Read Mahabharata: Volume 8 Online
Authors: Bibek Debroy
1
Brahmana is a text and also the word used for the highest caste.
2
A class of religious and philosophical texts that are composed in the forest, or are meant to be studied when one retires to the forest.
3
The six Vedangas are
shiksha
(articulation and pronunciation),
chhanda
(prosody),
vyakarana
(grammar),
nirukta
(etymology),
jyotisha
(astronomy) and
kalpa
(rituals).
4
Religion, duty.
5
Wealth. But in general, any object of the senses.
6
Desire.
7
Release from the cycle of rebirth.
8
Anukramanika is sometimes called Anukramani.
9
Krishna or Krishnaa is another name for Droupadi.
1
Ashvatthama, Kripa and Kritavarma.
2
The camp of the Kouravas.
3
Duryodhana.
4
Sanjaya was the son of Gavalgana.
5
Dhritarashtra and Gandhari.
6
The word used is
tata.
This means son, but is affectionately used towards anyone who is younger or junior.
7
In the duel with the clubs, Bhima struck Duryodhana below the waist and on the thighs, something not sanctioned by the code of fair fighting. This has been described in Section 77 (Volume 7).
8
Nyagrodha
, the banyan tree, the Indian fig tree.
9
Mountain behind which the sun sets.
10
Because there was darkness before the universe was created.
11
Nakshatras are specific, while stars are general. There are twenty-seven specific nakshatras and some of these are collections of stars, rather than individual stars. Therefore, stars are mentioned in addition to nakshatras.
12
Kritavarma.
13
The word used is
vayasa
. This means crow, but can be applied to a bird in general. However, subsequently, the word
kaka
is used. This specifically means a crow.
14
Ashvatthama.
15
Garuda’s name.
16
Duryodhana, described in Section 77 (Volume 7).
17
Their camps.
18
Kripa. Kripa’s sister, Kripi, was Drona’s wife and Ashvatthama’s mother.
19
Ashvatthama.
20
Akshouhini
s.
21
Ashvatthama, Kripa and Kritavarma had also eventually headed towards the east.
22
In the sense of destiny.
23
This probably implies engaging in action and withdrawing from action.
24
Human action and destiny.
25
Kritavarma.
26
Brahma.
27
Duryodhana.
28
Indra.
29
Pinaka is the name of Shiva’s bow or trident.
30
Kripa.
31
This is in the singular and is specifically addressed to Kripa.
32
The word used is tata. This means son, but is affectionately used towards anyone who is younger or junior.
33
The text uses the word Pavaki, Pavaka’s (Agni, the fire god) son. This means Kartikeya.
34
The camp of the Panchalas and the Pandavas.
35
Probably meaning Indra.
36
Though not explicitly stated, this is Sanjaya speaking again. Ashvatthama’s mother was Kripi, Kripa’s sister. Kripa was hence his maternal uncle.
37
Duryodhana.
38
In the sense of serving superiors, elders and preceptors.
39
In the sense of friend.
40
The word used is tata.
41
As a token of surrender.
42
Again as a sign of surrender.
43
Of dharma.
44
Satyaki.
45
Of dharma.
46
Krishnas.
47
Vadava
is a mare and the subterranean fire, in the waters, is
vadavamukha
, shaped like a mare’s head.
48
Shiva’s name.
49
Rudra and Hara are Shiva’s names. At the time of Daksha’s sacrifice, Shiva plucked out Bhaga’s eyes. Girisha is also Shiva’s name.
50
The fierce one.
51
The immobile one.
52
The lord of the mountains.
53
Varada means one who is the granter of boons.
54
The excellent one, the one who brings into existence.
55
Meaning, the creator of the universe.
56
The one with a dark neck.
57
The one without birth.
58
The destroyer of a sacrifice, referring to Daksha’s sacrifice.
59
One whose form is the universe.
60
The one with deformed eyes.
61
One with many forms.
62
Uma’s consort.
63
One who dwells in cremation grounds.
64
Gana
s are demonic beings who are Shiva’s followers. Ganapati is the lord or leader of ganas, while Mahaganapati is a great Ganapati.
65
The wielder of
khattanga
, a staff with a skull at the top.
66
The one with a shaved head.
67
The one with matted hair.
68
City of the demons, destroyed by Shiva.
69
The deep-red one.
70
The blue-necked one.
71
The one who is not mixed.
72
The irresistible one.
73
The seed.
74
The creator of the universe.
75
Here the lord of the ganas means Kubera. That is, Kubera looks towards Shiva.
76
Gouri is another name for Uma/Parvati.
77
Before Ashvatthama.
78
The word used is
makara.
