The Bhagavata Purana 1

by Bibek Debroy

  109 Of birth and death.

  110 Of action.

  111 The path of devotion.

  112 Samkarshana is Balarama, Krishna’s brother. Pradyumna is Krishna’s son and Aniruddha is Pradyumna’s son, Krishna’s grandson. However, Samkarshana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are Krishna’s manifestations.

  113 Her affection.

  114 It freed Narada from the bondage of affection.

  115 The sacred fig tree.

  116 Used the jivatman to meditate on the paramatman.

  117 For my death.

  118 Brahma.

  119 Meaning a mahayuga, consisting of a cycle of satya, treta, dvapara and kali.

  120 This is interpreted as Brahma’s breath.

  121 Vishnu.

  122 The name of Vishnu’s bow, made out of horn.

  123 Jujube or berry trees.

  124 Shuka.

  125 This is a reference to the Kurukshetra War, Srinjayas being a term used for those on the Pandava side. Vrikodara is a name for Bhima. Dhritarashtra’s son means Duryodhana. Drona’s son is Ashvatthama, who killed Droupadi’s sons (and others) while they were sleeping in the night. Krishna/Krishnaa is one of Droupadi’s names. The Mahabharata says that far from disapproving Ashvatthama’s act, Duryodhana applauded it.

  126 Droupadi’s.

  127 Duryodhana.

  128 Kiritamali, one of Arjuna’s names. Gandiva is the name of Arjuna’s bow.

  129 Brahma-bandhu, one who is a brahmana only in name.

  130 Krishna was Arjuna’s friend and charioteer.

  131 Ashvatthama’s father, Dronacharya, was Arjuna’s preceptor. Arjuna’s standard had an ape (Hanumat) on it.

  132 Rudra is Shiva and Arka is the sun god. A demon named Vidyunmali was favoured by Shiva and obtained a chariot as a boon. However, Arka burnt this chariot down. Enraged, Shiva burnt Arka down. There is a place in Varanasi (named Lolarka) where Arka fell down. Alternatively, the text can also be construed as Brahma (rather than Arka), Ka being one of Brahma’s names. When Brahma desired his own daughter, Shiva chased Brahma.

  133 A divine weapon named after Brahma, not to be confused with the brahmastra, also a divine weapon named after Brahma.

  134 As a means of purification, water is touched before any deed. The knowledge of a divine weapon meant knowing the mantras to invoke it, release it and withdraw it. However, because Dronacharya thought Ashvatthama was undeserving, he did not teach his son how to withdraw divine weapons.

  135 Jishnu is Arjuna’s name. Arjuna spoke to Krishna.

  136 Prakriti.

  137 Artha, kama and moksha.

  138 That is, use your own brahmashira to counter it.

  139 Arjuna.

  140 Krishna.

  141 In the Mahabharata, Arjuna withdraws his own weapon.

  142 Ashvatthama’s mother was Kripi, descended from Goutama.

  143 Droupadi.

  144 One of Droupadi’s five sons was Arjuna’s son.

  145 Ashvatthama.

  146 Krishnaa, Droupadi.

  147 Dronacharya’s.

  148 The science of fighting and its sacred texts.

  149 Ashvatthama.

  150 Yudhishthira.

  151 Satyaki.

  152 Arjuna.

  153 Krishna.

  154 The one with four arms, Krishna.

  155 Arjuna’s.

  156 Ashvatthama had a gem on his forehead.

  157 Krishnaa, Droupadi.

  158 Krishnaa, Droupadi.

  159 Yudhishthira.

  160 Kunti.

  161 Krishnaa, Droupadi.

  162 Yudhishthira.

  163 The queen means Droupadi and this is a reference to Droupadi being dragged to the assembly hall by the hair. Specifically, this is a reference to Duhshasana.

  164 For King Yudhishthira.

  165 Indra performed one hundred horse sacrifices.

  166 Krishna.

  167 Satyaki.

  168 Addressed to Shounaka.

  169 Abhimanyu’s wife and Parikshit’s mother.

  170 Uttara was expecting Parkishit at the time. Parikshit would be the only descendant of the Pandavas.

  171 Addressed to Shounaka.

  172 Vishnu’s/Krishna’s chakra or discus.

  173 Uttara was King Virata’s daughter.

  174 Krishnaa, Droupadi.

  175 Nandagopa was the leader of cowherds and reared the young Krishna.

  176 Krishna’s name.

  177 Kamsa deposed (and imprisoned) his father, King Ugrasena, and became the king of Mathura. There was a prediction that Devaki’s eighth son would kill Kamsa. Hence, Kamsa imprisoned Vasudeva and Devaki, killed their other children and tried to kill the infant Krishna.

