Mahabharata: Volume 7
Page 63
567 Yudhishthira.
568 Krishna was also younger to Yudhishthira.
569 The preceptor in question is Brihaspati, the preceptor of the gods. The asura Jambha is sometimes described as having been killed by Indra, sometimes by Vishnu, and sometimes by Indra and Vishnu together.
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570 Karna.
571 Parashurama.
572 Though both Krishna and Arjuna are present, Yudhishthira is specifically speaking to Arjuna.
573 The image is of old elephants or rhinos, which retire from the group to die.
574 Parashurama.
575 That is, as a counter to Arjuna.
576 Karna promised these to the person who would point Arjuna out.
577 The word used is tata.
578 Karna took this vow in Section 39 (Volume 3).
579 Krishnaa, Droupadi.
580 However, in Section 43 (Volume 3), Karna donated these to Indra.
581 This incident has been described in Section 27 (Volume 2).
582 This is a reference to the gambling match, described in Section 27 (Volume 2). Yajnaseni is Droupadi’s name.
583 The grandfather is Bhishma and the reference is to the listing of maharathas and rathas, described in Section 59 (Volume 5).
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584 Ashvatthama.
585 The worlds hereafter.
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586 Yudhishthira.
587 The explanation has to be deduced. An upper garment has been held under a tree, expecting fruit to fall. Instead, there are flowers.
588 Kunti.
589 Kubera.
590 All the gods are sons of Aditi, who was married to the sage Kashyapa.
591 When Pandu and Kunti and Madri left for the forest, the Pandavas were born on the slopes of the Shatashringa mountain. This has been described in Section 7 (Volume 1).
592 Vishvakarma, the architect of the gods.
593 Indra is the lord of the Maruts.
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594 The word used is tata. Though it means father, it is affectionately used towards anyone who is senior or elder.
595 Such as disciples and students.
596 The word used is tata. Though it means son, it is affectionately used towards anyone who is junior or younger.
597 That is, the animal was blind.
598 Brahma.
599 This is the etymological meaning of dharma, from the root dhri, meaning to hold up.
600 The image is that of a gambling match.
601 In English, ‘tvam’ and ‘bhavan’ will both be translated as you. But ‘tvam’ is used for someone younger, equal or junior. ‘Bhavan’ connotes greater honour and is used towards someone who is older or senior. So far, Arjuna has addressed Yudhishthira as ‘bhavan’. ‘Tvam’ will be an insult.
602 Famous sages.
603 Yudhishthira. Both Yudhishthira and Arjuna are Partha, Pritha’s son.
604 In Sanskrit, ‘tvam’, that being the point.
605 ‘Tvam’ again.
606 The text has the word horses twice.
607 Kubera.
608 Bhishma.
609 It is not obvious why Sahadeva is being singled out.
610 Because Arjuna has spoken harsh words to Yudhishthira.
611 Because self-praise is like killing one’s own self.
612 Shiva. Pinaka is the name of Shiva’s bow or trident.
613 The conquest, sacrifice and coronation, described in Sections 23 and 24 (Volume 2).
614 Arjuna was born with these signs.
615 Radha, wife of the suta Adhiratha, reared Karna. Thus, Radha was Karna’s mother.
616 Once Arjuna has killed Karna.
617 He was lying down on a bed.
618 Yudhishthira and Arjuna.
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619 Yudhishthira inhaled the fragrance of Arjuna’s head.
620 Jaya is one of Arjuna’s names, as is Vijaya.
621 Krishna’s charioteer.
622 Arjuna.
623 We have deliberately not translated shatapatra. Literally, it means a bird with one hundred feathers and can stand for a parrot, a woodpecker or a crane. Since this circumambulation took place in a clockwise direction (pradakshina), this was an auspicious sign.
624 The text says pumnamam and it is difficult to pin this bird down. Literally, this should be translated as a bird name pum. However, this isn’t an easily identifiable bird and pum also means male. Perhaps that itself was an auspicious sign.
625 These carnivorous birds fed on dead bodies.
626 This is slightly inaccurate. Gandiva was created by the brahman, though Brahma owned it for one thousand years.
627 With reference to fighting.
628 Aratni is a measure of distance, the length of an elbow, that is, a cubit. It is thus eighteen inches long.
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629 Of the battle.
630 The word used is tata.
631 Bhishma.
632 Bhurishrava.
633 Jayadratha.
634 Being used as a synonym for Kurukshetra.
635 However, this incident has not been mentioned earlier, when that day’s fighting was being described.
636 Duryodhana.
637 The word used is tata.
638 There are ten directions. The arrows followed the tenth direction and didn’t deviate to the other nine. This is an indirect way of saying that the arrows found their mark.
639 The word horse figures twice in the text.
640 Vishnu.
641 On the fourteenth day, the fighting continued throughout the night. This has been described in Section 70 (Volume 6).
642 Yudhishthira.
643 Vishnu.
644 The Kouravas.
645 Madri was the mother of Nakula and Sahadeva and Arjuna’s mother by extension.
646 This is a reference to the episode of the house of lac, described in Section 8 (Volume 1).
647 When Krishna came as a messenger, described in Section 54 (Volume 4).
648 Abhimanyu was killed in Section 67 (Volume 6).
649 Krishnaa, Droupadi.
650 The Panchalas.
651 Of the Pandavas.
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652 Duryodhana.
