by Bibek Debroy
5 Krishna Dvaipayana Vedavyasa.
6 That is, composed the Mahabharata.
7 Purvapaksha.
8 The four stages of life: of brahmacharya, garhasthya, vanaprastha and sannyasa.
9 The word used is tata. Although it means father, it is applied to anyone who is senior.
10 Vedavyasa.
11 He is nirguna.
12 Droupadi or Krishnaa.
13 Balarama.
14 A tirtha is a sacred place of pilgrimage. But it is also a place where one descends into water. Therefore, for a sacred place to be called a tirtha, it must have water.
15 A maharatha is a great warrior. Specifically, a maharatha can simultaneously fight with 10,000 warriors.
16 Sleep, lassitude, fear, anger, confusion, pride, insanity, negligence, surprise, doubt, covetousness, malice, envy, insincerity, falsehood, faithlessness, partiality and ignorance.
17 Indra’s pleasure garden.
18 Another name for Indra. Indra’s wife is Shachi. Shatakratu, the performer of one hundred sacrifices, is another of Indra’s names.
19 Pumshchalis. Pumshchalis have no sense of discrimination and are almost like courtesans.
20 Indra killed demons named Bala and Vritra.
21 Indra killed a demon named Paka.
22 We have translated Praleya as a proper noun. However, Mount Praleya means a mountain that is covered with snow and praleya could therefore be an adjective.
23 A measure of distance, just over 2 miles. Four kroshas make up a yojana.
24 Great rishi.
25 The Ganga flows in three places, heaven, the earth and the nether regions.
26 The god of the wind.
27 Pralolupa.
28 Dhanada is the lord of treasures, that is, Kubera.
29 Rakshasas roam around in the night.
30 The fragrant screw pine or caldera.
31 Kubera is the lord of both the yakshas and the rakshasas.
32 When Garuda desired amrita, there was a clash between Garuda and Shakra/Indra.
33 Madanika was the daughter of the apsara Menaka.
34 Vapu was born as Tarkshi. The word tarkshi means bird. The sense seems to be that since Durvasa cursed Vapu that she would be born as a bird, the name given was Tarkshi.
35 The Vedangas are limbs of the Vedas, auxiliary disciplines necessary to understand the Vedas. The six Vedangas are shiksha (phonetics), chhanda (prosody), vyakarana (grammar), nirukta (etymology), kalpa (ritual instructions) and jyotisha (astronomy/astrology).
36 Bhagadatta was the king of Pragjyotishapura and fought on the side of the Kouravas. Kiriti means the one with the diadem and is one of Arjuna’s names.
37 Arjuna’s.
38 Supratika was Bhagadatta’s elephant.
39 This probably means that the eggs were lying down on the flesh of the dead bird.
40 Yudhishthira.
41 When Bhishma was lying down on a bed of arrows, waiting for an opportune time to die.
42 Shukracharya was the preceptor of the demons.
43 Yama.
44 Indra.
45 Often, the words asuras, danavas and daityas are used as synonyms. Asuras are the antithesis of the suras, the gods. Thus, asuras are demons, as are danavas and daityas. The sage Kashyapa married Diti and Danu, who were sisters. Diti’s sons are daityas and Danu’s sons are danavas.
46 Vishnu has the Sudarshana chakra as a weapon.
47 Shiva.
48 Yama.
49 The text uses the word Jatavedas.
50 Varuna.
51 Kubera.
52 Dhatri can loosely be translated as creator, the creator mentioned earlier being Brahma. Vidhatri is more like an ordainer.
53 Shamika.
54 The birds.
55 Shamika.
56 A romanchapata is a piece of cloth made out of a hide with erect body hair.
57 Indra.
58 Indra in the form of the bird.
59 From Garuda’s wings, as Garuda was passing.
60 Though they are addressed collectively, the singular is used.
61 Because sons won’t be born.
62 Debts to ancestors are paid by being good householders and having children, debts to gods are paid through sacrifices and debts to humans (usually stated as debts to sages) are paid through studying.
