88 i.e., if recited, it destroys all fear or Rakshasas, for these either fly away at its sound or are even killed.
89 i.e., it has the merit that is attached to either Meditation or Yoga.
90 Both Sthira and Sthanu imply immutability or freedom from change.
91 The commentator explains that Bhava is here used in the sense of that from which all things now and into which all things merge when the universal dissolution comes. Or, it may imply, mere existence, without reference, that is, to any attribute by which it is capable of being described or comprehended.
92 i.e., Virat or vast or Infinite.
93 The task of rendering these names is exceedingly difficult. In the original, many of these names are such that they are capable of more than one interpretation. The commentator often suggests more than one meaning. Each name would require a separate note for explaining all its bearings. Niyata is literally one who is observant of fasts and vows and who has restrained his senses. Hence it means an ascetic. Mahadeva is an ascetic. Smasanu is either a crematorium, the place where dead creatures lie down, or, it may mean Varanasi, the sacred city of Siva, where creatures dying have not to take rebirth. Siva is both a resident of crematoria and of Varanasi.
94 Or, the universe is displayed in thee.
95 Probably, what is said here is that Mahadeva is the Pratyag Soul free from ignorance.
96 By Niyama is meant purity both internal and external, contentedness, with whatever is got, penances, Vedic studies, meditation on the Deity, etc.
97 Nidhi implies the largest number that can be named in Arithmetical notation. Hence, it implies, as the commentator correctly explains, the possessor of inexhaustible felicity and gladness.
98 Sahasraksha is either Indra or possessor of innumerable eyes in consequence of Mahadeva’s being identical with the universe. Visalaksha is one whose eyes are of vast power, because the Past and the Future are seen by them even as the Present. Soma implies either the Moon or the juice of the Soma i.e. the libations poured in the sacrificial fire. All righteous persons, again, become luminaries in the firmament. It is Mahadeva that makes them so i.e., he is the giver of glorious forms to those that deserve them.
99 Many of these names require comments to be intelligible. Ketu is no plant but Hindu astronomers name the descending node of the Moon by that name. Hence Rahu is the ascending node of the Moon. Graha, is that which seizes; Grahapati is Mangala, so called for its malevolence, Varah is Vrihaspati or Jupiter, who is the counterself of Sukra or Venus. In Hindu mythology, Sukra is a male person, the preceptor of the Daityas and Asuras. Atri is Vudha or Mercury, represented as the sons of Atri. Atryahnamaskarta is Durvasas who was the son of Atri’s wife, got by the lady through a boon of Mahadeva. Daksha’s Sacrifice sought to fly away from Siva, but the latter pursued it and shot his arrow at it for destroying it downright.
100 Suvarna-retas is explained by the commentator as follows: At first he created water and then cast his seed into it. That seed became a golden egg. It may also mean that Mahadeva is Agni or the deity of fire, for gold represents the seed of Agni.
101 The sense is this: Jiva carries that seed of acts, i.e., Ignorance and Desire, with him. In consequence of this seed, Jiva travels from one world into another ceaselessly. This seed, therefore, is the conveyance or the means of locomotion of Jiva. Mahadeva is Jiva. The soul is called the rider, and the body is the car that bears the Soul on it.
102 Ganapati is Ganesa, the eldest son of Mahadeva. The Ganas are mighty beings that wait upon Mahadeva. This make up the first hundred names. The commentator takes Avala and Gana together.
103 Digvasas means nude. The Puranas say that for stupefying the wives of certain ascetics, Mahadeva became nude on one occasion. The real meaning, however, is that he is capable of covering and does actually cover even infinite space. In the sense of nude, the word means one that has empty space for his cover or vestments.
104 The meaning is that with thee Knowledge is penance instead of actual physical austerities being so. This is only another way of saying that thou hast Jnanamayam Tapah.
105 Sataghni a killer of hundred; Wilson thinks it was a kind of rocket.
106 Harikesa means one having the senses for one’s rays, i.e., one who displays all objects before the soul through the doors of the senses. The meaning is that Mahadeva is he through whose puissance the mind succeeds in acquiring knowledge through the senses.
