The Sanskrit Epics, page 547
83 During the days of mourning a person is regarded as unclean, being unable to perform his ordinary worship and other religious rites. After the obsequies are performed the mourning is ended, he is supposed to be cleansed.
84 The first line of 6 is read differently in the Bombay edition. The Bengal reading, however, seems to me to be preferable.
85 Both the Bengal and Bombay editions, in the first line of 12, read prita, i.e., gratified. There can be no doubt, however, that the correct reading is Bhita, i.e., affrighted, as I have put it. I find that some of the Bengali translators have also made this correction.
86 Devas, in the first line of 46, means the senses, Vrittas, as explained by Nilakantha, means Vritavantus.
87 Verse 55, as occuring in both the Bengal and the Bombay text, requires corrections, 55 is incomplete. For the words tada Raja, therefore, I read Sokam tyaja, as suggested by K. P. Singha. Then the Visarga after Yudhishthira must be dropped to make it a vocative. Similarly, Pandavas in 58 should be Pandava, a vocative and not a nominative, upakramat should be upakrama. The last two corrections are made in the Bombay text. The fact, is, are 55 to 58 the words of Vyasa, or of Sanjaya? Evidently, it is Vyasa that speaks, and, hence the necessity of the corrections noted.
88 I follow Nilakantha in rendering these two verses.
89 Of golden excreta.
90 The Bengal reading is Samvartam. The Bombay text makes Samvarta a nominative. I have adopted the Bengal reading. If the Bombay reading be accepted, the meaning would be that Samvarta himself, piqued with Vrihaspati, caused Marutta to perform a sacrifice. K. P. Singha makes a ludicrous blunder in supposing Samvarta to have been a kind of sacrifice.
91 The word in the original Atavika, literally meaning one dwelling in the woods. It is very generally used in the sense of thieves or robbers, thus showing that these depredators from the earliest times, had the woods and the forests for their home.
92 Vahinyas rivers. Swairinyas, open to every body. The Bengal reading is abhavan; the Bombay reading Vyatahan. If the former reading be adopted, it would mean the rivers were of liquid gold.
93 i.e., sacrifices ordained for Kshatriyas.
94 Siksha, one of the six branches of Vedas; it may be called the orthoepy of the Vedas. Akshara, letters of the alphabet. The sense seems to be that these Brahmanas were good readers of the Vedas.
95 The word in the original Murddhabhishikta, which literally means one whose coronal locks have undergone the ceremony of the sacred investiture. Hence, it is used to denote Kshatriyas or persons of the royal order.
96 Havisha mudamavahat; or havisham udam avahat, which would mean, he poured libations unto Indra as copious as water.
97 Because juniors pre-deceased their seniors. The causative form of akarayan is a license.
98 The four kinds of creatures that owned Rama’s sway were (1) those that were oviparous, (2) those that were viviparous, (3) those born of filth, and (4) the vegetables.
99 These were ghats for facilitating access to the sacred stream.
100 Both 5 and 6 are difficult slokas. But for Nilakantha I could never have understood their sense. The reading Jalaughena, occuring in both the Bengal and the Bombay editions, is a mistake for Janaughena. The construction of 5 is this: Dakshina Bhuyasirdadat: tena hetuna Janaughena akaranta. The story of the salvation of Bhagiratha’s ancestors is a beautiful myth. King Sagara (whence Sagara or the Ocean) had sixty thousand sons. They were all reduced to ashes by the curse of the sage Kapila, an incarnation of Vishnu himself. Bhagiratha, a remote descendant, caused the sacred Ganga to roll over the spot where the ashes of his ancestors lay, and thus procured their salvation.
101 The correct reading is Valguvadinas, and not the form in the genitive plural.
102 In the Bombay edition some verses occur after the 3rd.
103 Literally “Having me for his sustainer.”
104 Instead of Suna, the Bombay text gives Puru.
105 The Bengal text reads this verse differently.
106 The words in italics are names of Indian confectionery, prepared with wheat or barley, milk, and sugar or honey.
107 These are the methods by which he sought knowledge of the Vedas.
108 Nakshatra-dakshina is explained by Nilakantha as Nakshatra vihitro-Dakshina.
109 The Bengal reading of the second line of the second verse is vicious. At any rate, the Bombay reading is better.
110 Animals slain in sacrifices are believed to go to heaven.
111 Identified with the modern Chumbal.
112 A kind of vessel used by Brahmanas and others for begging.
113 Vaswoksara means made ‘of gold.’ It is a feminine adjective. The substantive is omitted. I think the passage may mean— ‘The city of Rantideva is made of gold.’
