Read Mahabharata Vol. 3 (Penguin Translated Texts) Online
Authors: Bibek Debroy
197
The demons.
198
Brahma.
199
Arjuna is Indra’s son.
200
Puloma is a demon who is Indra’s father-in-law. Indra’s wife Shachi is Puloma’s daughter. The Poulamas are demons. The Kalakeyas are demons too.
201
Brahma.
202
Literally, a city (
pura
) made of gold (
hiranya
).
203
Nalika
s, weapons not easy to identify. They could be arrows, spears or darts. All one knows is that they were hollow.
204
Bhalla
s, weapons that were hurled.
205
That is, Arjuna resorted to divine weapons.
206
This was the weapon personified.
207
Shiva.
208
Animal that cannot be identified.
209
Makaras.
210
Evil spirit, kind of demon.
211
Tripura was a city of the demons and was destroyed by Shiva.
212
The word used is
kala
, which is a small measure. Sixteen kalas make up a larger measure.
213
Sthanu is Shiva’s name. The goddess is Uma, Shiva’s consort.
214
The sun.
215
In principle, twice-born can mean brahmanas, kshatriyas or vaishyas, but commonly means brahmanas.
216
Brahma.
1
Arjuna’s name, literally the one with a diadem on his head.
2
That is, they were comfortable and lacked nothing.
3
The king is Yudhishthira, Vayu’s intrepid son is Bhima, Jishnu is Arjuna and the twins are Nakula and Sahadeva. Bhima is doing the speaking.
4
The Pandavas were exiled for twelve years in the forest and one year of life incognito. Only eleven years have passed, so there is no need to resort yet to a life that is incognito. That happens in Virata Parva. Essentially, Bhima wants them to move elsewhere. However, there is also a mention of one more year of life incognito and the numbers don’t add up. If only one year of incognito life is left, we should immediately jump to Virata Parva. But in that case, there is no time for the incidents that occur between now and Virata Parva.
5
Suparna is Garuda and Vishnu (Krishna) has Garuda on his banner. Shini’s grandson is Balarama, though this is not to be interpreted in the narrow sense of a grandson. Shini was a common ancestor of the Yadavas, further up the line than a grandfather.
6
Foremost among the Shinis is probably a reference to Satyaki.
7
Kubera is Vaishravana.
10
In the mountains and on their way to Vrishaparva’s hermitage.
11
Chinese.
12
Alternatively,
tushara
s, identified with Turkmenistan or the Turkistan region of Afghanistan.
13
Identified with the Gilgit region of Kashmir.
14
Identified as the region between Vitasta (Beas) and Chandrabhaga (Chenab).
15
Identified with Uttarakhand and the southern parts of Himachal Pradesh.
16
Vishoka is Bhima’s charioteer. Indrasena is Yudhishthira’s charioteer.
17
The river Yamuna originates in the Yamunotri glacier, on the slopes of the Banderpooch peaks. Mount Yamuna probably means this place.
18
Vishakha is the sixteenth star (nakshatra) and there is clearly an astronomical allusion here.
19
The name of Kubera’s pleasure garden.
20
The serpent.
21
Fig trees.
22
Also known as
bibhitaka
s,
Terminalia belerica.
23
The herb
Tecomella undulate.
24
Acorns.
25
Tree with jujube berries.
26
Acacia.
27
Another variety of acacia or mimosa.
28
Aegle marmelos
, tree sacred to Shiva.
29
Balanites roxburghii.
30
Salvadora oleoides.
31
Large tree,
Prosopis spicigera.
32
Thorny plant eaten by camels,
Capparis aphylla.
33
Kubera was Vishrava’s son and Pulastya’s grandson.
34
Herons.
35
Pheasants.
36
A shrike or a thrush.
37
Ducks.
38
Species of pine. Devadaru literally means tree of the gods.
39
Kaliyaka is the barberry or turmeric tree.
40
Meaning that the tips of the arrows did not have poison in them.
41
Nahusha’s story is left implicit. After killing Vritra, Indra suffered from guilt and went into hiding. The throne of the king of the gods was empty and Nahusha was temporarily appointed Indra. But he insulted the brahmanas by making them carry him. He was then cursed by Agastya that he would become a serpent.
47
Bhima.
48
This is the lunar dynasty, originating with Soma or Chandra, the moon. Soma’s son was Budha, Budha’s son was Pururava, Pururava’s son was Ayu and Ayu’s son was Nahusha. So Nahusha was fifth in the line.
