Mahabharata Vol. 1 (Penguin Translated Texts)
Page 53
171 Pain and pleasure, happiness and unhappiness, and so on.
172 Cattle and other animals eat to survive, without making eating the end object.
173 The ascetic and the householder who has learning.
174 As mentioned earlier, Pratardana was also a king.
175 Accept gifts.
176 An arbuda is one hundred million.
177 The apsara’s name.
178 Earth, water, energy, air and the sky.
179 The suggestion is that the son was actually Bharadvaja’s.
180 Fourfold armies include elephants, horses, chariots and infantry.
181 Indus.
182 Samvarana.
183 The word used is vishana, which means both horn (as in trumpet) and tusk.
184Jangala is an arid plain.
185 Different from Janamejaya, Parikshit’s son.
186 Not to be confused with Parikshit, Arjuna’s grandson.
187 Not to be confused with the horse.
188 Designed to ensure conquest (jita) of the world (vishva).
189 The word prach means eastern or easterly.
190 An ayuta is 10,000.
191 The word used is bhastra, which is a leather bag or pouch, usually used for storing water.
192 By giving birth to offspring.
193 The word shanta means to appease, calm, satisy, pacify, cure or alleviate.
194 That is, die.
195 Bhima.
196 Ceremony where the bride chooses her own groom.
197Shulka is price, but this not a marriage where a bride price is paid. Virya means valour, so this is a marriage where the bride is married to the person who exhibits the most valour.
198 Kunti.
199 The word parikshina means diminished, decayed, thin. In this context, even extinct can be used.
200 There doesn’t seem to be much point in telling Janamejaya this. Perhaps the intention is to make the account complete.
201 A sacrifice where offerings of food and water were made.
202 Celestial, terrestrial and subterranean. The river Ganga flows in all three regions.
203 As mentioned earlier, the word shanta means to appease, calm, satisy, pacify, cure or alleviate. With the same etymological root, earlier, a slightly different twist has been given to the name Shantanu, concerning Shantanu’s traits and not those of his father.
204 Lakshmi.
205 Vasishtha.
206 Meaning, one given by Ganga.
207 Ganga. Jahnavi is Ganga’s name because Ganga is Jahnu’s daughter.
208 Indra.
209 Dyou was her husband.
210 Dyou.
211 The moon-god.
212 Indra. Literally, one who sacks cities.
213 Shukra.
214 Brihaspati.
215 Parashurama.
216 Indra.
217 The maintenance of the sacred fire.
218 The word three here accordingly refers to the first three Vedas.
219 The three Vedas.
220 Indra, the performer of a hundred sacrifices.
221 The marriage.
222 Devavrata.
223 The terrible or fearsome one, because of the vow he took. The word bhishma means terrible or fearssome.
224 The gandharva was also named Chitrangada.
225 Maya.
226 That is, through a system of bride price being paid.
227 The eight forms of marriage actually are brahma, daiva, arsha, prajapatya, asura, gandharva, rakshasa and paishacha.
228 Garuda.
229 Vichitravirya.
230 Ganga.
231 Soubha is the name of the kingdom. The king’s name is Shalva.
232 Brihaspati.
233 Indra.
234 Parashurama.
235 The king of the Haihayas was Kartavirya Arjuna.
236 That is, the person who married the mother, not the one who begot the son.
237 The critical edition has eliminated shlokas that tell us Dirghatama was born blind. Hence, the long period of darkness is left unexplained.
238 Dirghatama. One now knows that Dirghatama was blind.
239 This bull among men is Janamejaya. Although Bhishma is now telling the story to Satyavati, it is being retold by Vaishampayana. However, this reference to Janamejaya shouldn’t have been here, since it is Bhishma who is speaking.
240 Vichitravirya’s wives.
241 The word vyasa means to divide or distribute.
242 Satyavati’s name. She was so called because she was dark.
243 Both Ambika and Ambalika, who were princesses from the kingdom of Kashi. Kousalya means a princess of Kosala.
244 Satyavati.
245 The word pandu means pale or white.
246 Satyavati.
247 The word ani means point, usually of a needle.
248 Animandavya was a child when he pierced the insect.
249 Krita Yuga or Satya Yuga, the first of the four yugas and a time when dharma was at its best. The incidents of the Mahabharata occurred during Dvapara Yuga, the third of the yugas.
250 Hastinapura.
251 The word used is kripana. It can also be translated as miserly.
252 Hastinapura.
253 Because he was born of a Shudra woman.
254 Vedavyasa.
255 Bhishma was speaking to Vidura in particular.
256 Bhishma.
257 This is a reference to an incident when the gods refused to give Shiva (Hara) a share in the sacrificial offerings. Shiva ripped out the god Bhaga’s eyes.
