by Bibek Debroy
456 The wife.
457 An auspicious sign.
458 The one without birth. Here, it means Surya.
459 A bhara is a measure of weight. It can roughly be taken to be almost 100 kgs.
460 Ugrasena.
461 Satrajit’s brother.
462 Jambavat.
463 Timingila is a fish that devours whales (timi). The reference is to Rama in the Ramayana. Jambavat was Rama’s ally and devotee.
464 Satrajit.
465 Surya’s.
466 In an attempt made by Duryodhana at Varanavata, a story told in the Mahabharata. Kunti and the Pandavas escaped.
467 Kritavarma’s brother and Hridika’s son.
468 That is, why should he not be killed?
469 Hastinapura.
470 Krishna and Balarama. They already knew, but followed human norms.
471 There were several kings of Mithila named Janaka. Indeed, they were all known as Janaka, descended from the Janaka lineage. This Janaka is not the Janaka who was Sita’s father. Balarama taught Duryodhana/Suyodhana how to fight with the club.
472 Satrajit.
473 Respectively linked to destiny and nature.
474 How could there be calamities when Krishna resided in Dvaraka? This shloka is interpreted in various ways. For instance, the residents of Dvaraka had forgotten about Krishna’s glory. One must however bear in mind Shri-Shuka’s statement about his having explained it before. Therefore, this probably means that Krishna was simply behaving like an ordinary human.
475 Also written as Shvaphalka. Shvaphalaka was Akrura’s father. He possessed the power to cause showers and Akrura inherited these powers. In exile, Akrura went to his maternal grandfather’s house, in Kashi.
476 Over and above Akrura’s powers, there was the power of the Syamantaka jewel and its presence or absence.
477 That is, Satyabhama’s sons.
478 That it is with Akrura and not with Krishna.
479 Thus, it is obvious that you possess the jewel.
480 It was now known that the Pandavas had not perished in Varanavata.
481 Satyaki.
482 Technically, Nakula and Sahadeva are not Parthas. They were the sons of Madri, not of Kunti/Pritha.
483 The image is that of the senses greeting the breath of life.
484 They were older to him.
485 Arjuna.
486 Nakula and Sahadeva.
487 Krishnaa, Droupadi.
488 Kunti.
489 Akrura.
490 Yudhishthira.
491 Vijaya is Arjuna’s name. After Khandava forest was burnt down, Agni gave Arjuna Gandiva, two inexhaustible quivers and a chariot with an ape on the standard.
492 Sharabha has many meanings—young elephant, camel. It is also a mythical animal with eight legs, believed to be stronger than a lion. Gavaya is a kind of wild ox.
493 Yudhishthira.
494 Arjuna’s name.
495 Krishna is also one of Arjuna’s names.
496 Arjuna.
497 One who has conquered sleep, Arjuna’s name.
498 Krishna.
499 That is, Indraprastha.
500 There is an obvious consistency, since we have been told Arjuna already possessed these.
501 Maya is the architect of the asuras. Since Arjuna allowed him to escape from the fire, he built this assembly hall for Arjuna. Duryodhana took a pool of water to be the floor and fell into it. He also took the floor to be a waterbody and tripped.
502 Krishna.
503 In Chapter 9(24), Rajadhidevi has been mentioned as Anakadundubhi’s sister. Rajadhidevi’s sons have also been described as the kings of Avanti.
504 A suitor would have to tame these seven wild bulls.
505 Ayodhya.
506 Brahma.
507 Nagnajit.
508 Viryashulka is when the maiden is offered to the suitor who shows the most valour (virya), shulka meaning price. In this case, the valour is that of taming the bulls.