79
The word used is
koka
. This can mean wolf, frog, or house-lizard.
80
Unidentified weapon that could kill one hundred people at one go.
81
Kind of musical instrument, a variety of drum.
82
Those born from wombs, those born from eggs, those born from sweat (insects and worms) and plants and trees.
83
Compassion, forgiveness, cleanliness, lack of jealousy, altruism, lack of greed, purity and self-control.
84
There are actually six kinds of taste—sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent. Here, bitter and astringent are probably being left out.
85
Meaning, Shiva.
86
The fire.
87
Shiva entered Ashvatthama’s body.
88
Mahadeva.
89
The opponents.
90
The Panchalas.
91
Dhrishtadyumna.
92
Ashvatthama.
93
Ashvatthama.
94
Divine weapon named after Rudra, Shiva.
95
Ashvatthama.
96
In
Dhanurveda
, there were many techniques (motions) of fighting with the sword and it is not immediately obvious which three are meant.
97
Droupadi’s son through Yudhishthira.
98
Droupadi’s son through Bhima.
99
Ashvatthama.
100
Ashvatthama severed Shatanika’s head.
101
Droupadi’s son through Sahadeva.
102
Droupadi’s son through Arjuna.
103
Shikhandi.
104
Shikhandi.
105
The text uses the word Kaali, a natural translation being the goddess. However, since the goddess Kali is unusual in the Mahabharata, a dark personification of the night is also possible.
106
Killed by Ashvatthama.
107
The earlier reference was to one thousand moons.
108
Yakshas are semi-divine species and companions of Kubera, the god of treasure.
109
They had not realized that it was Ashvatthama.
110
Gandharvas are celestial musicians and semi-divine.
111
Shiva.
112
Kukshila
, a specific kind of evil spirit.
113
Kripa and Kritavarma.
114
In Section 77 (Volume 7), we have been told that the Pandavas, Krishna and Satyaki had gone to the Kourava camp.
115
Indra is the lord of the Maruts.
116
Ashvatthama, Kripa and Kritavarma.
117
Ashvatthama.
118
Duryodhana.
119
After he was dead. The word used is
shalavrika
, which we have interpreted as jackal. It is also possible to break this up into
shala
and
vrika
and interpret it as jackals and wolves separately.
120
Akshouhinis.
121
That is, kings.
122
Samkarshana is Balarama’s name.
123
Kubera.
124
Balarama.
125
Dhritarashtra.
126
Those who have died earlier.
127
Drona.
128
Dhrishtadyumna.
129
Indra.
130
Hastinapura.
131
Vedavyasa had given Sanjaya divine sight, so that he could witness events without physically being present and also divine the thoughts of others.
132
Dhritarashtra.
1
Yudhishthira is speaking these words.
2
Referring to the enemy.
3
Worn by the warriors, the comparison is with gems in the ocean.
4
In the waves.
5
Krishnaa, Droupadi.
6
Drupada was killed much earlier, by Drona in Section 71 (Volume 6), though Droupadi might not have known this.
7
Yudhishthira’s name.
8
Yudhishthira’s.
9
Droupadi.
10
Abhimanyu.
11
Act of giving up one’s life by fasting to death.
12
Shambara was a demon killed by Indra.
13
A reference to the incidents in Section 8 (Volume 1).
14
The incidents of Section 9 (Volume 1). However, Droupadi wasn’t around then.
15
Kichaka was slain by Bhima in Section 46 (Volume 4). Maghavan is Indra and Indra’s wife is Shachi or Poulami, the daughter of Puloma, a demon. Indra killed Puloma.
16
The weapon.
17
That it had been given to Arjuna.
18
Dvaravati is another name for Dvaraka.
19
Krishna spoke these words to Ashvatthama.
20
Described in Section 31 (Volume 2).
21
That is, Arjuna never asked for those weapons.
22
One of Krishna’s wives.
23
One of the four mental sons born to Brahma. Sanatkumara is believed to have been born as Pradyumna.
24
Balarama.
25
Gada was Krishna’s brother. Samba was Krishna’s son, through Jambavati.
26
The word used is tata. It means son, but is affectionately used for anyone who is younger or junior.
27
These are the names of Krishna’s horses. Sainya and Sugriva, the two main horses, were on the inside. Meghapushpa and Balahaka were on the extreme left and extreme right.
28
The architect of the gods.
29
Garuda. Garuda sits astride Vishnu’s standard.
30
Arjuna and Yudhishthira ascended the same chariot.
31
The name of Vishnu/Krishna’s bow, literally meaning a bow made out of horn.
32
Bhima.
33
Ganga.
34
Divine weapons could be invoked on any object with the use of mantras.