114 A Vyama is the space between the two arms extended at their furthest.
115 Literally, a Kshatriya is one that rescues another from wounds and injuries.
116 A raja is one who enjoys the affection of his people, and with whom they are delighted.
117 The bow of Siva, otherwise called Pinaka.
118 Aklishtakarman, literally, one who is never fatigued with work; hence one capable of obtaining the results of action by a mere fiat of the will. It may also mean, of unspotted acts.
119 Parthivas, i.e., relating to the earth.
120 The first line of the verse, I think, has been correctly explained by Nilakantha. The paraphrase is ya imam bhumim sukham kurvan adyam i.e. adyam yugam anuparyeti sma.
121 The Bombay text adds some verses here which do not occur in the Bengal texts.
122 K. P. Sinha makes a ludicrous blunder in reading this line.
123 Sannahikas, i.e., clad in mail.
124 The Bengal reading Dwijaidhitam is certainly better than the Bombay reading Dwijochitam although Nilakantha explains uchitam as abhimatam.
125 Twilight is herself the goddess who is supposed to be adored by certain prayers and on the occasion.
126 These slaps mark the cadences.
127 Literally, ‘in crossing.’
128 The Bengal reading Satyavrataiv in the first line of 9 is vicious. I adopt the Bombay reading Satyaratas, qualifying tara. To suppose that Krishna paid such a complement to the Kauravas as is implied by the Bengal reading is an absurdity.
129 i.e. added his voice to that of Jayadratha, requesting Drona to protect the latter.
130 A kind of car or vehicle.
131 Nilakantha supposes that tasmai here refers to the Three-eyed and not to Krishna. This seems to be right.
132 The second note of the Hindu gamut.
133 Vasavamiva is a mistake for Vasavasyeva.
134 Apavrittam is explained by Nilakantha as endangered or made doubtful. What Sanjaya says is that if it is not so, thou shalt then have to undergo the bitterness of ruling over the whole world bestowed upon thee by the Pandavas. Either the Pandavas will snatch away thy kingdom or make thee ruler of the whole after slaying thy sons. Either of these alternatives would be bitter to thee.
135 The original is pleonastic.
136 This verse obviously needs correction. Instead of “golden coats of mail,” I think some such correction is needed, viz. coats of mail, of black iron, decked with gold and dyed with blood, etc.
137 The original is pleonastic.
138 This Sloka occurs in all the texts. It would seem, therefore, that Sanjaya was not always a witness only of the battle for narrating what he saw to Dhritarashtra, but sometimes at least he took part in the battle.
139 The words tatsainyanyabhyapujayan seem to be unmeaning in this connection. The Bengali translators, unable to do anything with them, have left them out.
140 The celestial weapons were forces dependent on mantras. Ordinary shafts, inspired with these mantras, were converted into celestial weapons.
141 In other words. Arjuna’s car shot as quickly through the enemy as the arrows themselves sped from it.
142 The Bengal reading of the first line is vicious. The Bombay reading is Vamatkum Vipathum, Vanan. The first word means the froth in the mouth of the steeds.
143 i.e., his funeral obsequies. The vernacular translators do not see the intended joke.
144 I give the sense of this verse, without giving a closely literal version.
145 Avabhritha is the final bath undergone, on completion of as sacrifice by the person performing the sacrifice. The slaughter of Duryodhana would according to Krishna, be the avabhritha of the sacrifice of battle.
146 Praviddham means fallen down or loosened from its usual place. Thus Nilakantha.
147 Tripura means the three cities constructed by the Asura artificer Maya. The Asura, however, who owned those cities is also called Tripura. It was Mahadeva who destroyed the three cities with all their population vide the close of the Harivansa.
148 The true reading is alohita and not lohita. Arka here is crystal and not the sun. It was a silvern boar, which could not, evidently, be like the sun.
