
44
Red trumpet flower.
45
Name of a tree.
46
Mandara
s.
47
Indivara
s.
48
Celestial tree, though the coral tree is also called parijata.
49
Name of a tree.
50
Devadaru
s. Literally, the tree of the gods.
51
Tall tree.
52
Tala
s.
53
Tree with dark bark.
54
Tree, also known as
piyala.
55
Shalmali
s.
56
Tree with red blossoms.
57
Tree with red blossoms. They are mentioned twice.
58
Name of a tree.
59
The critical edition says
tarala
s. But there is no obvious tree called tarala. This should probably be sarala, which is a tall and straight species of pine.
60
Bird, like a partridge.
61
Shatapatra
s.
62
Bhringaraja
s.
63
Shuka
s.
64
Kalavinka
s.
65
Kind of pigeon.
66
Jiva
s, birds in general.
67
Jivaka
s.
68
Clearly a bird, but with no obvious identification.
69
Kind of bird believed to feed on raindrops.
70
Kumuda
s.
71
Pundarika
s.
72
Kokanada
s.
73
Utpalas.
74
Kahlaras.
75
Kamalas.
76
Kadamba
. Geese are
kaadamba
, though in our system we have been writing it as kadamba. The critical edition says kadamba, not kaadamba. If kadamba is the right reading, we are talking about a kind of tree. But given the context, geese is more appropriate, so there is a typo in the text of the critical edition.
77
Chakravakas.
78
Karandavas.
79
A diving aquatic bird.
80
The trees seemed to be wearing crowns.
81
Manmatha is the god of love.