63 Dakshina is the fee received by a brahmana for officiating at a sacrifice. It is also the fee paid by a student to his preceptor at the time of graduation.
64 The body is being described as an entity with nine gates—two ears, two eyes, one mouth, two nostrils, the genital organ and the anus.
65 Since the eyes have been mentioned, this probably means the two ears, the mouth and the two nostrils.
66 Anger, greed and confusion.
67 Attachment.
68 King Purusha.
69 Though not identical, this is reminiscent of Bhagavadgita 2.62–63.
70 Meaning ignorance.
71 The word used is dvija, which means bird, as well as brahmana. Both are correct. But since the brahmanas are now in the form of birds, we have chosen bird rather than brahmana.
72 The goddess of learning and speech.
73 Transcending such transient feelings.
74 Shabaras were mountain-dwelling tribes. But though the specific incident can’t be pinned down, Shabara might also have been used as a proper name.
75 When a guest arrives, he is given achamaniya (water to wash the mouth), padya (water to wash the feet) and arghya (a gift).
76 Reva is another name for River Narmada.
77 That is, the Mahabharata.
78 The Vedangas.
79 Without qualities (guna). Vasudeva and Janardana are Krishna’s names.
80 This is Droupadi, Krishnaa, not to be confused with Krishna.
81 The four forms of Vishnu are Vasudeva, Samkarshana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha.
82 The qualities (gunas) of sattva, rajas and tamas.
83 Heaven, earth and the nether regions.
84 Ishana is Shiva. The asuras had three cities (Tripura) and Shiva destroyed all three with a single arrow.
85 Ayana means place of refuge. (It also means progress.) There was destruction before creation. At the time of destruction, there was water everywhere and Vishnu slept on this water (nara). Hence, Vishnu is known as Narayana.
86 Saguna means with gunas, nirguna means without gunas.
87 The same as Samkarshana.
88 The darkness of ignorance.
89 This is almost identical to Bhagavadgita 4.7.
90 The varaha (boar) incarnation.
91 Alternatively, Nrisimha, the half-man half-lion incarnation.
92 Dwarf.
93 As Krishna. Avatara means descent, but is usually translated as incarnation.
94 Indra killed Visharupa, also known as Trishira, Tvashta’s son. That sin of killing a brahmana clung to Indra.
95 Guardian of the world.
96 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).
97 Goutama’s wife. Assuming Goutama’s appearance, Indra deceived Ahalya.
98 The two Ashvins.
99 An akshouhini is an army, consisting of 21,870 chariots, 21,870 elephants, 65,610 horse riders and 109,350 foot soldiers.
100 The wind god, also known as Vayu.
101 Nakula and Sahadeva.
102 Arjuna was in any case Indra’s son. Indra’s energy entered Dharma and this was born as Yudhishthira. Indra’s strength entered Pavana and this was born as Bhima. Indra’s beauty entered the Ashvins and this was born as Nakula and Sahadeva.
103 Krishnaa, Droupadi.
104 Balarama.
105 In fighting with the club, Duryodhana was Balarama’s disciple. However, he was never Balarama’s son-in-law. Balarama and Revati had two sons,
Nisatha and Ulmuka. In some accounts, they also had a daughter named Vatsala, who was supposed to be married to Lakshmana, Duryodhana’s son, though it is never quite clear whether this marriage ever took place. At best, Balarama’s son-in-law was Lakshmana, not Duryodhana himself. Therefore, though we have translated the word jamatri as the obvious son-in-law, one should probably look for a secondary meaning and indeed, the word also means a friend.