149 Owners of golden cars.
150 Nidas were niches or drivers boxes.
151 Many of the opening slokas of this section are nearly the same as those of section 76 of Bhishma Parva, vide ante. In a few instances I have adopted the readings of the Bombay edition.
152 I prefer the reading Samakulam to Jhashakulam.
153 i.e., using cars and elephants as weapons for destroying cars and elephants.
154 The fear behind them was from the Pandava army. The fear before them was from the car-warriors who had succeeded in penetrating the Kuru host.
155 Many of the Bengal texts have Calabhairiva. This is a mistake, the word being Calada, and not Calabha which would be unmeaning here.
156 I render the second line of 4 too freely. The sense seems to be that when two persons fight, one cannot say beforehand who will succeed. Both have chances of success, as, indeed, both have chances of defeat.
157 The genius of the two languages being entirely different, I give the sense of the first line of 14 separately, without seeking to connect it, in the assertive form, with the second half of 13:
158 Literally, ‘disregard of Krishna.’
159 The Bombay reading, which I adopt, seems to be better than the Bengal one.
160 I think that both Vrikodaram and nisitais in this verse as given in the Bombay text are incorrect. I read Vrikodaras and navavhis following the Bengal texts.
161 The sense seems to be that Karna and Bhima were like fire and wind.
162 Verse 28 is a triplet. The second line is obscure. It seems that a line has been omitted.
163 Literally, mustered all his rage.
164 In the first line of the 62 the Bengal reading Ayastam is better than the Bombay reading Ayastas.
165 Literally, ‘a mountain overgrown with medicinal herbs of great efficacy.’ Of course, the allusion is to Hanumat’s removal of Gandhamadana for the cure of Lakshmana.
166 i.e., the little indent caused by a cow’s hoof.
167 The sense is that he that will slay me will always be victorious in battle, will always slay the warriors with whom he may be engaged in battle. Defeat will never be his.
168 Do not render 55 literally. Satyaki is called ‘Satyavikrama,’ i.e., ‘of true prowess’ or ‘of prowess incapable of being baffled.’ If he sustains a defeat today at Bhurisrava’s hand, that title of his will be falsified. This is all that Krishna means.
169 Verse 20 is incomplete. I supply the words,— ‘Why then should I not protect’ in order to make the meaning intelligible. The first line of 21 is grammatically connected with 20: To avoid an ugly construction I render it separately.
170 Literally, ‘who could witness with indifference Satyaki reduced to that plight?’
171 Generally, to die, abstaining from all food. It is a method of freeing the soul from the body by Yoga.
172 Literally, ‘near the place assigned for the sacrificial butter.’
173 Nilakantha explains chakram as Pratapam.
174 The second line of 94 I render a little freely to make the sense clearer.
175 A Kavandha is a headless trunk moving about as if endued with life. Tales are told of these headless beings drinking the blood of victims falling within their grasp.
176 The second of the seven notes of the Hindu gamut.
177 The printed editions and the manuscripts do not agree with one another in respect of the order and numbering of the last dozen verses. The Bombay edition omits a few of the verses.
178 Everything even the inanimate creation, exists and adores the Supreme deity.
179 This is a triplet in the Calcutta edition.
180 Literally, ‘the fact of the Dhartarashtras having sunk (into distress).’
181 Literally, ‘of persons whose coronal locks have undergone the sacred bath.’
182 Praluvdhas is explained by Nilakantha differently. He supposes that Duryodhana here characterises Sikhandin to be a deceitful fowler or hunter in consequence of the deceit with which he caused Bhishma’s fall. This is far-fetched.
183 I adopt the Bombay reading.
184 The Bombay edition reads this verse differently and introduces another after it which does not occur in the Bengal texts.
185 I am not sure whether I have rendered the 31st and the first half of 32nd correctly. The vernacular translators have made a mess of the passage. The difficulty lies with Surhittamais. I take it to mean that Duryodhana says, ‘Karna, Sakuni, Duhsasana, with myself, had taken thee, O preceptor, for a friend, and had engaged thee in this battle. We did not, however, then know that thou art an enemy in disguise.’