258 The adopted father, Kuntibhoja.
259 She would face a difficulty in having sons.
260 The sun-god.
261 The sun-god.
262 Once she was reared by Kuntibhoja, Pritha obtained the name Kunti.
263 His name was Adhiratha.
264Vasu means riches and the riches he was born with were the natural armour and earrings.
265 Indra. Indra was attempting to protect and help Arjuna.
266 A shakti is a spear or lance. But this one was divine.
267 Vikartana is the sun, so Vaikartana means the sun’s son. Karna means the ear.
268 Indra is Maghavan. His wife is Shachi. Since Shachi was Puloma’s daughter, she is Poulomi.
269 Pandu.
270 Hastinapura. Nagapura is another name for Hastinapura, the city of the elephant. The word naga means elephant.
271 Another name for Hastinapura.
272 There are two Kousalyas, Ambika and Ambalika. This one is Ambalika.
273 In this case, father means Bhishma.
274 Ambika and Ambalika.
275 Ambalika.
276 Jayanta is the son of Indra and Shachi.
277 Purandara is Indra and Indra’s elephant is Airavata.
278 Bhishma.
279 The word used is parashava. This means offspring born of a Brahmana father and a Shudra mother. While the word also means bastard, it couldn’t have been used in that sense. Because in that sense of bastard or mixed breed, Dhritarashtra and Pandu were no different.
280 There is a problem with the numbers, since there were only 100 pots.
281 This is a reference to Section 6, Adi-vamshavatarana Parva.
282 Meaning that the enemy was unprepared.
283 Dharma, artha and kama.
284 That is, a different tree for every night.
285 Not beg from more than seven families.
286 A name for Vidura, a man born from a Kshatriya woman and a Shudra man.
287 The four ashramas—brahmacharya, garhasthya, vanaprastha and sannyasa.
288 There is a problem of translation here. What has been translated as superior residents should literally be translated as residents of families. And inferior residents should literally be translated as residents of villages. This doesn’t quite seem right. Hence village is probably being used in an inferior and normative sense.
289 Hastinapura.
290 Alternatively, the primary elements.
291 Mountain with a hundred peaks.
292 Krishna Dvaipayana.
293 These are both heirs and relatives.
294 These are neither heirs, nor relatives. As listed, the number adds up to seven and not six. Nor are the differences very clear. For instance, purchased/bought or gifted/presented occur in both categories. In the first list, the word for purchased is parikrita. In the second list, the word for purchased is krita. The text doesn’t enable us to deduce the difference and is this also the case with gifted/presented.
295 Meaning those of non-human birth.
296 Kalmashapada was Sudasa’s son.
297 Lunar day.
298 A nakshatra.
299 The wind-god.
300 Bhima.
301 Indra.
302 Indra.
303 Agni, or fire. Specifically havya is sacrificial offerings and vahana is the one who bears. Havyavahana is therefore the sacrificial fire into which offerings are placed.
304 Parashurama.
305 Pritha’s son, Arjuna.
306 Bibhatsu is one of Arjuna’s names and means the terrible one.
307 Meaning that she was superior in birth to Kunti.
308 By obtaining more sons than Kunti.
309 Mango.
310 That is, he did not succumb to desire with Kunti.
311 Hastinapura.
312 There were parts of the bodies that had not been burnt. Having said this, there is some contradiction about when the bodies were burnt.
313 The word used is vardhaman, which means increasing. This has been translated as the chief gate. But it is perfectly possible for this to have been the proper name for the gate.
314 Another name for Hastinapura.
315 Dhritarashtra.
316 Another name for Vayu.
317 Indra.
318 This is yet another name for Hastinapura. The word varana means elephant.
319 Ambalika.
320 Duryodhana.
321 Kunti’s son. In this case, Bhima.
322 Duryodhana.
323 Bhima.
324 The word used is sarathi, which usually means charioteer, but also means companion. Charioteer doesn’t make any sense here, companion makes more sense. The companions are Bhima’s brothers.
325 Vidura. It could also mean Yuyutsu.
326 There is a break of continuity in the critical edition and Kripa appears out of the blue. In other editions, we are told that Dhritarashtra wanted to find a teacher for the princes, since they were getting out of control. Kripa, descended from Goutama, was chosen to teach the art of fighting.
327 The word shara means arrow and Sharadvat is one with arrows.
328 The science or knowledge of weapons.
329 The word kripa means compassion. One of the twins was a boy and he was named Kripa. The other one was a girl and she was named Kripi.
330 Kripa.
331 There are four upavedas or minor vedas, of which, dhanurveda is one. Each upaveda is attached to one of the main vedas. The other three upavedas are ayurveda (medicine), gandharvaveda (music) and sthapatyaveda (architecture).
332 There is a break in continuity in the critical edition. Bharadvaja had gone to the Ganga for a bath before making the offerings into the fire.
333Drona. This is usually a wooden vessel.
334 Agniveshya.
335Ashva means horse and sthaman means strength or stamina.
