by Bibek Debroy
498 The act of accepting a priesthood.
499 Those performed by priests.
500 The mantra known as Narayana-kavacha (armour).
501 This is known as anga-nyasa, the mental appropriation (nyasa) of different limbs of the body (anga) to different divinities. The two mantras are Oum namo Narayanaya (with eight aksharas) and Oum namo bhagavate Vasudevaya (with twelve aksharas).
502 Thus identified with the eight aksharas.
503 The apportioning of the twelve aksharas to different parts of the hands, kara means hand.
504 It starts with the index finger of the right hand and ends with the index finger of the left hand, accounting for eight aksharas. The last four aksharas are for the joints of the thumbs.
505 This is the mantra Oum Vishnave namah, with six aksharas.
506 Phat is the sound made by snapping the middle finger and thumb at the end, meant to ward off evil spirits.
507 Sovereignty, dharma, glory, prosperity, knowledge and detachment.
508 This is the Narayana-kavacha.
509 The siddhis.
510 The asura women had miscarriages.
511 In the varaha form.
512 Boar.
513 Parashurama.
514 Rama.
515 Narada. Interpretations list out thirty-two different kinds of transgressions, but there is no need to list those.
516 Balarama, in the form of Shesha. Krodhavashas are angry and virulent serpents.
517 Day and night are divided into eight yamas, each yama is a period of three hours.
518 The second yama, after dawn.
519 Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
520 Kushmandas are evil spirits, vainayakas/vinayakas are evil leaders who cause obstacles, and grahas are evil imps that especially prey on children.
521 Pramathas are beings that torment, matrikas pretend to be mothers and prey on infants, evil brahmanas means brahmanas who have become rakshasas.
522 Vishvarupa is also known as Trishira, because of his three heads. His father was Tvashta and his mother was Rochana (sometimes also referred to as Rupavati).
523 That the asuras would become powerful.
524 A kapinjala is the Jacobin cuckoo (or francoline partridge), a kalavinka is the sparrow (or Indian cuckoo) and a tittiri is a partridge.
525 Hari is also one of Indra’s names.
526 By rain.
527 Even at the time of pregnancy.
528 Vritra means darkness. He enveloped the worlds with his darkness.
529 The text uses both astra and shastra. These are both weapons and the words are often used synonymously. However, an astra is a weapon that is hurled or released, while a shastra is held in the hand.
530 A dog may be able to swim. But one cannot cross an ocean by hanging on to a dog’s tail.
531 This is a reference to the matsya (fish) avatara.
532 The three gunas or the three worlds.
533 This is a difficult shloka and has many interpretations. The way we have translated it, questions are being raised about how independent one’s own karma is, as opposed to be being determined by a superior force. The subsequent shlokas are also difficult to translate.
534 After everything else has been eliminated.
535 Interpreted as someone who maintains the three worlds.
536 Such as half-man–half-lion.
537 That is, shastras.
538 Also known as Dadhicha or Dadhichi.
539 Literally, the head (shira) of a horse (ashva). Dadhyan had imparted this knowledge to the two Ashvins when he had temporarily assumed the head of a horse.
540 The Narayana-kavacha.
541 Dadhyan.
542 It is a hardship that people do not follow this principle.
543 Indra.
544 A shataghni was a weapon that could kill one hundred at the same time and could have been a giant catapult. A bhushundi was a catapult, probably smaller in size.
545 Vritra’s.
546 Indra’s.
547 Vritra.
548 Trishira.
549 This is similar to Bhagavad Gita 18.78.
550 Dharma, artha and kama.
551 Vishnu.
552 Indra.
553 Of victory and defeat.
554 Mountains were once believed to possess wings.
555 The Himalayas.
556 It took one year for the head to be brought down.
557 It was the killing of a brahmana.
558 A pulkasa (equivalently pukkasa) is the son of a nishada father and a shudra mother.
559 Vrishakapi is a name for others too. But in this context, it is one of Indra’s names.
560 Heaven.
561 Nahusha desired Shachi, Indra’s wife. He also ill-treated brahmanas like Agastya. Therefore, he was condemned that he would be born as a serpent. The story is told in the Mahabharata.
