Read Mahabharata Vol. 1 (Penguin Translated Texts) Online
Authors: Bibek Debroy
Mahabharata Vol. 1 (Penguin Translated Texts) (63 page)
311
Hastinapura.
312
There were parts of the bodies that had not been burnt. Having said this, there is some contradiction about when the bodies were burnt.
313
The word used is
vardhaman
, which means increasing. This has been translated as the chief gate. But it is perfectly possible for this to have been the proper name for the gate.
314
Another name for Hastinapura.
315
Dhritarashtra.
320
Duryodhana.
321
Kunti’s son. In this case, Bhima.
322
Duryodhana.
323
Bhima.
324
The word used is
sarathi
, which usually means charioteer, but also means companion. Charioteer doesn’t make any sense here, companion makes more sense. The companions are Bhima’s brothers.
325
Vidura. It could also mean Yuyutsu.
326
There is a break of continuity in the critical edition and Kripa appears out of the blue. In other editions, we are told that Dhritarashtra wanted to find a teacher for the princes, since they were getting out of control. Kripa, descended from Goutama, was chosen to teach the art of fighting.
327
The word
shara
means arrow and Sharadvat is one with arrows.
328
The science or knowledge of weapons.
329
The word
kripa
means compassion. One of the twins was a boy and he was named Kripa. The other one was a girl and she was named Kripi.
330
Kripa.
331
There are four
upaveda
s or minor
veda
s, of which,
dhanurveda
is one. Each
upaveda
is attached to one of the main
veda
s. The other three
upaveda
s are
ayurveda
(medicine),
gandharvaveda
(music) and
sthapatyaveda
(architecture).
332
There is a break in continuity in the critical edition. Bharadvaja had gone to the Ganga for a bath before making the offerings into the fire.
333
Drona
. This is usually a wooden vessel.
334
Agniveshya.
335
Ashva
means horse and
sthaman
means strength or stamina.
336
Parashurama.
337
Drona.
338
Parashurama.
339
The word used is
shrotriya
, which can also be translated as a learned Brahmana.
340
Drupada, the king of Panchala.
341
Hastinapura.
342
The word used is
vita
. I have translated this as ball. But there is no evidence to suggest that this was spherical. In all probability, this was a short piece of wood struck with another long piece of wood, something like a bat.
Guli-danda
may be the closest approximation.
343
The word used is
ishika
and means reed. In recounting this particular anecdote, renderings invariably interpret this as reed or grass. However, ishika also means arrow and Drona could have used arrows instead of reeds. There is nothing in the text to counter the arrow interpretation.
344
Radha’s son, Karna.
345
Implying weapons that were held in the hand.
346
Hunter or fisherman. Usually, described as dwelling in the mountains and forests.
347
The text uses the word
shabdabheda
, which is the art of shooting with the aid of sound alone, without seeing the object. Earlier, there was no suggestion that Ekalavya had not seen the dog when he was shooting the arrows. From the use of this word here, it seems that he had not seen the dog and had only heard it bark.
348
Arjuna.
349
Arjuna.
350
A maharatha is a warrior who can take on 10,000 warriors single-handed. An
atiratha
can take on 60,000.
353
Arjuna.
9
Over a female elephant.
10
Kunti.
11
Duryodhana.
12
Name for Arjuna. Phalguna and Phalguni are used synonymously.
13
The arm guard is called a
godha
. It was made out of leather and fastened to the left arm, to guard against injury from the string of the bow, since most archers were right-handed. A godha is also an alligator or lizard. The finger protector is called
angulitrana
. It was also used to protect against injury from the bowstring. It resembled a thimble and was usually used on the thumb. But it could also be used on other fingers.
14
Arjuna.
17
Paka was a demon and Paka’s punisher is Indra. Arjuna was Indra’s son.
18
The rainbow is called Indra’s bow.
19
Indra. There is a suggestion that is left implicit, but becomes a bit more explicit in the next sentence. Indra was looking down fondly not on the arena in general, but on his son, Arjuna. And the sun especially dispersed the clouds so as to favour his son, Karna.
20
Drona.
21
Kunti.
22
Because the sons of kings do not fight with those who are of an inferior lineage.
23
Karna.
24
With the umbrella, this forms the royal insignia and these whisks were usually made out of yak tails.
25
Duryodhana.
26
Duryodhana’s name.
27
Karna.
28
One of Kartikeya’s epithets.
29
One of the twenty-seven nakshatras, actually consisting of six stars, the Pleiades. The Krittikas reared Kartikeya. Hence, the name.
30
Karna.
31
Dakshina
, the preceptor’s fee that has to be paid at the end of the learning process.
32
Drupada.
47
The word ‘mothers’ is used in a general sense, to indicate all the women who were elderly.
48
Yudhishthira.
49
Pandu.
50
Dhritarashtra.
51
Vidura.
52
Yudhishthira.
53
That is, in a riddle, so that no one else could understand. But Vidura and Yudhishthira were both learned, so Yudhishthira understood what Vidura said. Indeed, the text is such that it is difficult to understand what is being obliquely said, except that a sense of danger is being communicated. But since this was a riddle, that’s probably understandable.
54
The five senses.
55
Yudhishthira.
56
Vidura.
57
A nakshatra.
58
Victory.
59
Indra.
60
Meaning the Kshatriyas.
61
As will become clear, this was not the house Purochana had built.
65
Khanaka
. Miner is more accurate as a translation. But in this context, digger seems more appropriate.
66
Yudhishthira.
67
The lunar month’s darker fortnight.
68
A non-Aryan or barbarian. However, a
mleccha
was actually someone who spoke in a language other than Sanskrit. There is a problem with the critical edition here. In other editions, Vidura spoke to Yudhishthira in mleccha language, so this reference makes sense. However, in the critical edition, Vidura speaking to Yudhishthira in the mleccha language has been excised and what has been left is Vidura speaking to Yudhishthira in a riddle. So this reference doesn’t quite fit.
69
Purochana.
74
Bhishma.
75
Dhritarashtra.
76
Shukra
and
shuchi
mean the summer season. Specifically, shukra is the month of Jyeshtha. Shuchi is a general term for the hot season, the months of Jyeshtha and Ashada.
77
The word used for large tree is
vanaspati
, which means lord of the forest.
78
That is, the others.
82
Arjuna.
3
Kunti.
4
From the tree.
5
This is the sister, not named thus far. The avoidance of diacritical marks makes it difficult to differentiate the brother from the sister. The brother is Hidimba, while the sister is Hidimbaa. In the translation, Hidimba will be used for both, since the context will make it clear which one is meant, and Hidimbaa seems forced.