509 The image is of wooden bulls used as toys. The bulls were dragged along with ropes through their noses.
510 Nagnajit.
511 Strictly speaking, necklaces made out of gold coins.
512 Chapter 9(24) states that Shrutakirti was Anankadundubhi’s sister and that her sons ruled over Kekaya.
513 Garuda.
514 Bhouma is Narakasura. There were sixteen thousand such women. Krishna killed Narakasura and married them.
515 Narakasura stole Varuna’s umbrella, not Indra’s. He stole the earrings of Aditi, the mother of the gods. He dislodged Indra from the summit of Mandara, the mountain of the immortals. Narakasura’s capital was Pragjyotishapura, Kamarupa/Kamakhya near Guwahati. Why did Krishna take Satyabhama with him? This gives rise to speculative interpretations. Perhaps Indra related the misdeeds in Satyabhama’s presence and she wanted to come along. Perhaps because Narakasura was the earth’s son and Satyabhama was born from the earth’s portion.
516 A demon.
517 Krishna’s conch shell.
518 Garuda.
519 Mura.
520 The elephants were descended from Airavata.
521 A shataghni was a weapon that could kill one hundred at the same time and could have been a giant catapult.
522 These are both weapons and the words are often used synonymously. However, an astra is a weapon that is hurled or released, while a shastra is held in the hand.
523 Prachetas means Varuna. Mahamani (the great jewel) is the summit of Mandara, known as Maniparvata.
524 Or, whose feet are like lotuses.
525 As Brahma. The text uses the word utkata. Instead of powerful, this can also be translated as fierce.
526 As Rudra.
527 As Vishnu.
528 Interpreted as Prakriti.
529 Five tanmatras or subtle elements.
530 Narakasura’s son, Bhagadatta.
531 Palanquins.
532 Shachi.
533 Satyabhama. There is a contradiction with what has been stated in Chapter 10(50), about Indra voluntarily parting with Parijata when Dvaraka was established.
534 Indra.
535 Simultaneously.
536 Rukmini.
537 Retreated to Dvaraka.
538 This has a double meaning, as in devoid of qualities, or devoid of gunas.
539 With another double meaning, of mendicants, as opposed to beggars.
540 Which is a mere witness.
541 He manifested four arms for the purpose.
542 Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
543 Therefore, why should you want to be a king?
544 That is, they cannot possibly suffer.
545 Brahma.
546 The staff is only an external manifestation of renunciation.
547 To your devotees.
548 Vena’s son, Prithu.
549 Bharata, the son of Rishabha and Jayanti.
550 Yayati.
551 In the cycle of samsara.
552 Shiva.
553 This is interpreted as those kings being married to such women.
554 As Prakriti, for creation of the world.
555 Amba, the princess of Kashi, who was in love with Shalva.
556 Wanton or unchaste woman.
557 This is an inconsistency. It hasn’t yet happened and the story will be told in the next chapter. The marriage is of Aniruddha, Rukmini’s grandson.
558 Madra is also known as Lakshmana.
559 Pradyumna.
560 This adharma is about a matrimonial alliance with an enemy and not about marriages between cousins.
561 Dantavakra.
562 Progressively. Obviously, this means coins.
563 Dvaraka.
564 Aniruddha.
565 Bali’s.
566 When she woke up.
567 Because Pradyumna was her father-in-law.
568 Of being a virgin.
569 Pradyumna’s.
570 Bana.
57
1 Yama.
572 Nagapasha.
573 Bana.
574 Skanda.
575 Beings that torment, Shiva’s companions.
576 Skanda.
577 These are names of various divine weapons. Pashupata is Shiva’s weapon, while Krishna’s own weapon means Narayanastra.
578 Wielded by Balarama.
579 He possessed one thousand arms.
580 Kotara should not be taken as the name of Bana’s biological mother. Bana’s biological mother was Ashana. This is the family deity, identified with Durga. Kotara means someone who dwells in a cave or in the hollow of a tree.
581 Fever, this is Shiva’s jvara.
582 The individual soul.
583 Prana is the breath of life or the life force.
584 Interpreted as the Vedas.
585 Clouds, which are created by the sun.
586 Banasura.
587 Prahlada.
588 By paying a price for them.
589 In marriage.
590 The deadly poison that arose from the churning of the ocean. Interestingly, the word also means a lizard.
591 Kumbhipaka is the name of a specific hell. There, sinners are baked (pacha) like a clay pot (kumbha).
592 Balarama.
593 Nanda and Yashoda.
594 The first two months of spring. Respectively, Chaitra and Vaishakha.
595 The goddess of liquor. Varuni was the liquor born from the churning of the ocean, accepted by the asuras.
596 Shesha.
597 Kanti is the goddess Lakshmi, or her manifestation. The text says the garments were not white. This is interpreted as blue, because of what follows.
