108 Bhurishrava.
109 Earlier, the wives were in the plural. Here, it is in the singular.
110 Bhurishrava.
111 The co-wives are sorrowing both about Bhurishrava and about the principal wife.
112 Shakuni was Gandhari’s brother and this is maternal uncle by extension.
113 A reference to the gambling match.
Chapter 1326(25)
114 Sudakshina.
115 Krishna means Arjuna here. Arjuna’s son is Abhimanyu, Brihadbala having been killed by Abhimanyu in Section 67 (Volume 6).
116 Dhrishtaketu was the son of Shishupala. Thus, he was the king of Chedi. However, Shishupala’s mother was Shrutadeva. She was from a Yadava (Dasharha) lineage and Dhrishtaketu was descended from the Dasharhas on this side.
117 A reference to Krishna’s mission of peace, described in Section 54 (Volume 4).
118 Krishna.
Chapter 1327(26)
1 Ayuta is ten thousand. The text says ten ayuta ayuta, that is one billion.
2 The total is thus 1,660,020,000. This cannot readily be converted into eighteen akshouhinis. One akshouhini had 21,870 chariots, 21,870 elephants, 65,610 horses and 109,350 foot soldiers. But the number of soldiers per chariot, per elephant or per horse is not known.
3 Guhyakas are semi-divine species, companions of Kubera. This is a less desirable end.
4 Uttarakuru, as a real dvipa (continent) is to the north of Jambudvipa and to the north of Mount Meru. However, Uttarakuru is also described as a region that is not on earth, but as a region attained after death.
5 A siddha is someone who has obtained success, in the sense of having obtained higher knowledge.
6 The visit to the tirthas has been described in Section 33 (Volume 3).
7 The family priest of the Kouravas.
8 The family priest of the Pandavas.
9 Yudhishthira’s charioteer.
10 Vidura.
11 Duryodhana’s son.
12 This is a strange mention, because Kshemadhanva has only been mentioned in passing in Section 63 (Volume 5) and has no role to play in the actual war.
13 Achala and Vrishaka were Shakuni’s brothers.
14 The rakshasa Alayudha.
Chapter 1328(27)
1 The son of Radha.
2 The natural earrings and armour Karna was born with.
3 Meaning Arjuna.
Chapter 1329(1)
1 This was a period of purification.
2 Snatakas are those who have completed their studies (the brahmacharya stage) and are about to enter the householder stage (garhasthya).
3 Yudhishthira.
4 This was a time of mourning.
5 Subhadra, Abhimanyu’s mother, descended from the Varshneya lineage.
6 This has been described in Section 55 (Volume 4).
7 Arjuna.
Chapter 1330(2)
8 Though not explicitly stated, this is Narada speaking.
9 Drona.
10 Dhanurveda.
11 Parashurama.
12 Gotra can loosely be translated as family lineage.
13 Agnihotra is a sacrifice where oblations are offered to the fire. A homadhenu is a cow that yields milk for the oblations.
14 Arjuna.
15 The brahmana.
Chapter 1331(3)
16 Parashurama.
17 Parashurama.
18 Fear of waking up Parashurama.
19 Alarka is a mythical animal that looks like a boar and has eight legs.
20 Meaning satya yuga.
21 The word used is tata.
22 Meaning, Bhrigu. Bhrigu’s son was Chyavana, Chyavana’s son was Ourva, Ourva’s son was Richika, Richika’s son was Jamadagni and Jamadagni’s son was Parashurama.
23 A suta was born from a kshatriya father and a brahmana mother.
24 Karna.
25 Parashurama.
Chapter 1332(4)
26 Barbarians, those who do not speak Sanskrit.
27 In a svayamvara, the princess passed by all the kings, choosing the one she wanted. By going past Duryodhana, she rejected him.
28 Duryodhana.
Chapter 1333(5)
29 Jarasandha was born in two parts and was united and brought together by a rakshasi named Jara, thus obtaining his name. The story has been recounted in Section 22 (Volume 2).
30 Indra persuaded Karna to part with the natural armour and earrings. This has been described in Section 43 (Volume 3).
31 Recounted in Section 59 (Volume 4).
Chapter 1334(6)
32 This has also been described in Section 55 (Volume 4).
Chapter 1335(7)
33 The word flesh is being used in a figurative sense.
34 Yama’s.
35 Duryodhana.
36 This has been described in Section 27 (Volume 2).
37 Dhritarashtra and Gandhari.
38 The one from the Vrishni lineage is Krishna. This is a reference to the incidents in Section 54 (Volume 4).
39 This is probably a reference to Shakuni.
40 Dhritarashtra.
41 Sentiments like unhappiness and happiness, like and dislike, friend and foe.
42 That is, cause the cycle of death and rebirth.
43 Arjuna.
Chapter 1336(8)
44 Yayati’s father, an ancestor.
45 One that dries up during the summer.
46 There is probably an implicit image of tame elephants being used to ensnare wild ones.
47 The gods and the demons are descended from the same father, the sage Kashyapa.
48 The Rig Veda, the Sama Veda and the Yajur Veda.
49 Dilipa was a famous king from the solar dynasty and was the father of Raghu. Nriga was the son of Ikshvaku and also belonged to the solar dynasty. Nahusha was the father of Yayati and belonged to the lunar dynasty. Ambarisha was from the solar dynasty and so was Mandhata.
