by Bibek Debroy
1243 Loose woman.
1244 Fire, dogs or vultures depends on how it is disposed of after death.
1245 Kama (desire), krodha (anger), lobha (avarice), moha (delusion), mada (arrogance) and matsarya (jealousy). Alternatively, the five senses and the mind.
1246 Sages confer internal vision.
1247 Pururava’s name, one that occurs rarely.
1248 That is, Brihaspati.
1249 Parvati.
1250 Karmakanda stands for ritualistic worship.
1251 Interpreted as an image made out of earth.
1252 The first is a physical bath. The second is a figurative bath.
1253 Or sandalwood paste.
1254 Avahana is invoking the deity’s presence, udvasa/visarjana is bidding farewell.
1255 This can be interpreted in different ways. For example, there are the twenty-five tattvas of samkhya—five tanmatras, five great elements, five senses of action, five senses of perception, the mind, buddhi, ahamkara, Prakriti and Purusha. These, or the respective divinities, are worshipped with the corresponding mantras.
1256 These three vessels contain water for washing the deity’s feet (padya), washing the hands (arghya) and rinsing the mouth (achamaniya).
1257 The nine powers are vimala (purity), utkarshni (exalted state), jnana, kriya (activity), yoga, prahvi (modesty), satya, ishana (sovereignty) and anugraha (grace).
1258 There are eight attendants in eight directions, with Garuda standing in front.
1259 Ushira is the root of the fragrant grass Andropogon muricatus.
1260 Svarnagharmanuvaka is from the Taittiriya Aranyaka, mahapurusha vidya is a specific mantra and rajana and rouhina are hymns from the Sama Veda.
1261 This can mean grain of any kind. But it is specifically used for threshed and winnowed rice that has not been dehusked.
1262 Naivedya is a general term for offerings of food. We have translated guda as candy made out of molasses, apupa as sweet cakes and modaka as dumpling. Shashkuli is a cake made out of rice or barley, supa can only be translated as soup and samyava is a kind of cake.
1263 Interpretations explain that a sacrifice is not meant for everyone.
1264 For the kindling.
1265 The main mantra is oum namo narayanaya. The sixteen refers to the sixteen verses of the purusha sukta. After each verse, the mantra for the corresponding deity is chanted.
1266 Yama.
1267 The text merely states svishti, we have added the mantra for clarity.
1268 Donations, constructing temples and performing worship.
1269 Of the body.
1270 Creation, preservation and destruction.
1271 The sun is impartial.
1272 Who goes through the cycle of birth and death?
1273 There are many complicated intepretations here. Stated simply, the jivatman, in the absence of knowledge, suffers from ahamkara and goes through samsara, suffering the consequences of karma.
1274 Wakefulness, sleeping and sushupti.
1275 Therefore, this body does not make an existence merely because it is called a body.
1276 In an earlier life.
1277 Past karma, or destiny.
1278 That karma works on him.
1279 Yoga has eight elements—yama (restraint), niyama (rituals), asana (posture), pranayama (breathing), pratyahara (withdrawal), dharana (retention), dhyana (meditation) and samadhi (liberation). That’s the reason the expression ashtanga (eight-formed) yoga is used.
1280 Who are therefore not devoted to you.
1281 Like those in the Ramayana.
1282 As a preceptor outside the body and as consciousness inside the body.
1283 Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Alternatively, this can also be interpreted as sattva, rajas and tamas.
1284 Krishna.
1285 Or journeys.
1286 Pedantically, a chandala is the son of a brahmana mother and a shudra father. A pulkasa (equivalently pukkasa) is the son of a nishada father and a shudra mother.
1287 Dharma, artha, kama and moksha.
1288 By kings.
1289 A reference to the Ganga.
1290 Sattva, rajas and tamas.
1291 Badarikashrama.
1292 This is the place where Krishna killed Shankhasura/Shankhachuda, now known as Bet Dwarka.
1293 Maireya is made from molasses or grain.
1294 Not to be confused with Subhadraa.
1295 One of these Gadas was Krishna’s brother, the other one was Krishna’s son.
1296 Krishna and Balarama.
1297 Meaning the Yadavas.
1298 The bit that was swallowed by the fish, mentioned in Chapter 11(1).
1299 Suggesting that Krishna gave up his four-armed form.
1300 Agneyi is a process used by yogis to destroy the physical body, which they then leave. In this, a process of yoga is used to make the body burst out in spontaneous flames, so that it is destroyed. However, Krishna did not use this technique.