  178 A maharatha is in general a mighty warrior. More specifically, a maharatha is skilled in the use of all weapons and can take on ten thousand warriors single-handedly.

  179 These are incidents from the Mahabharata. Duryodhana tried to poison Bhima and burn down the Pandavas in a fire. The flesh-eaters are rakshasas.

  180 Because of their past actions.

  181 Krishna broke a pot of butter and Yashoda tied him up with a rope.

  182 Krishna was born as a Yadava, in the lineage of Yadu. Punyashloka is interpreted as King Yudhishthira.

  183 Brahma.

  184 The Yadavas.

  185 Meaning, Arjuna’s friend. Though relatively rarely used, Krishna is also one of Arjuna’s names.

  186 Vishnu’s abode, but being used here as a name for Krishna.

  187 Yudhishthira.

  188 An akshouhini is an army, consisting of 21,870 chariots, 21,870 elephants, 65,610 horse riders and 109,350 foot soldiers.

  189 Because Duryodhana was the king, not Yudhishthira.

  190 Yudhishthira.

  191 Devavrata is Bhishma and the place of destruction means the battlefield.

  192 The priest of the Pandavas.

  193 Krishna.

  194 Kubera is the lord of riches/treasure. Guhyakas are a semi-divine species who are Kubera’s companions.

  195 Parashurama.

  196 Shuka.

  197 Bhishma. The eight Vasus had been born on earth as the sons of Shantanu and Satyavati and Bhishma was the eighth.

  198 Probably directed specially towards Yudhishthira.

  199 A great warrior, greater than a maharatha.

  200 Arjuna.

  201 Kunti was the sister of Vasudeva, Krishna’s father.

  202 Bhishma.

  203 Respectively, dana dharma, raja dharma and moksha dharma.

  204 The movement of the sun to the north of the equator, the period from the winter to the summer solstice. Bhishma waited for uttarayana to die.

  205 And assumes a human form.

  206 Arjuna’s.

  207 Arjuna.

  208 Krishna.

  209 Krishna’s pledge was that he would not fight. Bhishma’s pledge was that he would make Krishna take up weapons.

  210 Krishna.

  211 The whip in one hand and the reins in the other.

  212 Dhritarashtra.

  213 Because of sorrow at the relatives having been killed.

  214 By making Parikshit live.

  215 Yudhishthira.

  216 Vishnu.

  217 The rain god.

  218 Yudhishthira.

  219 Yudhishthira was named Ajatashatru (without enemies).

  220 Subhadra, Arjuna’s wife.

  221 Yudhishthira was senior to Krishna in age.

  222 Uttara.

  223 Kripacharya.

  224 Nakula and Sahadeva.

  225 Satyavati.

  226 Sons of Pritha, the Pandavas.

  227 A musical instrument.

  228 Arjuna.

  229 These benedictions were appropriate for one with qualities or attributes, but inappropriate for one without qualities or attributes.

  230 As Narayana.

  231 There was a forest (vana) named after a demon called Madhu. This was known as
Madhuvana and became Mathura. Madhuvana is thus the area around Mathura.

  232 Lakshmi. Vishnu is Lakshmi’s consort.

  233 Dvaraka.

  234 The area around Vrindavana.

  235 Svayamvara is a ceremony where the maiden herself (svayam) chooses her husband (vara) from assembled suitors. Viryashulka is when the maiden is offered to the suitor who shows the most valour (virya), shulka meaning price. Chaidya means the king of Chedi, Shishupala, eventually killed by Krishna. Shishupala wished to marry Rukmini. But Krishna abducted Rukmini and married her.

  236 Pradyumna was the son of Rukmini, Samba of Jambavati and Amba of Nagnajiti.

  237 Bhouma means the son of the earth (Bhumi) and refers to Narakasura. Narakasura ruled in Pragjyotishapura and abducted 16,000 (16,100 is a more precise number) maidens. After Krishna killed Narakasura, he married these women.