50 Shiva’s name.
51 Dasaratha means ten chariots. It is possible that this originally read dasharatra, meaning a sacrifice that lasted for ten nights.
Chapter 1337(9)
52 The stage of life when one retires to the forest.
53 A reference to fruits.
54 Those born from wombs, those born from eggs, those that are trees and plants and those born from sweat (insects and worms).
55 Like happiness and unhappiness, pleasure and pain.
56 The shloka is cryptic and needs explanation. If food is not available in the first house, he will go to a second house, then to a third house and so on, up to seven such houses. He will beg for food at these houses.
57 The idea is not to beg from too many houses.
58 That is, be as free as the wind.
59 The cause and effect refers to deeds in earlier lives affecting this life and deeds in this life affecting future lives.
60 The relatives do not bear the consequences of wicked deeds, even if those wicked deeds are done for the relatives.
61 In this cycle of birth, death and rebirth.
Chapter 1338(10)
62 The state of sannyasa or renunciation.
63 A reflection of past deeds.
Chapter 1339(11)
64 That is, they were young.
65 It is easy to miss the sense. Leftover food is food left over after gods, ancestors and guests have had their share. That can be done even if one is a householder. Indra is making the point that one can be a householder and still follow dharma.
66 By suppressing the good inner inclinations with bad ones.
67 The word used is tata.
68 This is extremely cryptic and brief. What is probably meant is the following. Those who die during shuklapaksha attain the world of the sun. Those who die during krishnapaksha attain the world of the moon. Those who are completely free attain the world of the stars after death.
69 The state of the householder.
70 Those who follow such a path do not attain the worlds of the god
s, the ancestors or Brahma.
71 The word used is nastika. Though this is often translated as atheist, it actually means non-believer.
72 This is Arjuna speaking again.
Chapter 1340(12)
73 This is a description of Nakula.
74 Yupa is a sacrificial altar and Vishakhayupa is a place towards the north where the gods set up their sacrificial altar.
75 The rites prescribed in the Vedas.
76 The status of a householder.
77 This higher plane is being spoken of disparagingly, rather than approvingly. That higher plane is a reference to life beyond death. In the process, the person abandons his own self because he abandons his own body and deprives it of sustenance.
78 Of the three qualities (guna), tamas is the worst and represents darkness and ignorance.
79 Although not very clearly stated, the sense is that this is also not approved of. In any event, this is not meant for a kshatriya.
80 Again, not meant for kshatriyas.
81 The four stage of life—brahmacharya (celibate stage of being a student), garhasthya (the stage of being a householder), vanaprastha (retiring to the forest) and sannyasa (renunciation).
82 Yama.
83 This mode of life is that of a householder. The three fruits are dharma, artha and kama.
84 Brahma.
85 Because wealth is required to perform sacrifices.
86 Ashvamedha is a horse sacrifice, rajasuya is a royal sacrifice and sarvamedha is a universal sacrifice.
87 The word used is tata.
88 In the sense of kali yuga, or strife and discord.
89 This world and the next.
90 This does not quite fit, since there is not much point invoking recommended conduct for brahmanas.
Chapter 1341(13)
91 An interpretation that is not obvious should be mentioned. External objects are those outside the body and those are being juxtaposed not just with physical parts of the body, but those that are internal to the body, that is, the mind.
92 That is, the mind.
93 Akshara is syllable, though there are some differences between the English syllable and the Sanskrit syllable, because of the way Sanskrit syllables are constructed. Mama has two syllables and means ‘it is mine’. Na mama has three syllables and means ‘it is not mine’. The sense of ego and ownership leads to death and its reverse leads to the eternal truth.
94 A meaning can be inferred. Since one does not know whether the soul is eternal or not, one ignores that debate and follows the path traversed by ancestors.
Chapter 1342(14)
95 Yudhishthira.
96 Stoka is another name for the chataka bird, which waits for the rains and is believed to survive on drops of water.
97 Deprived of water.
98 The Critical edition says utkocha, meaning bribery. Many non-Critical versions say samkocha, meaning fear or cowering down. Given the context, samkocha fits better.
99 This is difficult to figure out. The traditional interpretation has been that the Kourava army was superior in three ways—leadership, policy and energy. It was also larger than the Pandava army by four akshouhinis.
100 This is a reference to the conquest by the Pandavas, described in Section 23 (Volume 2). A dvipa is a continent. In the cosmology described in the epics and the Puranas, there are seven dvipas. Jambudvipa is in the centre and Mount Meru is at the centre of Jambudvipa. The other six dvipas are Plakshadvipa, Kushadvipa, Shalmalidvipa, Krounchadvipa, Shakadvipa and Pushkaradvipa. Each dvipa is divided into nine varshas or subcontinents. For example, Bharatavarsha is part of Jambudvipa. While there are some variations in nomenclature across texts, the description given in the text here doesn’t fit the standard cosmology.