107 Krishna is explained by the commentator thus. Krish is a word signifying Bhu or Existence. The letter n (the palatal one) signifies nivritti. Hence Krishna is anandatanmatra.
108 Kaparddin is thus explained by the commentator Kam Jalam pivati iti kapah. So called because of the incident noted in the text, for the matted locks of Mahadeva had sucked up the river Ganga when it first fell from heaven. Then Rit means sovereignty or lordship. Riddah is one that gives sovereignty. Combining the two, the compound Kaparddin is formed.
109 Nabhah means space which implies puissance. That Nabhah is the sthala or abode of Mahadeva. The Bengal texts which read Nabhastala are vicious.
110 The deities are said to move about during the day, while the Asuras and Rakshasas during the night. What is said, therefore, here is that thou art the deities and thou art their foes of the Daityas and others.
111 Sound, only when manifested, becomes perceptible. When unmanifest and lying in the womb of eternal space, it is believed to have an existence. Unmanifest Brahman is frequently represented as anahatah savdah or unstruck sound.
112 These four ways are as enumerated by commentator, Visva, Taijasa, Prajna, Sivadhyana.
113 It may also mean that thou art he called Buddha who preached against all sacrifices.
114 The commentator explains that Mahadeva’s defeat at the hands of Krishna in the city of Vana was due to Mahadeva’s kindness for Krishna, even as Krishna broke his own vow of never taking up arms in the battle of Kurukshetra, for honouring his worshipper Bhishma who had vowed that he would compel Krishna to take up arms.
115 The sense is this: when the universal destruction comes and all becomes a mighty expanse of water, there appears a banian tree under whose shade the immortal Rishi Markandeya sees a boy who is Mahavishnu.
116 It may also mean that thou art he at whose approach all the Daitya troops fled in all directions.
117 i.e., thou art Time itself. This is the implication.
118 By these three names what is indicated is that Mahadeva is a householder, a Sanyasin and a forest-recluse. House-holders bear a tuft of hair on their heads, Sanyasins have bald heads, while forest recluses or Vanaprasthis have matted locks.
119 The sense is that Brahman is felt by every one in the firmament of his own heart. Mahadeva, as identical with Brahman is displayed in the heart that is within the physical case. Hence, he may be said to take birth or appear in his effulgence within every one’s body.
120 Kalakatankatah is explained by the commentator as follows: — Kala is Yama. He is covered over with the illusion of the Supreme Deity. This all covering illusion, again, has the Supreme Deity for its cover. Thou art that Supreme Deity.
121 Vibhaga and Sarvaga, the commentator explains, are used for indicating that thou art the universe as Vyashti and Samashti.
122 Some editions read susaranab, meaning thou art he who well protects the universe.
123 The golden mail being the illusion of the Supreme Deity in consequence of which the universe has become displayed.
124 Thou art Pasupati; atodyah pratodanarhah pasavah yasya iti.
125 The commentator explains that Tarangavit, which is literally conversant with waves means one that is acquainted with the joys or pleasures that arise from the possession or enjoyment of worldly things, for such joys may truly be likened to waves which appear and disappear on the bosom of the sea or ocean of Eternity.
126 The commentator explains that the binder of Asura chiefs refers to the Supreme Deity’s form of Vishnu in which he had bound Vali, the chief of the Asuras
. The plural form has reference to successive Kalpas.
127 The sense is that thou art he that is well conversant with the ritual of sacrifices.
128 Or, it may mean that thou art he that has no vestments, for no vestments can cover thy vast limbs.
129 Those that uphold others are, for example, the elephants that stand at the different points of the compass, the snake Sesha, etc. What is said here is that thou art the best of all these or all such beings.
130 The sense is that thou art Vishnu who is the foremost of the celestials and thou art Agni who is the lowest of the celestials; i.e., thou art all the celestials.
131 The body is as it were a pit into which the soul falls, determined by Desire and Ignorance.
132 Vasu, the commentator explains, indicates the Wind, for it means that which establishes all things into itself.
133 Nisachara is one acting through nisa, or Avidya, i.e., one who enjoys all objects, implying Jiva invested with Ignorance.