106 Balarama. Shura/Shurasena was Vasudeva’s father. Shouri is also one of Krishna’s names.
107 Dvaraka.
108 Hog plums.
109 The starfruit tree.
110 Ebony.
111 Since there is no such tree, this is probably bilva, wood apple.
112 Citron fruit.
113 The breadfruit tree.
114 The kadamba tree.
115 The black and white ebony.
116 Kind of pepper.
117 The indigo plant.
118 Kind of dock or sorrel.
119 Cashew nut.
120 Myrobalan. Haritaka and vibhitaka are also types of myrobalan.
121 A medicinal tree.
122 Carissa carandas.
123 Tree with orange red flowers, Saraca Indica.
124 This can mean either nutmeg or a white lotus. Nutmeg fits better here.
125 Ketaka, the screw pine.
126 Tree with fragrant flowers.
127 Tree with yellow and fragrant flowers.
128 The Indian devil tree (Alstonia scholaris).
129 The Indian laburnum.
130 The royal jasmine.
131 The Indian coral tree. Mandara is another name for the same tree.
132 Tree with reddish purple flowers, Phanera variegate.
133 The jujube tree.
134 Bignonia suaveolens.
135 The cedar tree.
136 Shorea robusta.
137 Palm tree.
138 Tree with dark bark.
139 Tree with orange-red flowers, flame of the forest, Butea frondosa.
140 The rosewood tree.
141 Partridge.
142 Literally, a bird with one hundred feathers. This can mean a parrot, a woodpecker or a crane.
143 The shrike.
144 The sparrow.
145 The green Haritala pigeon.
146 Pheasant.
147 Unidentified bird.
148 The Jacobin cuckoo or pied crested cuckoo.
149 Pundarika and kamala are separately mentioned. Each of these is a different kind of lotus.
150 Kadamba is a kind of goose, chakravaka is the Brahminy duck, karandava is a kind of duck, plava is a diving aquatic bird and madgu is also a kind of diving bird.
151 Literally, took himself to be an avadhuta. An avadhuta is an ascetic who has renounced all worldly attachments. However, it also has the nuance of someone who has been cast off from society and has been excluded by it.
152 Pratiloma means contrary, perverse, against the grain.
153 The sons of the Pandavas.
154 There are four yugas, krita (satya) yuga, treta yuga, dvapara yuga and kali yuga. The incidents currently being described are occurring in dvapara yuga.
155 The king of obstacles.
156 Shiva.
157 Vishvamitra was descended from Kusha and the lineage is referred to as Koushika.
158 As a metaphor for a stupid act.
159 The holy fig tree.
160 Therefore, that too, is exempted.
161 Shronisutra. This means a string worn around the loins, as well as the belt for a sword.
162 Vishvamitra.
163 By abandoning us, you are being violent and cruel.
164 Vishvadeva is sometimes used to refer generically to all gods, sometimes it is used for a specific category of gods. When it is used for a specific category of gods, the number varies.
165 Shiva.
166 The word used is pratigraha, to receive/accept, the opposite of giving. This is an indirect way of expressing the predicament. Harishachandra had promised to give. If he failed, it would be as if he had accepted instead.
167 Offering oblations to a sacred fire, a kind of sacrifice.
168 The meaning has to be deduced. The obvious one is that since she has given birth to a son, the objective of having a son has been accomplished.
169 Kind of antelope.
170 Upendra means Indra’s younger brother, that is, Vishnu.
171 Asta is the mountain behind which the sun sets.
172 Harishchandra has to ask someone to buy his wife.
173 Wife.
174 Harishchandra and Shaibya’s son.
175 Kakapaksha (like a crow’s wing) is a description of sidelocks of hair on the temples of boys and young men.
176 Depending on the qualities. These are coins, though the word coin is not explicitly mentioned.
177 Harishchandra’s.
178 An inferior kshatriya.
179 Dharma is the personified form of dharma. Chandala has different nuances and a chandala is not necessarily a shudra. A chandala is also of mixed parentage, with a shudra father and a brahmana mother. More generally, chandalas are outcastes, while shudras are within the caste fold.
180 One hundred million, of coins.
181 One who is an outcaste. Literally, one who eats dogs, or eats with dogs.
182 These are different types of demons and spirits, dakini being female.
183 Pedantically, a chandala is the son of a brahmana mother and a shudra father. A pulkasa (equivalently pukkasa) is the son of a nishada father and a shudra mother.