598 The kingdom normally referred to as Karusha is in Datia district of Madhya Pradesh. At that time, the king of Karusha was Dantavakra, killed by Krishna. This Karusha is actually the kingdom of Pundra, in broader Bengal, especially the northern parts. The king of Pundra called himself Poundra Vasudeva and imitated and wore all of Vasudeva’s signs.
599 In their playing.
600 Conch shell, chakra, mace, garland of wild flowers, etc.
601 This probably means that Krishna will hurl Poundraka’s false signs away, though it is possible that in an encounter, Krishna will hurl his signs (club, chakra) towards Poundraka. In a subsequent shloka, the latter meaning seems to be intended.
602 Poundraka was with his friend, the king of Kashi.
603 These were imitations.
604 Shiva/Rudra.
605 Poundraka.
606 A specific place inside Kashi.
607 The fire that is towards the south. This is Shiva speaking.
608 Magical mantras used for malevolent purposes.
609 The feminine gender is used, kritya or demoness.
610 In a wasp’s nest as food.
611 A chattering sound expressing pleasure.
612 Of the women.
613 The name of Balarama’s club.
614 Dvivida.
615 Raivataka.
616 The Yadavas.
617 Hastinapura.
618 Dhritarashtra.
619 Uddhava.
620 Gift given to a guest.
621 All these represent royal insignia.
622 Balarama.
623 Krishna.
624 Necklaces made out of gold coins.
625 Son by extension.
626 Hastinapura.
627 Narada.
628 The text uses the word Shri. In this context, it means Rukmini. Narada first entered Rukmini’s residence.
629 For whom, a brahmana is a divinity.
630 Nevertheless, Krishna washed Narada’s feet.
631 This is interpreted as Satyabhama, but there is nothing in the text to suggest this. This was simply another one of Krishna’s wives.
632 Narada.
633 Known as the five mahayajnas performed every day by a householder—offerings to gods, offerings to ancestors, tending to guests, offerings to humans and offerings to non-human species.
634 The Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
635 When they went off after marriage and returned thereafter.
636 The dharma of undertaking civil works.
637 Temples or monasteries.
638 Famous for horses.
639 By setting an example.
640 The coral tree.
641 Rukmini.
642 Interpreted as a recital of the gayatri mantra.
643 The word used is badva. This means a large number, but is also taken to be 13,084.
644 All these are auspicious.
645 Hunger, thirst, sorrow, delusion, old age and death.
646 In this context, this simply means energetic dances performed by male dancers.
647 Mridanga is a kind of drum, tala is a cymbal.
648 Known as Rajagriha (Rajgir) now.
649 This is the message of the imprisoned kings, being relayed by the messenger.
650 That is, suffering from a sense of duality and not realizing unity. In broad terms, their intelligence was inferior.
651 The apparent beneficial consequences.
652 Brahma.
653 A fire concealed inside kindling. Therefore, it is not surprising that Krishna should ask, though he knows.
654 Yudhishthira.
655 Outcasts, not outcastes.
656 The names of the three flows of the Ganga.
657 Instead of going to the rajasuya sacrifice, the Yadavas wanted to fight against Jarasandha and defeat him.
658 Bhima.
659 Brahma and Shiva respectively.
660 About being freed from Shankhachuda, described in Chapter 10(34).
661 The king of the elephants refers to the incident of the elephant being freed from the crocodile, Janaka’s daughter means Sita in the Ramayana and Krishna’s parents had been imprisoned by Kamsa.
662 The single word in Sanskrit requires expansion. It will accomplish the good deed (cook) of freeing the kings. It will also accomplish the objective of bringing to a fruition (cook) Jarasandha’s evil deeds (what should not have been cooked).