562 Indra.
563 Since this was the north-eastern direction, the divinity is Rudra.
564 Therefore, he did not remember Krishna because he was scared. That is yet another apparent contradiction.
565 Chitraketu.
566 Chitraketu.
567 For a man, the seven constituents are the five subtle elements, Mahat and ahamkara. For a king, the seven objects are ministers, allies, the treasury, territory, forts, the army and the kingship.
568 Trade guilds.
569 An oblation of rice, barley and pulses, cooked in butter and milk.
570 After what had been offered to Tvashta.
571 She is addressing her son now.
572 Yama.
573 The bodies of the mother and the father.
574 The atman.
575 Sanatkumara.
576 Parashurama.
577 An Upanishad that is in the form of a mantra. This will be stated a little later.
578 Shiva.
579 Not the dead body, but the spirit of the dead prince, the jivatman.
580 One can deduce this is a reference to Angiras, who had implicitly suggested that none of the other wives would have children.
581 Angiras and Narada.
582 Another name for the Yamuna.
583 Angiras and Narada.
584 The mantra.
585 Of material existence. That is, he is above them.
586 When they are destroyed. In that way, everything merges into the brahman.
587 Chitraketu.
588 Required to form words.
589 Interpreted as earth, water, fire, air, space, ahamkara and Mahat.
590 Two paramanus constitute one anu.
591 The infinite one.
592 Which are therefore infertile and do not yield fruits.
593 A wicked person, a chandala.
594 Narada.
595 Contrary to expectation, along the path of pravritti.
596 The path of nivritti.
597 The three states of being awake, asleep and in deep sleep.
598 A kulachala is a great mountain and the Indra among kulachalas is Sumeru.
599 Chitraketu.
600 Brahma.
601 Sanaka, Sananda, Sanatana and Sanatkumara.
602 Hara, Shiva.
603 Worst among kshatriyas, one who is a kshatriya only in name.
604 Parvati.
605 Girisha means someone who resides in a mountain. Hence, Shiva and Parvati.
606 Rudra’s consort, Parvati.
607 Sanatkumara.
608 Chitraketu.
609 Chitraketu.
610 Savita is the fifth of Aditi’s sons. Savitri is the deity of the savitri mantra. Vyahriti means the words bhuh, bhuvah and svah, uttered after Oum and here, Vyahriti means the deity of vyahitri. Trayi is the deity of the three Vedas, Rig Veda, Sama Veda and Yajur Veda. Agnihotra is the deity when oblations are offered into the fire, Pashu is the deity when animals are sacrificed and Soma is the deity of soma sacrifices. Chaturmasya is a sacrifice performed once every four months, at the beginning of s
ummer, the rainy season and winter. Here, Chaturmasya is the deity for such sacrifices. There are five great sacrifices (mahamakhas) and each has a deity. Therefore, Prishni had nine sons. The five great sacrifices are brahma-yajna (sacrificing to the sages), pitri-yajna (offering oblations to ancestors), deva-yajna (offering oblations to gods), nri-yajna (offering food and shelter to humans/guests) and bhuta-yajna (offering food and shelter to non-human species).
611 Sinivali is the deity (and the day) for the day preceding the night of the new moon, Kuhu is the deity (and the day) for the night of the new moon, Raka is the deity (and the day) for the night of the full moon and Anumati is the deity (and the day) for the fourteenth night of shukla paksha. Sayam is the deity for evening, Prata is the deity for morning, Darsha is the deity for the night of the new moon and Purnamasa is the deity for the night of the full moon.
612 Samantara is another name for Vidhatri. There are five fire gods known as Purishyas.
613 Because Bhrigu had earlier been born as one of Brahma’s sons, through Brahma’s mental powers.
614 Valmika is an anthill or termite hill. Valmiki was actually Varuna’s son. However, since he was covered in an anthill or termite hill, he seemed to have been born from this.
615 Urvashi is an apsara. When they saw Urvashi, Mitra and Varuna deposited their semen in a pot and Agastya and Vasishtha were born from this.
