Read Mahabharata: Volume 8 Online
Authors: Bibek Debroy
79
Although not very clearly stated, the sense is that this is also not approved of. In any event, this is not meant for a kshatriya.
80
Again, not meant for kshatriyas.
81
The four stage of life—brahmacharya (celibate stage of being a student), garhasthya (the stage of being a householder), vanaprastha (retiring to the forest) and sannyasa (renunciation).
82
Yama.
83
This mode of life is that of a householder. The three fruits are dharma, artha and kama.
84
Brahma.
85
Because wealth is required to perform sacrifices.
86
Ashvamedha is a horse sacrifice, rajasuya is a royal sacrifice and sarvamedha is a universal sacrifice.
87
The word used is tata.
88
In the sense of kali yuga, or strife and discord.
89
This world and the next.
90
This does not quite fit, since there is not much point invoking recommended conduct for brahmanas.
91
An interpretation that is not obvious should be mentioned. External objects are those outside the body and those are being juxtaposed not just with physical parts of the body, but those that are internal to the body, that is, the mind.
92
That is, the mind.
93
Akshara is syllable, though there are some differences between the English syllable and the Sanskrit syllable, because of the way Sanskrit syllables are constructed. Mama has two syllables and means ‘it is mine’. Na mama has three syllables and means ‘it is not mine’. The sense of ego and ownership leads to death and its reverse leads to the eternal truth.
94
A meaning can be inferred. Since one does not know whether the soul is eternal or not, one ignores that debate and follows the path traversed by ancestors.
95
Yudhishthira.
96
Stoka is another name for the
chataka
bird, which waits for the rains and is believed to survive on drops of water.
97
Deprived of water.
98
The Critical edition says
utkocha
, meaning bribery. Many non-Critical versions say
samkocha
, meaning fear or cowering down. Given the context, samkocha fits better.
99
This is difficult to figure out. The traditional interpretation has been that the Kourava army was superior in three ways—leadership, policy and energy. It was also larger than the Pandava army by four akshouhinis.
100
This is a reference to the conquest by the Pandavas, described in Section 23 (Volume 2). A dvipa is a continent. In the cosmology described in the epics and the Puranas, there are seven dvipas. Jambudvipa is in the centre and Mount Meru is at the centre of Jambudvipa. The other six dvipas are Plakshadvipa, Kushadvipa, Shalmalidvipa, Krounchadvipa, Shakadvipa and Pushkaradvipa. Each dvipa is divided into nine
varsha
s or subcontinents. For example, Bharatavarsha is part of Jambudvipa. While there are some variations in nomenclature across texts, the description given in the text here doesn’t fit the standard cosmology.
101
To state the obvious, there are five senses.
102
Inhalation of fumes through the nose.
103
The other Pandava brothers.
104
Dharma, artha and kama.
105
Danda means both rod and punishment.
Damana
is to control or subdue. There is a common etymology.
106
Brahmanas are punished by chastising them with words, kshatriyas through use of weapons and vaishyas by forcing them to donate out of their riches. However, shudras possess no wealth that can be taken away and they are naturally expected to serve. Therefore, no punishment can be imposed on them.
107
The personification of punishment.
108
Kubera.
109
Surya.
110
Brahma, Dhata and Pushan.
111
Among kshatriyas.
112
That is, they could have remained as householders, instead of retiring to the forest.
113
The suggestion is that studies occur because of the fear of punishment, cows suffer the act of milking because of the fear of punishment and maidens suffer the institution of marriage (as opposed to free love) because of the fear of punishment.
114
Righteous violence is superior to non-violence for the sake of non-violence.
115
This is being used as an extreme case of the sin of killing.
116
The anger of the assassin provokes the anger in the slayer.
117
Meaning, phlegm, bile and wind.
118
Krishnaa, Droupadi.
119
Incidents respectively described in Sections 34, 35 and 42 (Volume 3).
120
The noble lady is Droupadi and this is a reference to the incidents of Section 46 (Volume 4).
121
Birth and death.
122
Droupadi had resolved not to braid her hair until the Kouravas had been killed.
123
Of asking for more.
124
Sustain themselves on the tiger’s prey.
125
Those who survive on grain ground with stones.
126
Those who survive on grain ground with their teeth. Literally, those who use their teeth as mortars.
127
The idea that one can be free from desire, amidst wealth and prosperity.
128
Respectively, the paths followed by the ancestors and by the gods. Pitriyana involves sacrifices and rites. Devayana abandons sacrifices and rites, in favour of inner contemplation.
129
This Janaka is not to be confused with King Janaka who was the father of Sita. Mithila was the capital of both Janakas.
130
Janaka was the king of Videha, Mithila was Videha’s capital.
131
The path of performing sacrifices to the fire.
132
The first three Vedas.
133
Janaka was married to the princess of Kosala.
134
Presumably Janaka’s other wives.