336 Parashurama.
337 Drona.
338 Parashurama.
339 The word used is shrotriya, which can also be translated as a learned Brahmana.
340 Drupada, the king of Panchala.
341 Hastinapura.
342 The word used is vita. I have translated this as ball. But there is no evidence to suggest that this was spherical. In all probability, this was a short piece of wood struck with another long piece of wood, something like a bat. Guli-danda may be the closest approximation.
343 The word used is ishika and means reed. In recounting this particular anecdote, renderings invariably interpret this as reed or grass. However, ishika also means arrow and Drona could have used arrows instead of reeds. There is nothing in the text to counter the arrow interpretation.
344 Radha’s son, Karna.
345 Implying weapons that were held in the hand.
346 Hunter or fisherman. Usually, described as dwelling in the mountains and forests.
347 The text uses the word shabdabheda, which is the art of shooting with the aid of sound alone, without seeing the object. Earlier, there was no suggestion that Ekalavya had not seen the dog when he was shooting the arrows. From the use of this word here, it seems that he had not seen the dog and had only heard it bark.
348 Arjuna.
349 Arjuna.
350 A maharatha is a warrior who can take on 10,000 warriors single-handed. An atiratha can take on 60,000.
351 Kunti’s son. In this case, Yudhishthira.
352 Arjuna.
353 Arjuna.
1 Bhishma.
2 Drona was the sage Bharadvaja’s son.
3 Vidura.
4Vaidurya.
5 Drona.
6 The princes.
7 Some spectators.
8 Duryodhana’s name.
9 Over a female elephant.
10 Kunti.
11 Duryodhana.
12 Name for Arjuna. Phalguna and Phalguni are used synonymously.
13 The arm guard is called a godha. It was made out of leather and fastened to the left arm, to guard against injury from the string of the bow, since most archers were right-handed. A godha is also an alligator or lizard. The finger protector is called angulitrana. It was also used to protect against injury from the bowstring. It resembled a thimble and was usually used on the thumb. But it could also be used on other fingers.
14 Arjuna.
15 Indra.
16 That is, tied to his waist.
17 Paka was a demon and Paka’s punisher is Indra. Arjuna was Indra’s son.
18 The rainbow is called Indra’s bow.
19 Indra. There is a suggestion that is left implicit, but becomes a bit more explicit in the next sentence. Indra was looking down fondly not on the arena in general, but on his son, Arjuna. And the sun especially dispersed the clouds so as to favour his son, Karna.
20 Drona.
21 Kunti.
22 Because the sons of kings do not fight with those who are of an inferior lineage.
23 Karna.
24 With the umbrella, this forms the royal insignia and these whisks were usually made out of yak tails.
25 Duryodhana.
26 Duryodhana’s name.
27 Karna.
28 One of Kartikeya’s epithets.
29 One of the twenty-seven nakshatras, actually consisting of six stars, the Pleiades. The Krittikas reared Kartikeya. Hence, the name.
30 Karna.
31Dakshina, the preceptor’s fee that has to be paid at the end of the learning process.
32 Drupada.
33 Vidura.
34 Kripa.
35 In case the banishing idea was implemented.
36 Ashvatthama.
37 Bhishma, Drona and Kripa.
38 Ashvatthama.
39 The Pandavas.
40 Shiva’s.
41 Dhritarashtra.
42 Ashvatthama.
43 Dhritarashtra.
44 As a sign of respect.
45 Keep them secret.
46 Duryodhana.
47 The word ‘mothers’ is used in a general sense, to indicate all the women who were elderly.
48 Yudhishthira.
49 Pandu.
50 Dhritarashtra.
51 Vidura.
52 Yudhishthira.
53 That is, in a riddle, so that no one else could understand. But Vidura and Yudhishthira were both learned, so Yudhishthira understood what Vidura said. Indeed, the t
ext is such that it is difficult to understand what is being obliquely said, except that a sense of danger is being communicated. But since this was a riddle, that’s probably understandable.
54 The five senses.
55 Yudhishthira.
56 Vidura.
57 A nakshatra.
58 Victory.
59 Indra.
60 Meaning the Kshatriyas.
61 As will become clear, this was not the house Purochana had built.
62 Pritha’s son. In this context, Bhimasena.
63 Duryodhana.
64 Purochana.
65Khanaka. Miner is more accurate as a translation. But in this context, digger seems more appropriate.
66 Yudhishthira.
67 The lunar month’s darker fortnight.
68 A non-Aryan or barbarian. However, a mleccha was actually someone who spoke in a language other than Sanskrit. There is a problem with the critical edition here. In other editions, Vidura spoke to Yudhishthira in mleccha language, so this reference makes sense. However, in the critical edition, Vidura speaking to Yudhishthira in the mleccha language has been excised and what has been left is Vidura speaking to Yudhishthira in a riddle. So this reference doesn’t quite fit.