616 In the form of vamana (dwarf). This will be described in the Eighth Skandha.
617 Bali’s character, in the Eighth Skandha.
618 Shiva.
619 Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu.
620 Indra.
621 Because Indra is Aditi’s son.
622 A dead body is known as worms, because if buried, it is eaten by worms. It is known as excrement because it can be eaten up by predatory beasts and birds. It is known as ashes, because it can also be burnt.
623 A vow that yields a son.
624 Indra.
625 The name is derived from ‘Ma rud’, ‘Do not cry’.
626 Indra.
627 Shrinivasa means Shri’s abode and is one of Vishnu’s names.
628 There were forty-nine Maruts.
629 She had gone to sleep.
630 The success is secondary, because that was not the intention behind the worship.
631 November–December.
632 These are objects offered to Vishnu. Arghya is a gift, padya is water for washing the feet, the other ‘water’ means water for rinsing the mouth, ‘bath’ means water for having a bath.
633 Oum namo bhagavate maha-purushaya maha-vibhuti-pataye svaha.
634 Shri.
635 This is a sequel to the first round of worship.
636 The mantra.
637 On grounds of ill health, or the monthly cycle.
638 October–November.
639 This has been interpreted as the recommended modes for cooking food offered at sacrifices. However, paka-yajna also means a simple sacrifice undertaken at home and that seems to be a better meaning.
640 Krishna Dvaipayana Vedavyasa.
641 Such as the asuras.
642 And not in terms of deceptive differences.
643 Narada.
644 Ajatashatru is Yudhishthira and the reference is to Yudhishthira’s royal sacrifice.
645 At the royal sacrifice, when Krishna killed Shishupala, the lord of Chedi, Shishupala’s atman merged into Krishna’s body.
646 King Vena, an evil king, was killed by the brahmanas. King Prithu was Vena’s son.
647 Damaghosha was Shishupala’s father.
648 Dantavakra was Shishupala’s cousin. He wasn’t present at the royal sacrifice and was killed by Krishna later. Therefore, there is an inconsistency in the way this is stated.
649 This is a reference to predatory wasps, which lay an egg on a prey (as food for the offspring) and then seal the nest.
650 The worm thinks about the wasp and assumes the form of the wasp. Similarly, one is drawn close to Vishnu.
651 Wives of cowherds (gopas).
652 The Pandavas.
653 Shishupala was the son of Shrutashrava, Kunti’s sister. Dantavakra was the son of Shrutadeva, also Kunti’s sister.
654 Marichi and the other sages.
655 Jaya and Vijaya.
656 Vishnu.
657 The sages.
658 The half-man–half-lion incarnation.
659 Hiranyakashipu.
660 Vishnu.
661 Hiranyakashipu.
662 One with two heads.
663 One with one hundred arms.
664 One with the head of a horse.
665 A reference to the gods.
666 A boar.
667 This is specifically addressed to Diti.
668 Their reflection in the water.
669 Though the plural is used, Yama means himself, in the form of a boy.
670 Such as riches lost along the way, which may be regained. The text doesn’t indicate whether something animate or inanimate is meant. But the purport is identical.
671 Sparrow or shrike.
672 This is Hiranyakashipu’s resolution, as reported by the gods. Parameshthi is Brahma.
673 The implicit suggestion is that Brahma’s position is also temporary.
674 Dharma leading to bad consequences, adharma leading to good consequences, demons residing in heaven, gods residing in the nether regions and so on.
675 This causes problems of interpretations that are not easily solvable. Hiranyakashipu seems to think that positions occupied by devotees of Vishnu (Vaishnavas) and Vishnu’s world are destroyed at the end of a kalpa. He also seems to think that Brahma’s position is not destroyed at the end of a kalpa and therefore, he would prefer that. Irrespective of whether this is true or not, this contradicts what he has himself stated earlier.
676 Agnishtoma, atyagnishtoma, ukthya, shodashi, vajapeya, atiratra and aptoryama.
677 There were four classes of priests, though the classification varied over time. The hotri is the chief priest and is accomplished in the Rig Veda. The adhvaryu is the assistant priest and is accomplished in the Yajur Veda, though later, the udgatri came to be identified with the Sama Veda. In addition, there was the brahmana or purohita.