1301 Jara.
1302 Krishna’s father.
1303 Such as the Bhagavat Gita.
1304 Those who had no descendants who could perform the funeral rites.
1305 Aniruddha’s son.
1306 In Hastinapura.
1307 In Chapter 9(22), he has been referred to as Ripunjaya.
1308 Pradyota established a dynasty in Avanti and was a contemporary of Bimbisara, who established the Magadhan empire (the Shishunaga dynasty), after the end of the Brihadratha dynasty.
1309 The text does not suggest that Nandivardhana’s son will be Shishunaga.
1310 A great amount of treasure is mahapadma and this is thus Mahapadma Nanda.
1311 The allusion is to Bhargava Parashurama destroying kshatriyas.
1312 This brahmana should be Chanakya/Koutilya, but there was no question of the Nandas having trusted him. Alternatively, this brahmana might mean Rakshasa, Nanda’s minister.
1313 The name of Agnimitra’s father, Pushyamitra, is missing in the text. Hence, the text mentions ten kings of the Shunga dynasty, but only names nine. Pushyamitra killed Brihadratha and established the Shunga dynasty.
1314 While this means shudra, it also means outcast.
1315 The text uses Bali as a proper name. Other Puranas use Bali as an adjective, meaning powerful, and state the name as Simuka.
1316 The names listed actually fall short of thirty. But thirty is the number also cited in other Puranas.
1317 Abhiras, Gardabhis, Kankas, Yavanas, Turushkas and Gurundas.
1318 Or, against the Vedas.
1319 Gangadvara usually refers to Har ki Pauri in Haridvara/Haridwar.
1320 Outcastes, deviants from the varna system.
1321 Compassion, forgiveness, cleanliness, lack of jealousy, altruism, lack of greed, purity and self-control are the eight potencies and the eight qualities are the eight siddhis.
1322 Tishya is the same as Pushya.
1323 In the constellation of the Big Dipper (part of Ursa Major), these are Pulaha and Kratu. Pulaha is Merak and Kratu is Dubhe.
1324 This is interpreted as 1200 years of the gods, though the text doesn’t explicitly state that. This is equivalent to 432,000 human years. However, the text states this clearly later.
1325 The missing 200 years is explained as 100 between dvapara and kali and 100 between kali and krita. These are intervening periods.
1326 These are the thoughts of foolish kings.
1327 These are the thoughts of the kings. The five senses and the mind constitute the six.
1328 Belonging to rival kings.
1329 This is the earth speaking again.
1330 Kartavirya Arjuna.
1331 Nala.
1332 Naraka.
1333 Parikshit deduces that the age prevents devotion towards Krishna.
1334 Dharma, artha and kama.
1335 The first three Vedas.
1336 Servants, inferior varnas.
1337 Respectively, sisters of husbands
and brothers of wives. Wives consult the former and husbands the latter.
1338 Kakini or kakinika, equal to twenty cowries or a quarter of a pana.
1339 Laya and pralaya are synonymous, meaning destruction.
1340 Shesha.
1341 Brahma.
1342 Mahat, ahamkara and the five tanmatras.
1343 The primordial matter is destroyed.
1344 At the time of universal destruction.
1345 There is no rain.
1346 In these sections, we have expanded on the text a bit, so that the meaning becomes clear.
1347 Their root cause is the brahman. However, the brahman is distinct because it continues to exist.
1348 That is, it must be eternal and not subject to change. Anu is a small particle.
1349 These are apparent and not real, such as the sky outside and the sky inside an enclosed space, the sun and its image reflected somewhere, and the wind outside the body and inside the body.
1350 Since the sun evaporates water to form clouds. It is made visible by the sun’s light.
1351 The word used is atyantika.
1352 Constant.
1353 Brahma.
1354 Samhita means collection. This specifically means the Bhagavata Purana. However, in Chapter 2(9), we were told Brahma recounted this to Narada.
1355 In interpretations, karma is the oil, the mind is the vessel, the body is the wick and the jivatman is the fire.
1356 Since you are immersed in Vasudeva.
1357 And other senses.
1358 Kashyapa. Kashyapa was capable of countering poison. Therefore, Takshaka dissuaded Kashyapa from going to Parikshit.
