Mahabharata Vol. 3 (Penguin Translated Texts)
Page 65
713 That is, when it was afternoon.
714 Type of duck.
715 The ruddy goose.
716Vaidurya.
717 The ruddy goose.
718 Vaishravana is Vishrava’s son and is Kubera’s name.
719 Kubera.
720 Yudhishthira.
721 Vinata’s son is Garuda.
722 The rakshasas.
723 The text says river here, rather than pond.
1 Ghatotkacha.
2 Droupadi.
3 Havya is oblations offered to the gods, kavya is oblations offered to the ancestors.
4 Jatasura.
5 Bhima was the son of the wind-god, Pavana or Vayu.
6 Indra.
7 Baka and Hidimba are rakshasas who were killed by Bhima earlier.
8 Threw down Yudhishthira, Nakula and Droupadi.
9 Bala was a demon killed by Indra. The text should actually say Bala, not Bali.
10 Nakula and Sahadeva.
11 Addressing Yudhishthira.
12 The Vali and Sugriva story is from the Ramayana, though the Mahabharata also mentions it, such as in Section 33.
1 Yudhishthira.
2 Jaya and Vijaya are Arjuna’s names. Bibhatsu is also one of Arjuna’s names, as is Gandivadhanva, the one with the Gandiva as his bow.
3 Referring to Arjuna.
4 Referring to Yudhishthira.
5 The brahmanas and ascetics spoke these words.
6 Ghatotkacha.
7 Vrishaparva.
8 Sharabha has many meanings—young elephant, camel. It is also a mythical animal with eight legs, believed to be stronger than a lion. In this context, one probably means the mythical animal.
9 The name of Indra’s pleasure garden.
10Amrataka.
11 Kind of tree.
12 Kind of tree.
13 Kind of tree.
14Bijapurakas.
15Likuchas.
16Mochas.
17 The critical edition’s text says amravetasa, which doesn’t sound right. It should probably be amlavetasa, that is, tamarind.
18 Kind of tree.
19 Kshoudra is another name for the champaka tree.
20Nipa is another name for the kadamba tree.
21 Tree sacred to Shiva.
22Kapitthas.
23Jambus.
24 More a plant than a tree.
25 Plakshas.
26 Kind of tree.
27Vatas.
28Ashvatthas.
29 Tree difficult to identify, but must have been milky-white in colour.
30Bhallatakas.
31Amalakas.
32 Type of myrobalan.
33 Type of myrobalan.
34 Medicinal tree.
35 Kind of tree.
36 Name of a tree.
37 Tree with yellow and fragrant flowers.
38 Tree with red flowers.
39 Flowering plant. Ketakas are mentioned twice.
40 Tree with fragrant flowers. Bakulas are mentioned twice.
41 Flowering tree also known as nagakeshara.
42 Name of a tree.
43 Tree whose flowers have no smell.
44 Red trumpet flower.
45 Name of a tree.
46Mandaras.
47Indivaras.
48 Celestial tree, though the coral tree is also called parijata.
49 Name of a tree.
50Devadarus. Literally, the tree of the gods.
51 Tall tree.
52Talas.
53 Tree with dark bark.
54 Tree, also known as piyala.
55Shalmalis.
56 Tree with red blossoms.
57 Tree with red blossoms. They are mentioned twice.
58 Name of a tree.
59 The critical edition says taralas. But there is no obvious tree called tarala. This should probably be sarala, which is a tall and straight species of pine.
60 Bird, like a partridge.
61Shatapatras.
62Bhringarajas.
63Shukas.
64Kalavinkas.
65 Kind of pigeon.
66Jivas, birds in general.
67Jivakas.
68 Clearly a bird, but with no obvious identification.
69 Kind of bird believed to feed on raindrops.
70Kumudas.
71Pundarikas.
72Kokanadas.
