Mahabharata: Volume 7
Page 66
5 Yudhishthira.
6 Meaning Bhima.
7 A club.
8 Demons killed by Vishnu.
9 Famous demons.
10 The image is of two bull elephants, contending over the same she-elephant.
11 The sun.
12 As worthy adversaries.
13 Bhima and Duryodhana.
Chapter 1274(55)
14 The eleven akshouhinis.
15 Duryodhana.
16 Rahu is the demon who devours the sun and causes a solar eclipse.
17 Hastinapura.
18 The attempt to burn the Pandavas down in the house of lac.
19 This was the year of concealment in Virata’s kindom. Since the Pandavas and Droupadi were in disguise, they were pretending to be other people. In that sense, it was as if they had been reborn as other people.
20 Yajnasena is Drupada and the son in question is Shikhandi.
21 As we have mentioned earlier, there is no mention of the Pratikami seizing Droupadi by the hair, or of the Pratikami being killed.
Chapter 1275(56)
22 Prahlada was a virtuous demon and Vishnu’s devotee. There are no stories about Indra and Prahlada having fought each other.
23 Presumably, the sparks of fire from the clubs are being compared with fireflies.
24 Duryodhana’s club.
25 The earlier club had already been hurled.
26 Technique of fighting with a club.
27 Duryodhana.
28 Bhima.
29 Bhima.
30 Bhima.
Chapter 1276(57)
31 The word is being used here in the sense of deception.
32 Shukra, the preceptor of the demons.
33 Though not explicitly stated, this is Sanjaya speaking again.
34 Duryodhana extended forwards. There was no real weakness and Bhima tempted Duryodhana to attack.
35 Duryodhana.
36 Indra.
Chapter 1277(58)
37 At the time of the gambling match, described in Section 27 (Volume 2).
38 A reference to the attempt to burn the Pandavas down in the house of lac.
39 Yajnaseni is Droupadi’s name.
40 The sons who would have offered Duryodhana funeral cakes have been killed.
Chapter 1278(59)
41 Balarama was fair and Krishna was dark.
42 The shloka is slightly cryptic. The six types have to be deduced and are not obvious.
43 Pritha (Kunti) was from the Yadava lineage and Vasudeva’s (Krishna’s father) sister.
44 The sage Maitreya had cursed Duryodhana. This has been described in Section 29 (Volume 2).
45 Pralamba was a demon killed by Balarama.
46 The idea is that all three must be followed. One must not follow one at the expense of the other two objectives.
47 Bhima.
Chapter 1279(60)
48 This is probably a reference to the act of adharma not having diminished the joy.
49 Krishna was the son of Vasudeva. Vasudeva married Devaki, Kamsa’s (alternatively Kansa) sister. Vasudeva was never Kamsa’s slave or servant, but was imprisoned by him. Eventually, Krishna killed Kamsa.
50 By Karna, from Indra and for Arjuna’s destruction.
51 Satyaki.
52 Yudhishthira.
53 Krishnaa, that is, Droupadi. This has been described in Section 42 (Volume 3).
54 The Pandavas.
55 The Pandavas.
56 An atiratha is a great warrior, superior to a maharatha. The four in question are Bhishma, Drona, Karna and Bhurishrava.
Chapter 1280(61)
57 The aged advisers.
58 The chariot.
59 A mixture of honey and milk, offered to a guest.
60 Oghavati is that part of Sarasvati that flows through Kurukshetra.
61 The Pandavas.
62 Krishna’s charioteer.
63 Dhritarashtra.
64 The names of Krishna’s horses.
Chapter 1281(62)
65 Of the Kouravas.
66 Meaning Krishna Dvaipayana Vedavyasa.
67 Vedavyasa.
68 Krishna Vedavyasa’s.
69 Krishna and Vishnu’s name.
70 Described in Section 54 (Volume 4).
71 The word used is simantini. While this means woman, in particular, it means a married woman, with the sign of marriage on the parting of the hair.
72 Mentally.
73 Demon killed by Krishna.
Chapter 1282(63)
74 As will become clear, Duryodhana is actually speaking to Sanjaya.
75 Akshouhinis.
76 Dharma, artha and kama.
77 Bhurishrava.
78 She was married to Jayadratha.
79 Duryodhana’s wife, Bhanumati.
80 There was a famous Charvaka, the founder of a materialist and atheist school of philosophy. This is not the famous Charvaka. The word Charvaka means someone who is beautiful in speech.
81 The messengers.
82 The messengers.
Chapter 1283(64)
83 That is, kings.
84 Prosperity and beauty in the hereafter.
With the war over, the eighth volume is on the aftermath of the war and covers Souptika Parva, Stri Parva and a large chunk of Shanti Parva of the 18-parva classification, and parvas 78 through 85, with a part of 86, of the 100-parva classification. In the night, Ashvatthama kills all the remaining Pandavas—with the exception of the five Pandava brothers—and Panchalas. The funeral ceremonies for the dead warriors are performed. Shanti Parva (Bhishma’s teachings after Yudhishthira is crowned) is about duties to be followed under different circumstances.