134 The Soul can view the Soul or itself, if it can transcend the body with the aid of Yoga.
135 The commentator explains that the first word means that thou art Hansa and that the second word means thou art Paramahansa.
136 Varhaspatya is a word that is applied to a priest. The deities first got their priest for assisting them at their sacrifices. Human beings then got theirs. Those born after Vrihaspati are Vrihaspatyas.
137 This word Nandivardhanah may also mean he that withdraws or takes away the joys previously conferred.
138 The language of the Veda is divine. That of the scriptures is human.
139 Literally, crown of the head.
140 i.e., that succeeds in effecting his Emancipation.
141 Mahanakha refers to the incarnation of Narasingha or the Man-lion assumed for slaying the Daitya Hiranyakasipu, the father of Prahlada. Maharoman has reference to the form of the mighty or vast Boar that the Supreme Deity assumed for raising the submerged Earth on his tusks.
142 Mahamuni may mean either one that is very mananasilah or one that is exceedingly taciturn.
143 How the world has been likened to a tree has been explained in the Moksha sections of the Santi Parvan.
144 This is explained in the sense of no one being able to enquire after Brahman unless he has a body, however subtile, with the necessary senses and understanding. It may also mean that the tree of the world furnishes evidence of the existence of the Supreme Deity.
145 Both the vernacular translators have rendered many of these names most carelessly. The Burdwan translator takes Yaju as one name and Padabhuja as another. This is very absurd.
146 These are the ten previously enumerated, beginning with residence in the mother’s womb and ending with death as the tenth, with heaven the eleventh and Emancipation the twelfth.
147 It should be remembered that Kali which is either the age of sinfulness or the presiding deity of that age and, therefore, a malevolent one, is highly propitious to Emancipation. The world being generally sinful, those who succeed in living righteously in this age or under the sway of this malevolent deity, very quickly attain to heaven if heaven be their object, or Emancipation if they strive for Emancipation.
148 Implying that thou assumest the form of the constellation called the Great Bear, and moving onward in space causest the lapse of Time. This constellation, in Hindu astronomy, is known by the name of Sisumara because of its resemblance with the form of a tortoise.
149 The word bhashma, meaning ashes, literally signifies anything that dispels, tears off all bonds, and cures every disease. Ashes are used by Sanyasins for rubbing their bodies as a mark of their having consumed every sin and cut off every bond and freed themselves from all diseases.
150 Mahadeva gave a quantity of ashes to his devotees for protecting them from sin.
151 Vide the story of Mankanaka. The Rishi of that name, beholding vegetable juice issuing from his body, began to dance in joy. The whole universe, overpowered by a sympathetic influence, began to dance with him. At this, for protecting the universe, Mahadeva showed himself to Mankanaka and, pressing his fingers, brought out a quantity of ashes, thus showing that his body was made of ashes.
152 Anukari literally means an accessory. In the form of Vishnu or Krishna, the Supreme Deity addrest himself to aid Arjuna in slaying Bhishma.
153 As Krishna the friend of Arjuna.
154 In the Pauranik myth, the Earth is described as being supported in empty space by a mighty snake called Sesha. Mahadeva is that Sesha, otherwise called Ananta.
155 i.e., Mahavishnu, from whose navel arose the primeval lotus within which was born Brahma.
156 The Bombay text has a misprint. It reads Punya-chanchu for Punya-chunchu. In printing the commentary also, the well-known grammatical Sutra vrittanschanchu etc. The Burdwan translator repeats the misprint in his rendering. K. P. Singha avoids it.
157 The word Kurukshetra or its abbreviation Kuru means the field or department of action. It means also the actual field, so called, on which king Kuru performed his penances, and which is so sacred that its very dust cleanses a person of all sins.
158 The commentator explains that Siddharthah means Siddhantah, and that the following compound is its adjective.
159 Literally, the Soul of real existence.
160 People eat off plates of silver or gold or of other metals. Mahadeva has for his plate Kala or destroyer of the universe. Both the vernacular translators have erred in rendering this word. K. P. Singha takes the compound as really consisting of two names, etc.