101 To state the obvious, there are five senses.
102 Inhalation of fumes through the nose.
103 The other Pandava brothers.
Chapter 1343(15)
104 Dharma, artha and kama.
105 Danda means both rod and punishment. Damana is to control or subdue. There is a common etymology.
106 Brahmanas are punished by chastising them with words, kshatriyas through use of weapons and vaishyas by forcing them to donate out of their riches. However, shudras possess no wealth that can be taken away and they are naturally expected to serve. Therefore, no punishment can be imposed on them.
107 The personification of punishment.
108 Kubera.
109 Surya.
110 Brahma, Dhata and Pushan.
111 Among kshatriyas.
112 That is, they could have remained as householders, instead of retiring to the forest.
113 The suggestion is that studies occur because of the fear of punishment, cows suffer the act of milking because of the fear of punishment and maidens suffer the institution of marriage (as opposed to free love) because of the fear of punishment.
114 Righteous violence is superior to non-violence for the sake of non-violence.
115 This is being used as an extreme case of the sin of killing.
116 The anger of the assassin provokes the anger in the slayer.
Chapter 1344(16)
117 Meaning, phlegm, bile and wind.
118 Krishnaa, Droupadi.
119 Incidents respectively described in Sections 34, 35 and 42 (Volume 3).
120 The noble lady is Droupadi and this is a reference to the incidents of Section 46 (Volume 4).
121 Birth and death.
122 Droupadi had resolved not to braid her hair until the Kouravas had been killed.
Chapter 1345(17)
123 Of asking for more.
124 Sustain themselves on the tiger’s prey.
125 Those who survive on grain ground with stones.
126 Those who survive on grain ground with their teeth. Literally, those who use their teeth as mortars.
127 The idea that one can be free from desire, amidst wealth and prosperity.
128 Respectively, the paths followed by the ancestors and by the gods. Pitriyana involves sacrifices and rites. Devayana abandons sacrifices and rites, in favour of inner contemplation.
129 This Janaka is not to be confused with King Janaka who was the father of Sita. Mithila was the capital of both Janakas.
Chapter 1346(18)
130 Janaka was the king of Videha, Mithila was Videha’s capital.
131 The path of performing sacrifices to the fire.
132 The first three Vedas.
133 Janaka was married to the princess of Kosala.
134 Presumably Janaka’s other wives.
135 Drinking hole, alternatively, refuge.
136 The three staffs tied together, the mark of a mendicant.
137 How will you support your wife?
138 The pledge to support the wife.
139 A forest conflagration is not a sacred fire.
140 As a king, Janaka is supposed to give for charity.
141 From the householders.
142 The mendicants.
143 Despite depending on householders, mendicants criticize them.
144 One can renounce while being a householder and donating.
145 The first three Vedas.
Chapter 1347(19)
146 The word used is tata.
147 The word used is tata.
148 Ritual action is superior to renunciation and renunciation is superior to austerities. There is something wrong in the text. Arjuna is the one who has advocated ritual action, while Yudhishthira has advocated austerities. Therefore, the ordering ought to be the other way round.
149 The path of the gods.
150 The path of the ancestors. This leads to rebirth.
151 This is a difficult shloka to understand. The body is composed of the five elements, earth, air, water, fire and space. Rejection probably means the rejection of some doctrines.
152 The atman.
153 Through the cycle of death and rebirth, and true knowledge frees one from this cycle.
/>
154 The atman does not exist, or final emancipation does not exist. Therefore, one should devote oneself to action. These shlokas are not very easy to understand and we have taken some liberties.
Chapter 1348(20)
155 The four ashramas or stages of life.
156 Hermits or anchorites.
157 Sacrifices for the sake of wealth are being condemned. Objects are collected for such sacrifices and it is better not to perform such sacrifices. If sacrifices cannot be performed without wealth, it is best to avoid such sacrifices. Such a pursuit of wealth kills one’s own self, the foetus probably referring to one’s own self in the cycle of rebirth. This is the belief of the vaikhanasas, being contradicted by Devasthana.
158 The riches.
159 The desire for the fruits of sacrifices.
160 Krittivasa is Shiva’s name and means the one who is attired in skins. The word for deeds is kirti and there is a pun that a translation misses.
161 The goddess Lakshmi.
162 Indra.
Chapter 1349(21)
163 The preceptor of the gods.
164 Though not clearly stated, this is the end of Brihaspati’s quote.
165 Follow the right dharma.
166 Of wicked ones.
167 Each era (manvantara) is presided over by a Manu. After fourteen manvantaras, the cycle of destruction and creation starts again. In the present cycle of fourteen manvantaras, Svayambhuva Manu was the first and we are now in the seventh manvantara, presided over by Vaivasvata Manu.
168 Until it is time to die.
169 The final liberation.
Chapter 1350(22)
Mahabharata: Volume 8 Page 74