The Mahabharata: Volume 8 will be published in November 2013.
Acknowledgements
Carving time out from one’s regular schedule and work engagements to embark on such a mammoth work of translation has been difficult. The past tense should not be used, since only 70 per cent of the road has yet been traversed. Sometimes, I wish I had been born in nineteenth-century Bengal, with a benefactor funding me for doing nothing but this. But alas, the days of gentlemen of leisure are long over. The time could not be carved out from professional engagements, barring of course assorted television channels, who must have wondered why I have been so reluctant to head for their studios in the evenings. It was ascribed to health, interpreted as adverse health. It was certainly health, but not in an adverse sense. Reading the Mahabharata is good for one’s mental health and is an activity to be recommended, without any statutory warnings. The time was stolen in the evenings and over weekends. The cost was therefore borne by one’s immediate family, and to a lesser extent by friends. Socializing was reduced, since every dinner meant one less chapter done. The family has first claim on the debt, though I am sure it also has claim on whatever merits are due. At least Suparna does, and these volumes are therefore dedicated to her. I suspect Sirius has no claim on the merits, though he has been remarkably patient at the times when he has been curled up near my feet and I have been translating away. There is some allegory there about a dog keeping company when the Mahabharata is being read and translated.
Most people have thought I was mad, even if they never quite said that. Among those who believed and thought it was worthwhile, beyond immediate family, are M. Veerappa Moily, Ashok Desai, Pratap Bhanu Mehta and Laveesh Bhandari. And my sons, Nihshanka and Vidroha. The various reviewers of the earlier volumes have also been extremely kind. Incidentally, I wouldn’t have been able to do it without Vaman Shivram Apte. When he compiled the student’s Sanskrit dictionary more than a hundred years ago in Pune, I am certain he had no idea that it would be used so comprehensively to translate the Mahabharata.
Penguin also believed. My initial hesitation about being able to deliver was brushed aside by R. Sivapriya, who pushed me after the series had been commissioned by V. Karthika. And then Sumitra Srinivasan became the editor, followed by Paloma Dutta. The enthus
iasm of these ladies was so infectious that everything just snowballed and Paloma ensured that the final product of the seventh volume was much more readable than what I had initially produced.
When I first embarked on what was also a personal voyage of sorts, the end was never in sight and seemed to stretch to infinity. Now that 70 per cent is over (and 10 per cent more is in the pipeline), the horizon can be seen. And all the people mentioned above have had a role to play in this journey.
THE BEGINNING
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PENGUIN BOOKS
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First published by Penguin Books India 2013
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Translation copyright © Bibek Debroy 2013
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ISBN 978-0-143-10019-5
This digital edition published in 2013.
e-ISBN: 978-8-184-75944-0
PRAISE FOR PREVIOUS VOLUMES
‘The modernization of language is visible, it’s easier on the mind, through expressions that are somewhat familiar. The detailing of the story is intact, the varying tempo maintained, with no deviations from the original. The short introduction reflects a brilliant mind. For those who passionately love the Mahabharata and want to explore it to its depths, Debroy’s translation offers great promise in the first volume.’
—Hindustan Times
‘[Debroy] has really carved out a niche for himself in crafting and presenting a translation of the Mahabharata . . . The book takes us on a great journey with admirable ease.’
—The Indian Express
‘The first thing that appeals to one is the simplicity with which Debroy has been able to express himself and infuse the right kind of meanings . . . Considering that Sanskrit is not the simplest of languages to translate a text from, Debroy exhibits his deep understanding and appreciation of the medium.’
—The Hindu
‘Overwhelmingly impressive . . . Bibek is a truly eclectic scholar.’
—Business Line
‘Debroy’s lucid and nuanced retelling of the original makes the masterpiece even more enjoyably accessible.’
—Open
‘The quality of translation is excellent. The lucid language makes it a pleasure to read the various stories, digressions and parables.’
—The Tribune
‘Extremely well-organized, and has a substantial and helpful Introduction, plot summaries and notes. The volume is a beautiful example of a well thought-out layout which makes for much easier reading.’
—The Book Review
‘The dispassionate vision [Debroy] brings to this endeavour will surely earn him merit in the three worlds.’
—Mail Today
‘This [second] volume, as voluminous as the first one, is expectedly as scholarly . . . Like the earlier volume, the whole book is an easy read.’
—The Hindu
‘Debroy’s is not the only English translation available in the market, but where he scores and others fail is that his is the closest rendering of the original text in modern English without unduly complicating the readers’ understanding of the epic.’
—Business Standard
‘The brilliance of Ved Vysya comes through [in Volume 3], ably translated by Bibek Debroy.’
—Hindustan Times