663 Ugrasena.
664 The female attendants of the queens.
665 On palanquins.
666 Or helmets.
667 Narada.
668 Indraprastha.
669 Yudhishthira.
670 Arjuna.
671 The text uses the word Punyashloka. Though the nuance is slightly different, the two words can be taken to be almost identical.
672 Droupadi.
673 Krishnaa means Droupadi. Krishna’s sister means Subhadra. She was married to Arjuna, but that incident is described in Chapter 10(86).
674 That is to say, this incident of Krishna and Arjuna burning down Khandava forest and satisfying Agni occurred at this time.
675 Krishna.
676 Those who do not worship you.
677 Which grants all the objects of desire.
678 Yudhishthira’s.
679 Arjuna.
680 Bhima.
681 The word used is atithi. An atithi is an unannounced guest, arriving unexpectedly. The householder reserves a time of the day for receiving unexpected guests.
682 The following statements pre-empt Jarasandha from stating that he needs to know their wish first, before agreeing to it.
683 They gave up their bodies to obtain eternal fame. Harishchandra gave up everything to pay Vishvamitra’s debt. After fasting for forty-eight days, Rantideva obtained some food and water, but gave that away to those who asked for it. To protect a pigeon from a hawk, Shibi gave up his own flesh. Bali gave everything away to Vishnu in his form as the vamana avatara. Unchhavritti is really an adjective, not a proper noun. There are grains left after a crop has been harvested, or after grain has been milled. If one subsists on these leftovers, this is known as unchhavritti. Here, it is being used as proper name for Mudgala, who subsisted in this way, but gave whatever he had to guests. When there was a hungry hunter, the pigeon gave up its body t
o satisfy his hunger. Seeing this, the hunter also gave up his body.
684 By Shukracharya, Bali’s preceptor.
685 Arka is the sun-plant, actually a small tree. The imagery is probably that of arka trees being crushed when two elephants fight.
686 Bhima.
687 While the duel between Bhima and Jarasandha was going on.
688 Arjuna.
689 Jarasandha’s.
690 Koustubha.
691 Associated with rajas.
692 Kartavirya Arjuna.
693 Indraprastha.
694 Yudhishthira.
695 Yudhishthira is referring to Krishna listening to Yudhishthira’s request.
696 Yudhishthira.
697 Parashurama.
698 Varuna.
699 The day when soma juice is extracted.
700 Shishupala.
701 Sahadeva’s.
702 Shishupala and Dantavakra were first born as Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu, then as Ravana and Kumbhakarna, and finally as Shishupala and Dantavakra.
703 Yudhishthira.
704 The avabhritha. Avabhritha is the most important final component of a sacrifice, characterized by the taking of a bath.
705 Jaya and Vijaya. This story has been stated in the Seventh Skandha.
706 The personification of evil, as in kali, or in kali yuga.
707 Such as Jarasandha.
708 Arjuna.
709 Yamuna.
710 Headed towards the Yamuna.
711 Yudhishthira.
712 This probably means that they were on palanquins borne by male guards.
713 The Yadavas.
714 For want of a better word. The word used is driti, meaning a leather bag used for holding water or other liquids.
715 The rajasuya sacrifice.
716 Ritual where the performer of the sacrifice and his wife offer oblations together.
717 Dvaraka.
718 The inner quarters.
719 Meaning Maya.
720 Duryodhana.
721 Krishna.
722 Brahma.
723 The guards who tried to restrain him.
724 Yudhishthira.
725 That is, Krishna had ensured that Duryodhana would be confounded, leading to the eventual war.
726 Shiva.
727 The word pamshu means dust. However, Pamshu is also one of Shiva’s names. So perhaps this simply means that he ate a handful, after having offered it to Shiva.
728 The word being Ashutosha, easily pleased. We have translated Ashutosha as an adjective. But Ashutosha is also one of Shiva’s names.
729 Maya. The city could fly through the sky and was known as Soubha.
730 The three cities of the daityas, destroyed by Shiva.
