179 Of reaching Vidarbha in time.
180 Meaning Damayanti.
181 The capital of Vidarbha.
182 The ones that were in Vidarbha, not the ones Nala was driving.
183 It is not clear what this means. Perhaps it means that Nala has never made excessive demands on Damayanti. Perhaps it means that Nala has behaved like an impotent person towards other women.
184 Of the palace.
185 Was not known to Bhima. So Bhima wondered why Rituparna had suddenly come.
186 This is the daughter Indrasenaa. The son is Indrasena. But given the way names have been written in this translation, Indrasenaa is also written as Indrasena.
187 With a message.
188 To Bhima.
189 Nala had held it in trust.
190 Bahuka (Nala) could no longer be his charioteer. Varshneya was Nala’s charioteer and would therefore stay on with Nala.
191 The word used is ayuta, meaning ten thousand. But here, many years, rather than a precise number, are meant.
192 Nala.
193 Pushkara.
194 One of the seven continents (dvipa) that surround Mount Meru. Bharatavarsha is part of Jambudvipa.
195 Droupadi.
196 Yudhishthira.
197 A sacred tirtha.
198 Yudhishthira.
199 Jaya is one of Arjuna’s names and means victory. Jaya is also one of Yudhishthira’s names.
200 Meaning the other Pandavas.
201 Kubera’s park or pleasure garden.
202 Yudhishthira.
203 The many-armed Arjuna is Kartavirya Arjuna, the king of the Haihayas who was killed by Parashurama.
204 Pundarikaksha means lotus-eyed, since pundarika is a white lotus and aksha means eye. Pundarikaksha is a proper name for Vishnu, and Krishna. Pundarikaksha is not quite a proper name for Arjuna, unless he is equated with Vishnu or Krishna. Perhaps Droupadi simply means that Arjuna has eyes like those of a lotus.
205 Vasava is Indra and Arjuna is Indra’s son.
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First published by Penguin Books India 2010
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Mahabharata Vol. 2 (Penguin Translated Texts) Page 54