51
That is the right to sacrifice is based on conduct, and not on varna.
52
The word Savitri means several things. It is a sacred mantra from the Rig Veda. It is also the ceremony of investiture with the sacred thread. The sense is that at the time of birth, the mother is more important than the father, and is the equivalent of the sacred thread ceremony.
53
Each manvantara (era) is presided over by a sovereign known as Manu. It is because humans are descended from Manu that they are known as manava. There are fourteen manvantaras and fourteen Manus to preside over them. The present manvantara is the seventh and the Manu who presides over this is known as Vaivasvata, because he was born from the sun (Vivasvat). Svayambhuva Manu is the first, thus known because he created himself.
54
The six Vedangas are
shiksha
(articulation and pronunciation), chhanda (prosody),
vyakarana
(grammar),
nirukta
(etymology),
jyotisha
(astronomy) and
kalpa
(rituals).
55
The word used is tata, applied affectionately to anyone younger or junior.
56
The soul.
57
Yudhishthira.
58
Agastya, in the form of destiny.
59
The word used is
vyala
, which means both predator and serpent.
1
Stokaka is another name for the chataka bird, believed to live on drops of rain.
2
Kumuda.
3
Pundarika.
4
The kadamba tree.
5
Parvasandhi is the junction between the fifteenth day of a lunar fortnight and the first day of the next lunar fortnight. Thus, the night of the full moon in Kartika arrived.
6
Droupadi.
7
Krishna’s name. Hari is also Krishna’s name, as is Keshava.
8
The names of Krishna’s horses.
9
Satyabhama is Krishna’s third wife. Maghavan is Indra. Indra’s consort is Shachi. Shachi is Puloma’s daughter, thus known as Poulami. Krishna’s mother is Devaki.
10
Gudakesha and Phalguna are Arjuna’s names. Yudhishthira and Bhima were senior in age to Krishna and thus, warranted homage.
11
Krishna. In general, Dasharha is a term for the Yadavas.
12
Dhoumya.
13
Krishna’s name. Literally, the one with eyes like a lotus.
14
By the illustrious lord, one means Shiva. Guha is Kartikeya’s name and Kartikeya is Shiva’s son. The imagery is of Shiva being united with Kartikeya.
15
Arjuna is the one with the diadem on his head. Because of the diadem on his head, Arjuna is known as Kiriti. Gada is Krishna’s younger brother.
16
Krishna is Madhu’s slayer and one of Krishna’s names is Madhusudana.
17
Arjuna.
18
Droupadi. Droupadi’s name is Krishna. This should really be written as Krishnaa, to avoid confusion with Krishna. But we have written Droupadi as Krishna, to keep it simple. From the context, it should be clear whether Krishna or Droupadi is meant.
19
Yudhishthira.
20
The forest of the Kurus, a term for Kurukshetra.
21
Drupada, Droupadi’s father.
22
Anarta was the kingdom of the Yadavas in the northern parts of Gujarat.
23
The Vrishnis were a line of the Yadavas.
24
They are content with their state.
25
Pradyumna is the son of Krishna and Rukmini. Aniruddha is Pradyumna’s son and Krishna’s grandson. Bhanu is the son of Krishna and Satyabhama. This Sunitha is the son of Krishna and Rukmini.
26
Lines of the Yadavas.
27
Madhu was an ancestor of the Yadavas. So Madhus is another term for the Yadavas.
28
Halayudha is the one with a plough (hala) for his weapon (ayudha) and is Balarama’s name.
29
Duryodhana.
30
Soubha’s lord or king was Shalva and the story of Krishna’s destruction of Soubha and Shalva has been recounted in Section 31 (Volume 2).
31
Of the enemy.
32
Another name for Hastinapura.
33
Descendant of the Vrishni lineage, Krishna.
34
Padya and arghya are offered to a guest. The former is water for washing the feet and the latter is a gift.
35
Yudhishthira.
36
Markandeya was descended from Bhrigu’s lineage and is therefore addressed as Bhargava.
37
Brahma.
38
Metaphorically. One had to go through the cycle of rebirth.
39
The new form.
40
The word used is tata, affectionately used for anyone who is younger or junior.
41
That is, seeing the dead body.
42
Tarkshya is a name for both Garuda, and Garuda’s father too. But here, Tarkshya means the sage who was descended from Kashyapa. Arishtanemi was one of Tarkshya’s names.
43
Tarkshya’s son.
44
Tarkshya.