678 There are units for measuring time and lava is one of these. The details have been given in the Third Skandha.
679 Kala.
680 There is an interpretation we have glossed over. The text uses the words chit and achit. Chit is interpreted as true knowledge that is internal, while achit is external and represents the power of maya.
681 Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
682 The rivers.
683 Flowers and fruits.
684 Sanaka, Sananda, Sanatana and Sanatkumara.
685 Of material objects.
686 Hari.
687 Hari.
688 Shukracharya.
689 Of identification with the body.
690 Hari.
691 As in danda, the other three being sama, dana and bheda.
692 Of the sandalwood trees.
693 Dharma, artha and kama.
694 The four principles are interpreted as sama, dana, danda and bheda. However, since dharma, artha and kama have just been mentioned, it seems to us that the four principles should be interpreted as dharma, artha, kama and moksha.
695 In the singular, so probably addressed to Shanda.
696 One who is a brahmana only in name, worst among brahmanas.
697 A reference to birth and death in the cycle of samsara.
698 Demons.
699 Shunahshepa was the son of the sage Ajigarta and was sold by his father to King Harishchandra, for a sacrifice. He was subsequently saved by the sage Vishvamitra and never forgave his father.
700 Shukracharya.
701 To play.
702 Material objects and wealth.
703 Intercourse and food.
704 Relating to adhidaivika (destiny), adhibhoutika (nature) and adhyatmika (one’
s own nature).
705 This can be interpreted as, does not know his atman.
706 Artha and kama.
707 Hiranyakashipu.
708 Of killing the infant.
709 Birth, existence, growth, maturity, decay and death.
710 Eternal, without decay, pure, one, witness, refuge, no transformation, self-illuminating, cause, pervasive, without attachment and without being covered.
711 The eight prakritis are the original Prakriti, Mahat, ahamkara and the five subtle elements. The three gunas are sattva, rajas and tamas. The sixteen transformations mean the five gross elements, five senses, five organs of action and the mind.
712 This is a reference to the four states of consciousness—wakefulness (jagrata), dreaming (svapna), deep sleep (sushupti) and pure consciousness (turiya). While this has been interpreted in many ways, to us, intelligence seems to mean the turiya stage.
713 Narada.
714 This is interpreted as offering everything obtained to the preceptor, but that isn’t obvious. Everything obtained can also be offered to Krishna.
715 The six vices, kama (desire), krodha (anger), lobha (avarice), moha (delusion), mada (pride) and matsarya (jealousy).
716 The devotee.
717 Taking them to be Krishna.
718 The illustrious one’s.
719 After death, such as worms and predatory creatures.
720 The atman, it embraces another body.
721 The area around Vrindavana, but in general, any area where there are settlements of cowherds.
722 Meaning Shanda.
723 Hiranyakashipu’s.
724 The six vices, kama (desire), krodha (anger), lobha (avarice), moha (delusion), mada (pride) and matsarya (jealousy).
725 Hiranyakashipu.
726 Garuda.
727 The wielder (dhara) of the club (gada), Hari.
728 By Hiranyakashipu.
729 Nri-Hari, that is, Nrisimha.
730 At the sound of the laughter, Hiranyakashipu closed his eyes in terror.
731 The austerities, stolen by Hiranyakashipu.
732 Vidya means knowledge. Thus vidyadhara, one who holds knowledge.
733 Narahari, Nara-Hari, is the same as Nri-Hari. Panchatva simply means death, that is, when the body is separated into the five elements. But there is another meaning too. A living being has four states—waking, dreaming, sleeping and turiya. Turiya is the fourth state, when one perceives union between the human soul atman and the brahman. Panchatva is the fifth state, beyond turiya. Twenty-four principles of samkhya are Prakriti, Mahat, ahamkara, the five gross elements, the five subtle elements, five organs of sense, five organs of action and the mind. Thus, Purusha is the twenty-fifth.