  238 Krishna’s.

  239 Chariots, horses, elephants and foot soldiers.

  240 Krishna.

  241 The area around Dvaraka.

  242 Whenever the sun set.

  243 Of the residents, who were grieving because he had been away.

  244 Implicitly, the hands were also red.

  245 Virinchi is Brahma. Varinchya means Brahma’s sons, like Sanaka, Sananda, Sanatana and Sanatkumara.

  246 The area around Mathura.

  247 These are different lines of the Yadavas.

  248 The capital city of the nagas.

  249 Serpents. Nagas (also known as uragas) are different from snakes. They are semi-divine, can assume any form at will and reside in specific locations.

  250 Akshata, this can mean grain of any kind. But it is specifically used for threshed and winnowed rice that has not been dehusked.

  251 As a mark of welcome.

  252 Krishna’s father. Krishna is Vaasudeva.

  253 Krishna’s uncle.

  254 Balarama.

  255 Krishna and Jambavati’s son.

  256 In this context, gandharvas means singers. The sutas were charioteers, as well as raconteurs of tales. Magadhas were minstrels and bards. So were bandis. But magadhas seem to have also composed, while bandis sung the compositions of others.

  257 Shvapakas are sometimes equated with chandalas. Shva means dog and paka means to cook. Thus, shvapaka means someone who cooks dogs (eats dogs) or cooks for dogs (lives with dogs).

  258 The word used is saranga and this has multiple meanings. It means dappled, but it also means a spotted antelope or a kind of bird. The feet could be compared with these. In interpretations, saranga is usually taken to be a metaphor for devotees.

  259 Vasudeva had several wives. The seven mothers can be interpreted as Devaki’s co-wives. But in that event, since Vasudeva had eighteen wives, the number seven does not fit. ‘Seven mothers’ is interpreted as the biological mother, the preceptor’s wife, a brahmana’s wife, the king’s wife, a cow, the nursemaid and the earth.

  260 The god of love.

  261 Parikshit.

  262 Jambudvipa is one of the seven continents (dvipa) that surround Mount Meru and Bharatavarsha is in Jambudvipa. Jambudvipa is named after jambu (jamun) trees that grow there.

  263 With Krishna.

  264 Parikshit.

  265 The child Parikshit.

  266 Literally, protected by Vishnu.

  267 Shibi was a generous king. There is a famous story about Indra, in the form of a hawk, pursuing Agni, in the form of a dove, all this being done to test Shibi. Shibi saved the dove by offering his own flesh in return.

  268 Dushyanta’s son means Bharata, the son of Dushyanta and Shakuntala. The Bharata lineage is named after him.

  269 Partha Arjuna and Kartavirya Arjuna.

  270 A lion.

  271 Yudhishthira.

  272 The lord of the mountains, Shiva.

  273 Ramaa is Shri. So Rama’s refuge is Vishnu.

  274 A king of the Bharata lineage, famous for his generosity and sacrifices.

  275 Kali yuga and its characteristics having set in.

  276 Shringi, the son of Shamika, cursed Parikshit that he would be slain by Takshaka, a serpent.

  277 Shuka.

  278 On the one (Krishna) he had seen in the womb. Test (pariksha) is thus another explanation of the name Parikshit, Parikshit testing every man in search of the one he had seen.

  279 The bright lunar fortnight, when the moon waxes.

  280 A kashtha is a small measure of time, equal to 1/30th of a kala. A kala is also a small measure of time. But in the context of the moon, kala is a digit, the entire cycle being made out of sixteen kalas. The reference to the moon is the reason why kashtha has been brought in.

  281 Yudhishthira.

  282 Left there by King Marutta.

  283 Because of the sin.

  284 Krishna.

  285 Krishnaa, Droupadi.

  286 A sage.

  287 Maitreya’s name.

  288 Vidura’s name.

  289 Sanjaya.

  290 Kripacharya.

  291 Both tirthas and kshetras are sacred places of pilgrimage. However, tirthas are associated with water, while kshetras are not.

  292 The word used is tata. It means father, but is applied to anyone who is older or senior.

  293 The Yadus destroyed themselves.

  294 Dhritarashtra, by teaching him.

  295 The sage Mandavya (Animandavya) received excessive punishment from Yama and cursed Yama that he would be born as a shudra. Yama was born as Vidura. Strictly speaking, Vidura was not a shudra. He was the son of a brahmana father and a vaishya mother.