135
Drinking hole, alternatively, refuge.
136
The three staffs tied together, the mark of a mendicant.
137
How will you support your wife?
138
The pledge to support the wife.
139
A forest conflagration is not a sacred fire.
140
As a king, Janaka is supposed to give for charity.
141
From the householders.
142
The mendicants.
143
Despite depending on householders, mendicants criticize them.
144
One can renounce while being a householder and donating.
145
The first three Vedas.
146
The word used is tata.
147
The word used is tata.
148
Ritual action is superior to renunciation and renunciation is superior to austerities. There is something wrong in the text. Arjuna is the one who has advocated ritual action, while Yudhishthira has advocated austerities. Therefore, the ordering ought to be the other way round.
149
The path of the gods.
150
The path of the ancestors. This leads to rebirth.
151
This is a difficult shloka to understand. The body is composed of the five elements, earth, air, water, fire and space. Rejection probably means the rejection of some doctrines.
152
The atman.
153
Through the cycle of death and rebirth, and true knowledge frees one from this cycle.
154
The atman does not exist, or final emancipation does not exist. Therefore, one should devote oneself to action. These shlokas are not very easy to understand and we have taken some liberties.
155
The four ashramas or stages of life.
156
Hermits or anchorites.
157
Sacrifices for the sake of wealth are being condemned. Objects are collected for such sacrifices and it is better not to perform such sacrifices. If sacrifices cannot be performed without wealth, it is best to avoid such sacrifices. Such a pursuit of wealth kills one’s own self, the foetus probably referring to one’s own self in the cycle of rebirth. This is the belief of the vaikhanasas, being contradicted by Devasthana.
158
The riches.
159
The desire for the fruits of sacrifices.
160
Krittivasa is Shiva’s name and means the one who is attired in skins. The word for deeds is
kirti
and there is a pun that a translation misses.
161
The goddess Lakshmi.
162
Indra.
163
The preceptor of the gods.
164
Though not clearly stated, this is the end of Brihaspati’s quote.
165
Follow the right dharma.
166
Of wicked ones.
167
Each era (
manvantara)
is presided over by a Manu. After fourteen manvantaras, the cycle of destruction and creation starts again. In the present cycle of fourteen manvantaras, Svayambhuva Manu was the first and we are now in the seventh manvantara, presided over by Vaivasvata Manu.
168
Until it is time to die.
169
The final liberation.
170
Indra was the son of the sage Kashyapa.
171
The wicked relatives are the demons, also descended from Kashyapa. Indra is believed to have attacked the demons 810 times.
172
Arjuna’s name.
173
Bibhatsu is also one of Arjuna’s names.
174
The world after death.
175
Accounts of Daksha’s creation are not consistent. In one version, Prachetasa was a son born through Brahma’s mental powers and Daksha was the son of Prachetasa.
176
Likhita.
177
The word used is tata.
178
The text uses the word
panya
, which is a commodity that is bought or sold. This might be
punya
, as it is in some non-Critical versions. In that case—the kingdom must be made pure.
179
That is, an accomplished king.
180
Hayagriva, Vajigriva and Ashvagriva mean the same thing.
Griva
is neck and
haya
,
vaji
and
ashva
mean horse.
181
This is Vyasa speaking.
182
This is certainly a reference to sexual desire.
183
The song is being indirectly reported and is therefore not within quotes.
184
The sense is that these relationships are driven by selfish motives and therefore, not permanent.
185
A king.
186
Karna.
187
Bhishma’s.
188
Arjuna’s.
189
This duel between Bhishma (Kouravya) and Parashurama (Bhargava) has been described in Section 60 (Volume 6).
190
Described in Section 60 (Volume 6). The son of the river is Bhishma and the maidens are Amba, Ambika and Ambalika.
191
In the text here, Ugrayudha is a proper name. However, there was no warrior by this name. As an adjective, Ugrayudha may mean a warrior who was fierce in the use of weapons. But that adjective could apply to any warrior.
192
Yudhishthira is addressing Vedavyasa.
193
Yudhishthira lied to Drona that Ashvatthama had been killed. This has been described in Section 71 (Volume 7).
194
Yudhishthira wishes to cleanse himself so that he does not carry forward the sin and be born as a destroyer of the lineage in a future birth. An alternative interpretation is also possible. He does not wish to be reborn as an inferior species, which would also imply a destruction of the lineage.
195
The normal lifespan expected for a man.
196
The king must find an antidote for these suffering subjects.
197
A little bit of liberty has been taken in translating this shloka.
198
Freedom from old age and death.
199
Through the succession of births.
200
Dharma, artha and kama.
201
Alternatively, crocodiles.
202
The science of health and medicine.
203
We have translated this as soul. But this doesn’t mean the atman. It means the
linga-sharira
, the subtle body made out of subtle elements, as opposed to the gross body.