653 The arrows.
654 In Section 27 (Volume 2), on the occasion of the gambling match.
655 Duryodhana.
656 This great-minded is to be interpreted in the sense of insolent, that is, this is what Duryodhana thought of himself.
657 Shambara was the name of a demon killed by Indra.
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658 The image is of a river.
659 Sushena and Uttamouja. This shloka should have come earlier.
660 Dhrishtadyumna, Yajnasena was one of Drupada’s names.
661 Uttamouja’s.
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662 The enemy also had gold-tufted arrows.
663 Bhima.
664 That is, Yama.
665 Vishoka was Bhima’s charioteer.
666 Yudhishthira.
667 A pradara is a special kind of arrow.
668 In the event that Bhima dies.
669 Arjuna was known as Kiriti because he wore a diadem.
670 Devadatta was the name of Arjuna’s conch shell.
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671 Jambha was a demon killed by Indra.
672 Bala was a demon killed by Indra (lord of the Maruts).
673 To the nether regions. The river Vaitarani flows in the nether regions and one has to cross it to reach Yama’s world.
674 This doesn’t add up to a count of sixteen. That’s because the Critical edition excises some shlokas. In these, the missing arrows are used to strike Bhima.
675 Shakuni.
676 Shakuni’s.
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677 Karna.
678 Duryodhana.
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679 Ma
rks from the use of weapons.
680 At the time of the burning of the Khandava forest, described in Section 19 (Volume 2).
681 The fire god.
682 Described in Section 32 (Volume 2).
683 Described in Section 31 (Volume 2).
684 Krishna’s.
685 Jishnu means the victorious one and is not only one of Arjuna’s names, but also Krishna’s. Krishna’s father was Vasudeva.
686 Kritavarma.
687 Ashvatthama.
688 Shukra is associated with the month of Jyaishtha and Shuchi is another name for the month of Vaishakha. Hence, this means that the sun is midway between these hot summer months.
689 On Arjuna’s standard.
690 Ashvatthama.
691 Arjuna and Krishna.
692 Arjuna.
693 The text says suras. But this is clearly a typo and should read asuras.
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694 The image is of hunters hunting a wild elephant with burning torches in their hands.
695 Since Duryodhana and all his brothers were killed by Bhima, there is an inconsistency here and they couldn’t have been Dhritarashtra’s sons.
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696 Those ninety rathas had taken a vow to die rather than retreat.
697 Meaning Arjuna.
698 The yavanas and the mlecchas are being equated here.
699 Only three, presumably because the chariots had been destroyed.
700 The club.
701 Duryodhana.
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702 Meaning the Pandavas here. Kuru was a common ancestor, so the Pandavas could also be referred to as the Kurus.
703 However, we have earlier been told that Uttamouja killed Sushena.
704 Ugradhanva’s.
705 Satyaki. We don’t know how Satyaki’s horses were killed.
706 Karna.
707 The Panchalas.
708 Dhrishtadyumna.
709 Janamejaya is the son of Somaka and the son of Prishata (Drupada) is Dhrishtadyumna.
710 Because these warriors were from Panchala.
711 Vrishasena.
712 Kritavarma.
713 The five warriors from Panchala.
714 Duhshasana.
715 That is, they are fighting over the same she-elephant.
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716 The club.
717 Bhima.
718 At the time of the gambling match, described in Section 27 (Volume 2).
719 The Kouravas tried to poison Bhima in Pramanakoti. This has been described in Section 7 (Volume 1).
720 At the time of the gambling match, Bhima took a pledge that he would kill Duhshasana in the battle and drink his blood.
721 Indra has one thousand eyes.
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722 Jambha was a demon killed by Vishnu and Indra.
723 Vrishasena.
724 Nakula.
725 Vrishasena.
726 Kritavarma.
727 Five of Drupada’s sons, Satyaki and five of Droupadi’s sons.
728 The elephants.
729 That is, the son of the king of Kuninda.
730 Kripa’s.
731 Shakuni.
732 Duryodhana.
733 Indra is Shachi’s consort.
734 The text of the Critical edition confuses between Shuka and Kratha. In other editions, in this description, Kratha figures consistently.
735 The prince of Kuninda.
736 Suparna is Garuda and the storm is raised through his wings. The text uses the word naga, which can only be translated as tree. This is probably a typo and should read naaga or serpent. Given Garuda, that fits better.
737 This entire section is replete with typos and this must be another one of those. Why should the son of Kuninda attack Nakula’s son? It can only be rationalized, other than a typo, by presuming that some of the Kunindas also fought on the side of the Kouravas.
738 Karna’s son, Vrishasena.
739 Nakula. The Critical edition excises a shloka where we are told that Vrishasena deprived Nakula of his horses.
740 Namuchi was a demon killed by Indra.
741 Meaning Vrishasena. Son is being used in the extended sense of a grandson.
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742 Virochana’s son was the demon Bali.