  296 Since Yama was absent.

  297 Parikshit.

  298 Ajamidha was an ancestor and Ajamidha is a term applied to both Dhritarashtra and Yudhishthira.

  299 Gandhari.

  300 The text uses the word maitra. These are not just morning prayers, but those specifically addressed to Mitra.

  301 Gavalgana was Sanjaya’s father.

  302 Dhritarashtra.

  303 Sanjaya.

  304 Dhritarashtra.

  305 Dhritarashtra and Vidura.

  306 A gandharva.

  307 Animals versus humans.

  308 Flora versus fauna.

  309 The one with seven flows.

  310 The saptarshis. The saptarshis are the seven great sages. The list varies, but the standard one is Marichi, Atri, Angira, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu and Vasishtha. In the sky, the saptarshis are identified with the constellation of Ursa Major (Great Bear).

  311 Ganga.

  312 Meaning, thrice a day.

  313 The five senses and the mind.

  314 In the Mahabharata, a forest fire burnt down the cottage.

  315 One whose famous deeds are spoken about.

  316 Yudhishthira.

  317 Bhima.

  318 Narada.

  319 The ones on the left, regarded as inauspicious.

  320 A crow.

  321 The word used is tata. It means son, but is applied to anyone who is junior or younger.

  322 Arjuna.

  323 Shurasena, Kunti’s father.

  324 Vasudeva’s (Krishna’s father) name.

  325 Ugrasena. Ugrasena’s younger brother was Devaka.

  326 Hridika’s son was Kritavarma. Jayanta, Gada and Sarana were Krishna’s brothers.

  327 Sudharma is the name of Indra’s assembly hall. Krishna obtained it from Indra and it remained with Krishna as long as he was on earth, returning to heaven thereafter.

  328 Ananta’s friend is Balarama.

  329 Satyabhama.

  330 This is a reference to the parijata tree, which Satyabhama craved. Krishna seized it from Indra and brought it down to earth.

  331 Arjuna.

  332 Arjuna.

  333 Krishnaa, Droupadi.

  334 All these are incidents described in the Mahabharata.

  335 The architect of the demons.

  336 Bhima.

  337 Jarasandha, who captured the kings for the sacrifice, where th
ey were to be sacrificed.

  338 We have deliberately retained the word pramatha. Pramatha is a tormentor and is used for a ghost or goblin. The lord of the pramathas is normally Shiva. But in this case, it is interpreted as Bhairava. Bhairava is sometimes an expression for Shiva, but not invariably.

  339 Bhima killed Jarasandha.

  340 Krishna’s.

  341 A widow unbraids and loosens her hair.

  342 The Pandavas had already eaten and Duryodhana sent Durvasa. There was no food left. Durvasa and his disciples went to have a bath before eating. Krishna arrived and ate the few vegetables left as leftovers. Since Krishna was satisfied, so was everyone in the three worlds and Durvasa and his disciples left after their bath.

  343 Shiva.

  344 Parvati.

  345 Shiva gave Arjuna the pashupata weapon.

  346 Dronacharya.

  347 Meaning Prahlada. This is a reference to Vishnu in his narasimha (half-man, half-lion) incarnation.

  348 The king of Trigarta, Susharma.

  349 The king of Sindhu, Jayadratha.

  350 This happened on the day Jayadratha was killed. Arjuna descended from the chariot to find water for the exhausted and thirsty horses.

  351 After the Yadavas fought and Krishna died, Arjuna was escorting the Yadava women to Indraprastha. But with Krishna gone, he lost his powers and was defeated by the cowherds, who abducted the Yadava women.

  352 The Bhagavad Gita.

  353 These shlokas have been interpreted in many different ways.

  354 His physical body and the earth’s burden.

  355 The different incarnations.

  356 Parikshit.

  357 Aniruddha’s son.

  358 A householder has to maintain three fires, ahavaniya, garhapatya and dakshinatya. When one gives up the householder stage, a prajapatya sacrifice is performed. The three fires are physically extinguished and symbolically imbibed within one’s own self.

  359 Prana is the breath of life or the life force. Prana draws breath into the body, apana exhales it. Vyana distributes it through the body and samana assimilates it. Udana gives rise to sound.

  360 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.

  361 Sattva, rajas and tamas.

  362 A malevolent being that survives on human flesh.

  363 As Yama.

  364 Prince Uttara was Virata’s son and was killed in the Kurukshetra War. The brother Uttara is not to be confused with the sister, Uttaraa. Uttara and Uttaraa were cousin brothers and sisters.