186 i.e., ‘he should, by every means in his power, avenge himself on the Somakas, those enemies of mine.’
187 This is a triplet in the Bengal texts.
188 I render the second line freely, following Nilakantha.
189 Literally, ‘with shafts resembling his rays.’
190 Or, ‘as a lake overgrown with lotuses is agitated on every side by an elephant.’
191 Sixteen lines, occurring after this in the Bombay edition, have been omitted in the Calcutta edition.
192 Drums of diverse kinds and sizes.
193 The Bombay reading is apalavam and not viplatam.
194 This is a triplet in all the editions.
195 The brother of the Kalinga prince.
196 Patanipam is explained by Nilakantha as something that causes the patana or downfall of a person hence sin. [There is no reference for this note in the body of this page, so I have placed it in a likely location. — JBH
197 A nalwa measured four hundred cubits.
198 Nilakantha explains that there were Pisachas.
199 Aswatthaman and the Pandavas were like brothers, for both were disciples of Drona. Ghatotkacha, therefore, having been Bhima’s son was Aswatthaman’s brother’s son.
200 i.e., the weapon endued with the force of the thunder.
201 Different species of Rakshasas.
202 Tripura, belonging to an Asura of the same.
203 Asani literally means the thunder. Probably, some kind of iron mace.
204 The Bengal texts read Utkrisha-vikramas. The correct reading seems to be Aklivhtavikramas. Then again Sahanujam seems to be inaccurate. I follow the Bombay reading Sahanugam.
205 Achyuta, when used as a proper noun, refers to Krishna. It means of unfading glory and ‘the immortal.’
206 Slight differences are observable between the Bengal and the Bombay texts as regards the last three verses.
207 This is a triplet.
208 This is a triplet.
209 In the second line of 4, utsedha and not udvrita is the true reading. So also kanchit and not kinchit. The paraphrase, according to Nilakantha, in kanchit dhanurdharam na ganayan, etc.
210 147 is a triplet.
211 The Bengal reading sudakshinas at the end of 49 dose not seem to be correct. I adopt the Bombay reading sudarnnam.
212 The Bombay edition reads the first line of 3 differently. The Bengal reading is also defective. The correct reading seems to be Rathanaga instead of Naranaga.
213 This is a Triplet.
214 Instead of mattagaje, the Bombay edition reads tatragaje.
215 There seems to be a mistake in this sloka in its reference to the Pandavas. The reading, however, that occurs in all the printed edition, is the same. In one manuscript I find Kamrava-yodhavurgais (which I adopt) for Pandava-Kauraveyais.
216 The second line of 30, as it occurs in the Bengal texts, is adopted by me. A slight difference of reading occurs between the Bengal and the Bombay editions.
217 As regards almost every one of these slokas, differences of reading are observable between the Bengal texts and the Bombay edition. The readings of the Bombay edition are almost uniformly better. Then, again, many of those verses are disfigured with syntactical pleonasms and other grave errors. Abounding with tiresome repetitions that scarcely attract notice amid the variety of synonyms with which the language of the original abounds and amid also the melodious flow of the rhythm, the defects become glaring in translation. At the latter, however, of faithfulness, I have been obliged to sacrifice elegance, in rendering this section.
218 The Bengal reading tatha loka is incorrect. The Bombay text correctly reads tadaloka. Then also, instead of the Bengal reading rajasacaa samavrite (which is faulty), the true reading is raja tamasa vrite.
219 Lokanamabhave is explained by Nilakantha as pralaya-kale.
220 A different reading occurs in the Bombay edition.
221 Nalikas, as used here, appear to have been some species of shafts. In an earlier note, relying on other authorities, I took it to mean some kind of air-gun.
222 Vaikartana may also mean one who has peeled off his skin of natural armour. To preserve dramatic propriety, the Hindu commentators explain it in this sense when it occurs in any such passage, for the real origin of Karna, viz., his procreation by the deity of the sun, became known after his death.
223 The second line of 9 is read differently in the Calcutta edition. I adopt the Bombay reading.
224 In the second line of 13, Avyayatturnam instead of Maharaja is the correct reading.
225 This sloka seems to be a vicious one.
226 Yena and tena here are equal to yatra and tatra.
