Read THE MAHABHARATA: A Modern Rendering, Vol 2 Online
Authors: Ramesh Menon
1. In this section, Arjuna questions Krishna further about the Gita that the Avatara revealed to him before the war. There is a spiritual discourse of some 70 pages by Krishna, called the Anugita: the little Gita.
1. Ganguli: The rakshasas who had gathered in that room, invisibly, melted away.
2. Ganguli: Sixty-thousand camels, a hundred thousand elephants, a hundred and twenty thousand horses and as many chariots. The mules and men that helped carry the treasure were countless.
3. The Ganguli translation lists the sons and grandsons of the Trigartas, Bhagadatta’s son Vajradatta of Pragjyotishapura, the Saindhavas or Sindhus, his own son Babhruvahana of Manipura, Jarasandha’s grandson Meghasandhi of Magadha, Sishupala’s son Sarabha of Chedi, the Kasis, the Angas, the Kosalas, the Kiratas, the Tanganas, Chitrangada of the Dasarnas, Ekalavya’s son—king of the Nishadas—the Dravids, Andhras, Mahishakas, the hillmen of Kolwa and the Surashtras. In Dwaraka, the Yadava youths arrest the horse’s carren, but Ugrasena comes out and forbids them.
The Gandharas and Shakuni’s son: all these resist Arjuna and he defeats them in battle.
4. See Appendix to discover who the mongoose was.
1. Ganguli says some went back to Devaloka, others to Brahmaloka, some to Varunaloka, some to the realm of Kubera and others to Surya Deva’s world. Some returned to the worlds of the rakshasas and pisachas, while celestials spirited others away in their vimanas.
2. Actually, the fire began as Dhritarashtra’s sacrificial fire, which his yajaka brahmanas allowed to spread by their carelessness. Thus, the old king met death by being united with his own sacred fire on the banks of the Ganga. It was an auspicious and blessed passing.
1. See Appendix.
1. Yudhishtira once asks Krishna why Arjuna’s life had been such a restless one, when he was perfect in every respect, with every auspicious mark on his body. Krishna replies that he agreed Arjuna was almost perfect, but his cheekbones were slightly high: this is why he led a life of frequent wandering. Draupadi, who is there, flashes an angry glare at Krishna! She can never bear anyone saying a word against her precious Arjuna. (Also, Krishna always calls Panchali ‘sakhi’ in the Sanskrit text—’friend’.)
1. See Appendix.
Table of Contents
Copyright © 2006 by Ramesh Menon
TWOA CHOICE FOR TWO KSHATRIYAS
THREE‘EVERYONE SEEMS TO KNOW ME’
EIGHTSANJAYA DELIVERS A MESSAGE
NINE‘NOT LAND TO COVER THE POINT OF A NEEDLE’
TENA SECOND COUNCIL IN UPAPLAVYA
ELEVENKRISHNA ARRIVES IN HASTINAPURA
THIRTEENIN THE COURT OF HASTINAPURA
FOURTEENDURYODHANA AND KRISHNA
NINETEENON THE BANKS OF YAMUNA
TWENTY‘COME AWAY TO YOUR BROTHERS’
TWENTY-ONE FOR LOVE OF HIS FRIEND
ELEVENTHE SECOND DAY: TWO KRAUNCHAS
TWELVETHE THIRD DAY: THE EAGLE AND THE CRESCENT
THIRTEENTHE FOURTH DAY: BHEEMA AND HIS SON
FOURTEENTHE FIFTH AND SIXTH DAYS
FIFTEENTHE SEVENTH DAY: MANY DUELS
SIXTEENTHE EIGHTH DAY:THE FIELD OF DEATH
EIGHTEENTHE NINTH DAY:THE TERRIBLE PATRIARCH
NINETEENTHE LAST NIGHT OF AN AGE
FOURTEENARJUNA THE MAGNIFICENT
FIFTEENAT THE RIM OF THE RED LOTUS
SIXTEENDEEP INTO THE ENEMY’S ARMY
SEVENTEENTHE SOUND OF KRISHNA’S CONCH
TWENTY-TWO SATYAKI AND BHOORISRAVAS
TWENTY-FIVEKARNA, KRIPA AND ASWATTHAMA
TWENTY-SEVENGHATOTKACHA RULES THE NIGHT
ONEWITH DHRITARASHTRA AND GANDHARI
BOOKS TWELVE AND THIRTEENSHANTI PARVA & ANUSASANA PARVA1
BOOK FIFTEENASRAMAVASIKA PARVA
BOOK SEVENTEENMAHAPRASTHANIKA PARVA