73 Utpalas.
74 Kahlaras.
75 Kamalas.
76Kadamba. Geese are kaadamba, though in our system we have been writing it as kadamba. The critical edition says kadamba, not kaadamba. If kadamba is the right reading, we are talking about a kind of tree. But given the context, geese is more appropriate, so there is a typo in the text of the critical edition.
77 Chakravakas.
78 Karandavas.
79 A diving aquatic bird.
80 The trees seemed to be wearing crowns.
81 Manmatha is the god of love.
82 A kind of amaranth tree.
83 Kama is the god of love.
84 A kind of tree with beautiful flowers. Tilaka is also a mark made on the forehead.
85 Ananga is the god of love. Literally, the word ananga means one without a body and there is a story about how the god of love lost his body because of Shiva’s rage.
86 Kind of bird.
87 Though never made clear, Arshtishena might be Devapi, Shantanu’s elder brother, who had resorted to the forest.
88 Yudhishthira.
89 This world and the next.
90 The junction between the fifteenth day of a lunar fortnight and the first day of the next lunar fortnight.
91 Suparnas.
92 Type of musical instrument.
93 Kubera, the lord of riches. Kubera is the son of Vishrava and is therefore known as Vaishravana. Kubera is described as Naravahana, because he has a man (nara) as his mount or vehicle (vahana).
94 The word used is tata, affectionately used for anyone who is younger or junior.
95 Famous gandharva.
96 Arshtishena.
97 Probably arrows not tipped with poison.
98 Arjuna. The story of the burning of the Khandava forest has been recounted in Section 19 (Volume 2). Vasava is one of Indra’s names.
99 Maya is the power of creating delusions. Rakshasas resort to maya.
100 Shatakratu is one of Indra’s names and means the performer of one hundred (shata) sacrifices (kratu).
101 A conch shell has three lines. A neck marked with three lines, like a conch shell, is believed to bring good fortune.
102 A lion.
103 The southern direction is the direction of death and it is also a direction frequented by demons.
104 Arrows had different names, classified according to the arrow’s head and the shaft. This one was vatsadanta, vatsa meaning calf and danta meaning teeth, a reference to the arrow’s tip or head.
105 The word used is kritya, meaning a she-demon or a malevolent goddess.
106 The rakshasas and other demons are those who roam (chara) in the night (nisha) and are known as nishacharas.
107 Yudhishthira.
108 There is some inconsistency, since Droupadi had herself sent Bhima.
109 Indra.
110 The lords (pala) of the worlds (loka) are eight in number—Indra, Vahni (Agni), Yama, Nairrita, Varuna, Maruta, Kubera and Isha (Ishana). Sometimes, Vayu is listed instead of Indra. However, since the reference here seems to be to four lokapalas, one probably means Indra, Agni, Varuna and Yama.
111 Yudhishthira and Bhima respectively.
112 Class of demons who are prone to (vasha) anger (krodha).
113 The killing of Maniman.
114 The word used is Rajaraja. The word raja has several meanings, a yaksha being one of them. So Rajaraja is the king of the yakshas, or Kubera.
115 An ayuta is ten thousand and there were one thousand ayuta yakshas.
116 The yakshas.
; 117 Kubera.
118 Controlling their anger.
119 Pushpaka is Kubera’s celestial chariot or vehicle (vimana).
120 The architect of the gods.
121 The yakshas and the rakshasas.
122 Yudhishthira.
123 The word used is tata.
124 Padma is a trillion. Mahapadma isn’t specific, but is simply a very large number.
125 Agastya.
126 The dark lunar fortnight (Krishna paksha) is referred to as the first lunar fortnight.
127 This means the yakshas. Alaka is Kubera’s capital.
128 The word used is tata.
129 Gandivadhanva means the wielder of the Gandiva and is one of Arjuna’s name. Jishnu, Gudakesha and Dhananjaya are also Arjuna’s names. In this passage, the word Partha is being used for both Yudhishthira and Arjuna, since both are Pritha’s (Kunti’s) sons.