161 The sense is that Mahadeva is the foremost of Sadhakas or worshippers engaged in acquiring a particular object, for he has emaciated or reduced to nothingness all his foes in the form of all passions good and evil. Prakarshena tanukritah arayah kamadayo yena sah.
162 Narah is thus explained by the commentator.
163 The commentator explains that he who is called Suparvan in heaven is otherwise called Mahan.
164 Sarva-sahana-samarthya pradah as the commentator explains. Hence, it means that Mahadeva is he who makes creatures competent to bear all things, i.e. all griefs and all joys, as also the influence all physical objects that is quietly borne without life being destroyed.
165 The etymology of Hara is thus explained by the commentator; Hanti iti ha sulah; tam rati or adatte. This is very fanciful.
166 The sense is this: a nipana is a shallow pond or ditch where cattle drink. The very oceans are the nipanas or Mahadeva.
167 The commentator thinks that this has reference to the incarnation of Trivikrama i.e., the dwarf suddenly expanding his form till with two steps he covered Heaven and Earth and demanded space for his third step.
168 i.e., thou art possessed of Yoga knowledge.
169 The two together form one name.
170 These are Vija, Sakti, and Kilakani. A kakud is a hump or elevated place in the body.
171 The thin bamboo rod in the hand of the Brahmana is mightier than the thunderbolt of Indra. The thunder scorches all existing objects upon which it falls. The Brahmana’s rod (which symbolizes the Brahmana’s might in the form of his curse) blasts even unborn generations. The might of the rod is derived from Mahadeva.
172 Sayambhuvah Tigmatejah is one name. The commentator explains that Brahman could not look at Mahadeva; hence this reference to his prowess.
173 Brahma, after his birth within the primeval lotus, became desirous of seeing the end of the stalk of that lotus. He went on and on, without succeeding to find what he sought. The meaning of the word, therefore, by implication is that Mahadeva is infinite.
174 Once Brahma asked Surabhi to bear evidence before Vishnu to the statement that Brahma has seen the foremost part of Siva. Surabhi having given false evidence out of fear for Brahma was cursed by Siva that her offspring will eat unholy substances.
175 Uma is another name for Brahmavidya.
176 Falling from the celestial regions, the river Ganga was held by Mahadeva on his head, among his matted locks. At t
he earnest solicitations of King Bhagiratha he gave her out so that flowing along the surface of the Earth she met the ocean, first passing over the spot where the ashes of Bhagiratha’s ancestors, the sixty thousand sons of king Sagara of the solar race, lay.
177 This form is called Hara-Gauri, as explained before.
178 Some texts read Pritatma, implying one of contented soul. The reading noticed by the commentator is Pitatma, meaning gold-complexioned. The Burdwan translator takes Pritatma as one name. This is not correct.
179 Mahadeva is represented as possessed of five heads, four on four sides and one above.
180 Amritogovrisherwarah is one name.
181 These are names for different portions of time.
182 The Srutis declare that Fire is his head, the Sun and the Moon are his eyes, etc.
183 Mahadeva has an image in the country of the Kalingas that is called Vyaghreswara.
184 Kantah is thus explained. Kasya Sukhasya antah sima.
185 Undivided, i.e., having nothing else for its object, Sarva-bhavatah is bhagvat. The sense is that unless one becomes conversant with all the modes of worshipping Bhava, i.e., in thought, word and deed, and unless one has special good luck, one cannot have such devotion to Bhava.
186 There are numerous instances of the gods having become alarmed at the penances of men and done their best to nullify those penances by despatching celestial nymphs for attracting them of carnal pleasures.
187 I expand this verse a little for bringing out the sense clearly.
188 The subject propounded by Yudhishthira is this: marriage is always spoken of as a union of the sexes for practising all religious duties together. The king asks, how can this be. Marriage, as seems to him, is a union sought for pleasure. If it be said that the two individuals married together are married for practising religious duties jointly, such practice is suspended by death. Persons act differently and attain to different ends. There is, therefore, no prospect of a reunion after death. When, again, one of them dies, the joint practice of duties can no longer take place. The other objections, urged by Yudhishthira, to the theory of marriage being a union of the sexes for only practising religious duties jointly, are plain.
The Sanskrit Epics Page 870