184 Feminine of pulkasa.
185 The dead brahmana’s relatives.
186 By waiving the fee.
187 The bird Turdus salica.
188 Mythical eight-legged creature that feeds on lions. However, the word also means a young elephant or a camel.
189 Yama’s.
190 The god of funeral ceremonies, Yama.
191 Indra.
192 The word used in the text is chatuh, meaning four. Even if four teeth means something, one can’t make sense of four forearms. Therefore, we have taken this as chatur, meaning beautiful.
193 The fourth mark has not been mentioned. In any event, these are not the marks of royalty. Though texts don’t necessarily agree, a fish is for a person who undertakes sacrifices. That doesn’t have to be a king. For a king, the four are usually from an umbrella, a conch shell, a lotus, an elephant, a chakra, a svastika mark.
194 The river Vaitarani flows in the nether regions and must be crossed before entering Yama’s world.
195 Hell where there is a forest (vana) full of trees, whose leaves (patra) are as sharp as the blades of swords (asi).
196 The names of two other hells. Usually twenty-eight hells are mentioned. Rourava and maha-rourava (the great rourava) are hells where one suffers at the hands of fierce animals known as rurus.
197 Brahma.
198 Vishvadevas.
199 Divine singers and bards.
200 Semi-divine species, singers and dancers, celestial musicians.
201 There is a play on the words vishva (universe) and mitra (friend).
202 Gadhi was Vishvamitra’s father.
203 Along with the subjects.
204 This seems to be dharma, rather than the god Dharma.
205 Celestial vehicles.
206 As he had himself desired, he did not live in heaven permanently and Rohitashva was consecrated as the heir apparent.
207 That is, Shukracharya.
208 Both of these are birds. Ati is also known as the sharati, the Turdus ginginianus. Baka is the Indian crane.
209 Vasishtha was Harishchandra’s priest.
210 As a result of the enmity between Vasishtha and Vishvamitra. Vishvamitra had them destroyed through King Kalmashapada, who had become a rakshasa. The story is told in several places, such as the Mahabharata.
211 Vishvamitra.
212 There are seven nether regions—Atala, Vita
la, Sutala, Talatala, Mahatala, Rasatala and Patala. However, patala is also used as a generic term for all the nether regions.
213 One of these is addressed to a male beloved, the other to a female beloved.
214 Jnana is what one learns from sacred texts and preceptors, vijnana is knowledge one obtains through inner reflection. Both these words have complicated explanations, but this simple statement will suffice.
215 The cycle of worldly existence.
216 Both in tantra and in yoga, there are six sets of separate rituals. However, this probably means the six acts permitted for a brahmana—studying, teaching, performing sacrifices, officiating at sacrifices, giving and receiving.
217 The word rasa has multiple meanings. Harsha means delight and happiness has already been mentioned. Perhaps the text simply means the taste (one of the meanings of harsha) of delight. Or perhaps this is a reference to the eight/nine rasas or sentiments of poetry, where, hasya, laughter, happens to be one. Therefore, we have not translated these two words.
218 The three Vedas.
219 The three Vedas.
220 This is a description of the time of death.
221 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.
222 Astika.
223 This is the linga sharira.
224 Funeral cakes offered by descendants.
225 This is the day of the shraddha or funeral ceremony.
226 Usually, these words are synonyms for Yama. Mrityu is Death, Kala is Detiny/Time and Antaka is Destroyer.
227 Meaning, terrible.
228 Literally, a place that is beyond all good fortune.
229 That is, kshatriya.
230 Once the fruits of good deeds have exhausted themselves.
231 The three Vedas.
232 The great Rourava.
233 The text uses the expression ten thousand twice. So strictly speaking, this is ten million years, interpreted simply as innumerable years.
234 Meaning darkness.
235 Meaning the act of severing.
236 Meaning, a place that lacks stability or foundation.