130 Airavata is Indra’s elephant.
131 Tata.
132Asta means sunset and Asta is also the name of the western mountain behind which, the sun is believed to set.
133Sadas.
134 Prajapati means the lord of all beings. In this context, it means Brahma.
135 Brahma had seven sons through his mental powers. While the list varies, a standard one is Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu and Daksha.
136 Tata.
137 The list of the seven great rishis (saptarshi) varies. Indeed, the list is believed to change from one era to another. Identified with the constellation of the Great Bear (Ursa Majoris), the saptarshi list is Kratu, Pulaha, Pulastya, Atri, Angiras, Vasishtha and Bhrigu (alternatively, Marichi).
138 Brahma.
139 They are not reborn.
140 The sun-god.
141 The sun circumambulates Mount Meru.
142 The moon.
143Dakshinayana (southern course), the winter solstice, when the sun moves south of the equator.
144Kala is a small measure of time, but that measure is not consistently defined. In terms of astronomy, kala is 1/60th of a degree, that is, a minute. A kashtha is 1/30th of a kala.
145 Arjuna’s name. Literally, the one with a diadem on his head.
146 Arjuna’s horses were white.
147 Indra’s charioteer.
148 Ajatashatru is one of Yudhishthira’s names.
149 Yudhishthira.
150 Indra killed a demon named Namuchi. Diti’s sons are daityas or demons.
151 Droupadi. Sutasoma was the son of Arjuna and Droupadi.
152 Entry is pravesha and this is what the critical edition says. Some other versions say pravasa, which means residence. While describing the entry into heaven is possible, description of the residence in heaven is more likely.
153 The critical edition excises a shloka that says night was over.
154 Yudhishthira and Indra respectively.
155 Yudhishthira.
156 Yudhishthira.
157 The wielder of the pinaka is Shiva.
158 Shaishira can be either a proper name or an adjective. If it is an adjective, it means the cold mountatin.
159 The first day of the fifth month.
160 Kiratas are hunters, typically inhabiting mountainous regions.
161 The boar.
162 Depending on the tips and the shafts, arrows had different names and it is difficult to pin these down more precisely. For example, sthunakarna probably meant an arrow that was stocky at the shaft, ayojala probably had iron in the head, sharavarsha simply means a shower of arrows, sharolbana has the same meaning, shailastra must have had iron in the head and ashmavarsha also must have had iron in the tip.
163 Powerful, magical and divine weapon.
164 Shiva has a bull (vrisha) on his banner (dhvaja) and is known as Vrishadhvaja.
165 A pinaka can be either a trident or a bow. Shiva is the wielder of the pinaka.
166Shula (trident).
167 Shiva’s name.
168 Shiva’s name, meaning the one with three eyes.
169 Roudra is another name for the pashupata weapon. Pashupati and Rudra are Shiva’s names.
170 Shiva’s.
171 Each manvantara (era) is presided over by a sovereign known as Manu. It is because humans are descended from Manu that they are known as manava. There are fourteen manvantaras and fourteen Manus to preside over them. The present manvantara is the seventh and the Manu who presides over this is known as Vaivasvata, because he was born from the sun (Vivasvat).
172 Maruts are gods of the wind and Indra’s companions. Indra is therefore known as Marutvan. Shachi is his consort.
173 Savyasachi is one of Arjuna’s names and means one who is left-handed.
174 There is an inconsistency, because Arjuna actually obtained those weapons in heaven.
175 Indra was the brahmana and Indra would show himself to Arjuna in heaven.
176 Brahma.
177 In this context, a class of demons.
178 Vishvavasu is the name of the king of the gandharvas.
179 Harivahana is Indra’s epithet. Literally, this means someone whose horses (means of transport) are tawny.
180 The five types of weapons are mukta (those that are released from the hand, like a chakra), amukta (those that are never released, like a sword), muktamukta (those that can be released or not released, like a spear), yantramukta (those that are released from an implement, like an arrow) and mantramukta (magical weapons unleashed with incantations). These are categories of weapons. It is difficult to pinpoint the ten. In all probability, that number refers to weapons by name, rather than types. Shula (spear), tomara (club), gada (mace), parashu (battleaxe), mudgara (hammer), vajra, chakra, kshepini (sling), asi (sling) and bhindipala (javelin) might be such a possible list.