1359 There are different types of karma. Arabdha karma is that karma which has matured and is ready to yield fruit.
1360 Brihaspati.
1361 There are four shlokas here, subject to differing interpretations.
1362 Sattva, rajas and tamas.
1363 Of everything—material objects, the senses, the objects of the senses, the mind, ahamkara.
1364 Vaishampayana, Jaimini, Sumantu, Shuka.
1365 When the ears are covered.
1366 Respectively, the elements constituting the body, the activities performed and the agent who performs action. By not returning, what is meant is that they don’t return to samsara.
1367 This can mean either Brahma, or the brahman.
1368 Omkara.
1369 The three gunas are sattva, rajas and tamas, the three names are Rig Veda, Sama Veda and Atharva Veda, the three objectives are bhur, bhuvah and svah, and the three kinds of consciousness are wakefulness, sleep and deep sleep.
1370 Brahma.
1371 Vyahriti means the words bhuh, bhuvah and svah, uttered after Oum.
1372 There are four types of officiating priests—hotar (one who recites from the Rig Veda), udgatar (one who recites from the Sama Veda), adhvaryu (one who recites from the Yajur Veda) and brahman (one who recites from the Atharva Veda). This brahman is not to be confused with the supreme soul (brahman or paramatman).
1373 Maharshis known as Vedavyasa (or Vyasadeva) classified the Vedas into different branches. There is an inconsistency though. This should read at the end of every dvapara yuga, not at the beginning of every dvapara yuga.
1374 This is the Rig Veda, known as bahvrich because it had the most number of mantras.
1375 Atharva Veda.
1376 Etymological dictionary, explaining the words used in the Vedas.
1377 Bashkala’s son.
1378 Vaishampayana was taught the Yajur Veda and adhvaryus are priests who recite verses from the Yajur Veda. Charakadhvaryus means Charakas who became adhvaryus or adhvaryus who were known as Charakas. Charakas are those who undertake specific vows.
1379 Vaishampayana did not actually kill a brahmana. There was a sacrifice and it was decreed that anyone who absented himself from this sacrifice would perform a sin that was tantamount to that from killing a brahmana. Because he had to perform his father’s funeral ceremony, Vaishampayana couldn’t be present and incurred the sin. Yajnavalkya offered to atone for it alone.
1380 Yajnavalkya.
1381 Pheasants.
1382 Morning, noon and evening.
1383 Literally, from the mane of a horse.
1384 Jaimini. At least, that is what the text seems to suggest. But it might also mean Sumantu.
1385 Literally, resident of Avanti.
1386 From the Vishnu Purana, it is known that this disciple’s name was Kabandha.
1387 Romaharshana.
1388 Parashurama’s.
1389 These characteristics are known as the lakshana of a Purana. Sarga is subtle creation, visarga is gross destruction, vritti is sustenance, raksha is protection, antara means the manvantaras, vamsha is lineage (usually of gods and rishis), vamshanucharita is lineage and conduct (of kings), samstha is destruction, hetu is cause (for karma) and apashraya is refuge (the ultimate one).
1390 An allusion to karma.
1391 The three Vedas.
1392 Indra.
1393 The past, the present and the future.
1394 Like the clay in an earthen pot.
1395 Wakefulness, sleep and sushupti.
1396 Since Bhavishya Purana has been included, Vayu Purana is missing from the list.
1397 Vedavyasa.
1398 These are things people say about Markandeya.
1399 Meaning a large number of years.
1400 Kama’s arrow has five heads, each head standing for one of the senses.
1401 An apsara.
1402 Markandeya’s.
1403 So that the insects are not harmed or killed.
1404 The two are interpreted as Brahma and Shiva, but might mean rajas and tamas too.
1405 These were objects he thought of in his mind, not physical offerings.
1406 The entire universe was inside the stomach, exactly as it had been before the destruction and deluge.
1407 The same as Pushpabhadra.
1408 That is, a godless person.
1409 Shiva.
1410 Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
1411 The three Vedas.
1412 Sharva’s consort, Uma.
1413 Past, present and future.
1414 Markandeya Purana.
1415 Markandeya’s.
1416 This requires explanation. The illustrious one’s atman creates the maya of samsara. Some ignorant people compare Markandeya’s experience with this and suggest it was all maya, and not real. But Markandeya actually experienced it.