743 Karavirya Arjuna.
744 Bhava is Shiva.
745 Presumably because Karna was the son of the sun god.
746 Presumably because Arjuna was the son of Pritha (Kunti) and earth is known as prithvi. Kunti personified the earth.
747 Accounts (the two epics and the Puranas) are regarded as the fifth Veda.
748 Kadru was married to the sage Kashyapa and was the mother of all the serpents. Since Arjuna burnt down the serpents in Khandava, the serpents should have been on Karna’s side. However, as a succeeding shloka explains, the serpents were divided.
749 Surabhi was married to the sage Kashyapa and was the mother of cattle. Vaishali is a reference to the princess Vaishali, daughter of King Vishala. Her story is recounted in the Puranas. She gave birth to the famous King Marut, who was an emperor who ruled over the entire earth. The reference to Vaishali’s offspring is not obvious. Serpents mentioned again require an explanation. The earlier reference to serpents was to serpents in general. Here, the reference is to specific serpents who live in Bhogavati, the capital city of nagas.
750 The Vishvadevas.
751 In general, the Adityas are the sons of Aditi and Kashyapa, that is, the gods. There is no reason for the gods to be on Karna’s side, especially because some of them (Vasus, Maruts, Sadhyas, Rudras, Vishvadevas, Agni, Indra, Soma (the moon god) and Pavana (the wind god) have just been mentioned to be on Arjuna’s side. However, in a narrower sense, the twelve Adityas are the manifestations of the sun for the twelve months. It is these who were on Karna’s side, Karna being the son of the sun god.
752 Kubera.
753 Prava is a typo. It should be Pradha. Kashyapa married Pradha and the gandharvas were the offspring. Kashyapa married Muni and the apsaras were the offspring.
754 Svadha is the exclamation made when oblations are offered to the ancestors.
755 Prajapati is a name for Brahma, as well as for guardians of the world. Since Brahma has been separately mentioned, the Prajapatis here are the guardians of the world.
756 Shiva.
757 This Prajapati means Brahma.
758 Indra.
759 Vijaya is Arjuna. The other one seems to be a reference to Krishna. It is difficult to make sense of these shlokas, especially because the Critical edition excises some shlokas where Indra sides with Arjuna and Surya with Karna. But the gist is that Indra wants Arjuna to win.
760 Shiva.
761 Nara being identified with Arjuna and Narayana with Krishna.
762 Karna.
763 The standards.
764 Krishnaa, Droupadi.
765 Krishnaa’s, that is, Droupadi’s.
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766 Towards each other’s soldiers.
767 The soldiers on either side.
768 Drona.
769 Ashvatthama and Kripa were immortal. There are seven immortals. In addition to Ashvatthama and Kripa, these are Bali, Parashurama, Vibhishana, Vyasa and Hanumana.
770 Yudhishthira.
771 Arjuna.
772 Indra.
773 One of the guardians of the world (Prajapati), sometimes identified with Daksha.
774 Kubera.
775 Duryodhana.
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776 Contending for the same she-elephant.
777 Bali.
778 Dambhodbhava was a king who attacked the sages Nara and Narayana, the incident having been described in Section 54 (Volume 4). The name Dambhodbhava signifies someone who is inordinately insolent and proud. In some versions of the Mahabharata, Dambhodbhava is equated with Karna. Dambhodbhava was reborn as Karna.
779 Arjuna fought w
ith Shiva, who was in the disguise of a hunter, and pleased him. This has been described in Section 31 (Volume 2).
780 Yudhishthira.
781 A Kourava warrior.
782 Much is left implicit. Takshaka’s son was Ashvasena, who vowed revenge on Arjuna because Arjuna had burnt down the serpents in Khandava. The five serpents went to the nether regions, where the capital city of the nagas, Bhogavati, is located. They bathed in the waters there and returned to Karna.
783 Karna.
784 Of Karna.
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785 Parashurama. Atharvan can simply be interpreted as wise. Alternatively, the Atharvan lineage was often mentioned in conjunction with the Bhrigu lineage, from which, Parashurama was descended.
786 This was the serpent Ashvasena, desiring to take revenge on Arjuna.
787 This means the serpent Airavata, from whom, Ashvasena was descended.
788 There is a typo here that is difficult to unravel. The crown was given by Purandara (Indra) to Arjuna. It had been constructed by Brahma, the earth’s creator. Therefore, the text should probably read earth’s creator and not earth’s son. However, this is more than a simple typo.
789 Described in Section 32 (Volume 2).
790 Shiva, Varuna and Kubera respectively.
791 Respectively the weapons of Shiva, Yama and Indra.
792 Karna.
793 The Critical edition excises some shlokas. In those, Ashvasena returns and asks Karna to shoot the arrow again. More specifically, the first time, Karna shot the arrow without looking at Ashvasena and that was the reason it failed. Ashvasena asks him to shoot the arrow a second time, after taking a look at him. However, Karna refuses to use the same arrow a second time.
794 The fire god.
795 Disguised as a brahmana, Karna had studied under Parashurama. When this was discovered, Parashurama cursed Karna that his chariot would be swallowed up by the earth and the weapons wouldn’t manifest themselves.