181 These five techniques are especially important for divyastras, that is, divine or magical weapons. Atonement is necessary if such a magical weapon has been discharged inappropriately, at the wrong person.
182 Prayuta is a million, arbuda is one hundred million.
183 The gods told Arjuna this.
184 The name of the conch shell.
185 Timingila is a fish that devours whales (timi). The text has the word timingila twice, but we have retained it in the translation only once. A makara is a mythical creature, translated very loosely as a crocodile.
186 Weapons capable of killing one hundred at a time.
187 Famous battle between the gods and the demons.
188 Ten arrows.
189 Powers of delusion.
190 Of chariots or carts.
191 Vishoshana means something that dries up.
192 Salila means water.
193 Shaila is something that is made out of rock.
194 There were several demons named Shambara. One of them was killed by Indra.
195 For the killing of Virochana’s son. Virochana’s son was the demon named Bali.
196 Brahma.
197 The demons.
198 Brahma.
199 Arjuna is Indra’s son.
200 Puloma is a demon who is Indra’s father-in-law. Indra’s wife Shachi is Puloma’s daughter. The Poulamas are demons. The Kalakeyas are demons too.
201 Brahma.
202 Literally, a city (pura) made of gold (hiranya).
203Nalikas, weapons not easy to identify. They could be arrows, spears or darts. All one knows is that they were hollow.
204Bhallas, weapons that were hurled.
205 That is, Arjuna resorted to divine weapons.
206 This was the weapon personified.
207 Shiva.
208 Animal that cannot be identified.
209 Makaras.
210 Evil spirit, kind of demon.
211 Tripura was a city of the demons and was destroyed by Shiva.
212 The word used is kala, which is a small measure. Sixteen kalas make up a larger measure.
213 Sthanu is Shiva’s name. The goddess is Uma, Shiva’s consort.
214 The
sun.
215 In principle, twice-born can mean brahmanas, kshatriyas or vaishyas, but commonly means brahmanas.
216 Brahma.
217 Yudhishthira.
218 Janamejaya.
1 Arjuna’s name, literally the one with a diadem on his head.
2 That is, they were comfortable and lacked nothing.
3 The king is Yudhishthira, Vayu’s intrepid son is Bhima, Jishnu is Arjuna and the twins are Nakula and Sahadeva. Bhima is doing the speaking.
4 The Pandavas were exiled for twelve years in the forest and one year of life incognito. Only eleven years have passed, so there is no need to resort yet to a life that is incognito. That happens in Virata Parva. Essentially, Bhima wants them to move elsewhere. However, there is also a mention of one more year of life incognito and the numbers don’t add up. If only one year of incognito life is left, we should immediately jump to Virata Parva. But in that case, there is no time for the incidents that occur between now and Virata Parva.
5 Suparna is Garuda and Vishnu (Krishna) has Garuda on his banner. Shini’s grandson is Balarama, though this is not to be interpreted in the narrow sense of a grandson. Shini was a common ancestor of the Yadavas, further up the line than a grandfather.
6 Foremost among the Shinis is probably a reference to Satyaki.
7 Kubera is Vaishravana.
8 Lomasha.
9 Eight elephants guard the eight cardinal directions.
10 In the mountains and on their way to Vrishaparva’s hermitage.
11 Chinese.
12 Alternatively, tusharas, identified with Turkmenistan or the Turkistan region of Afghanistan.
13 Identified with the Gilgit region of Kashmir.