1417 There are diverse interpretations of this. For instance, the nine principles are Prakriti, Mahat, sutra (the active principle of Mahat), ahamkara and the five tanmatras. The transformations are the ten senses, the mind and the five gross elements.
1418 O, U and M, making up Oum.
1419 Brahma.
1420 Prakriti.
1421 The others are vairagya and so on.
1422 Mudras are the positions and gestures of the fingers and the hands, such as one that confers boons (barada) and one that grants freedom from fear (abhaya).
1423 In this context, the word bhaga means potency and Bhagavan is one with these potencies. The relevant potencies are rulership, virtue, glory, affluence, wisdom and non-attachment.
1424 Garuda.
1425 Intepreted as the pancharatra texts.
1426 Vishva is the state of wakefulness, guiding the functioning of external objects (artha) and the divinity is Pradyumna; taijasa is the state of dreaming, guiding the functioning of the senses (indriya) and the divinity is Samkarshana; prajna is the state of dreamless and deep sleep, guiding the functioning of the mind (manas) and the divinity is Aniruddha; turiya is the state of transcental self-realization (jnana) and the divinity is Vasudeva.
1427 This Krishna means Arjuna.
1428 Chaitra.
1429 Dhata is the form of Surya, Kritasthali is the apsara, Heti is the rakshasa, Vasuki is the naga, Rathakrit is the yaksha, Pulastya is the rishi a
nd Tumburu is the gandharava. For the other eleven months, this exact order is followed. Therefore, there is no need to add additional notes.
1430 Vaishakha.
1431 Jyeshtha.
1432 Ashadha.
1433 Shravana.
1434 Bhadrapada.
1435 Magha.
1436 Phalguna.
1437 Margashirsha.
1438 Pousha.
1439 Ashvina.
1440 Kartika.
1441 Act of giving up one’s life by fasting to death.
1442 Vidura.
1443 Vritra.
1444 By Vedavyasa.
1445 Shridhara, the one who holds Shri, is Vishnu’s name.
1446 In other Puranas.
1447 Purusha, Prakriti, Mahat, ahamkara and the five tanmatras.
1448 Referred to as Suparna in the text.
1449 The word used is Ka.
1450 Vedavyasa.
1451 Shuka.
1452 That is, Vishnurata or Parikshit.
Acknowledgements
The corpus of the Puranas is immense, in scope, as well as in length. Taken together, the eighteen Puranas are four times the size of the Mahabharata. If the prospect of translating the Mahabharata seemed challenging, the task of translating the Puranas was/is downright disconcerting and intimidating. After the Mahabharata, the Harivamsha and the Valmiki Ramayana, it was a natural transition, the obvious thing to do. However, it seemed to be an impossible task. Did one dare to start? If so, where? Since there was no ‘Critical Edition’ of the Puranas, what text should one use? I have now come to believe what should be obvious. Everything one does is determined by destiny. One is merely an instrument, implementing someone else’s will. Thus, destiny intervened. It first intervened in the form of my dear friend, Professor Ramesh Kumar Pandey, vice chancellor, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha. He suggested, in the absence of Critical Editions, one should use the Nirnaya Sagar texts. They have much greater acceptance than other versions. In addition, urging me along the road, he gifted me the Nirnaya Sagar texts of eleven of the eighteen Mahapuranas.
That still left a question unanswered. Which Purana should one start with? Destiny intervened yet again, in the form of another friend, Shri Yudhistir Govinda Das of ISKCON. For some time, Yudhistir had been urging us to visit Mayapur. That visit, pending for quite some time, materialized so that it synchronized with the annual Gaura Purnima festival. What better time to visit Mayapur? Yudhistir also gifted us a set of Prabhupada’s translation of the Bhagavata Purana. This determined the answer to the question. The Bhagavata Purana it would have to be. One does indeed deplore the general ignorance about the treasure trove the Puranas are. The dumbed down versions one usually sees or reads are pale shadows of what these texts actually contain. Having said this, the Purana that most people are familiar with is probably the Bhagavata Purana. Therefore, the Bhagavata Purana was a good choice. As a token of appreciation, these three volumes are dedicated to Yudhistir Govinda Das. As Yudhistir well knows, this is nothing more than a token. Dedications are meant for the one who is beyond either of us.