Read Mahabharata: Vol. 5 Online
Authors: Bibek Debroy
Mahabharata: Vol. 5 (79 page)
604
The brahman or the paramatman.
605
Without appreciating the whole.
606
Tamas-type knowledge.
607
Sattva-type action.
608
Injury to others and destruction of objects like wealth.
609
Avaricious towards objects owned by others and injurious towards others.
610
The word used is
prakrita
, which can also be translated as unrefined or illiterate.
611
This is interpretation rather than literal translation. Instead of disrespectful, it can also be a person who inhibits the actions of others.
612
That is, the intellect that knows the difference between these.
613
The opposite of what should actually be thought.
614
Meaning sleep.
615
Inadvertence about right action.
616
Prescribed actions or duties.
617
A more literal translation is lordliness or sovereignty.
618
The world or the universe.
619
One’s own dharma is svadharma. This can be translated as one’s own indicated course of action or duty. This meant varnashrama dharma, which meant that a person’s duty depended on his varna (caste) and his ashrama (stage of life).
620
Interpreted as controlling the senses or overcoming a sense of ego.
621
Sannyasa doesn’t mean giving up action. It means giving up attachment to action and fruits of action.
622
The word used is parigraha, which in this context, means the acceptance of possessions, such as in the form of donations from other people, to sustain physical life.
623
That is, enters me.
624
The Gita uses the words buddhi yoga and karma yoga synonymously. Sometimes, the word yoga is used instead.
625
Arjuna’s nature as a kshatriya.
626
In interpretations, the imagery used is of puppets on a string.
627
There is scope for interpretation in deciding what this discarding of all dharmas means. At an obvious level, these various dharmas mean those duties laid down in the shastras (sacred texts) and the injunction is to give up these rites and duties and adopt bhakti yoga instead. In more complicated interpretations, it is suggested that prakriti is subject to notions of dharma and adharma and purusha is beyond these. Therefore, the injunction is to immerse oneself in the brahman.
628
This knowledge and more generally, the knowledge of the Gita.
629
Also interpreted as those who do not follow their svadharma.
630
Than one who undertakes the task of explaining this knowledge.
631
The Gita again. Alternatively, this sacred dialogue, instead of dialogue on dharma.
632
The word used in Sanskrit is
smriti
, which we have translated as knowledge about that which should be done and that which shouldn’t be done. In an even more literal way, smriti can be translated as Arjuna having obtained his memory back.
633
Literally, a dialogue that makes one’s hair stand up.
634
On whichever side.
1
That is, the maharathas on the Pandava side.
2
Kind of drum.
3
A krakacha is a saw. But it also means a teak tree and it is possible that here, it means some kind of musical instrument made from teak trees.
4
Bhishma.
5
On the Pandava side.
6
Kripa.
7
The army of the Pandavas.
8
Yudhishthira.
9
Yudhishthira.
10
The word used is tata.
11
Because Bhishma cannot grant what Yudhishthira wishes.
12
When the time of death arrives.
13
The Critical edition doesn’t put this in quotes.
14
Because Drona cannot grant what Yudhishthira wishes.
15
The word used is tata.
16
Drona’s father was the sage Bharadvaja.
17
Kripa.
18
The Critical edition doesn’t explicitly have this within quotes. Before Drona’s arrival, Kripa used to be the preceptor.
19
Because Kripa cannot grant what Yudhishthira wishes.
20
Goutama is Kripa. The Critical edition doesn’t explicitly have this within quotes.
21
The Critical edition doesn’t explicitly have this within quotes.
22
Shalya’s sister was Madri, Nakula and Sahadeva’s mother.
23
Because Shalya cannot grant what Yudhishthira wishes.
24
Radha’s son, Karna.
25
Gada was Krishna’s younger brother.
26
Dhritarashtra’s son through a vaishya woman.
27
Pinda
, to the ancestors.
28
Two different types of drums are named—
dundubhi
and
pushkara.
29
Towards the Pandavas.
30
In the course of the war accounts, several of Duryodhana’s brothers are mentioned by name. There is a listing of Duryodhana’s brothers in Section 1 (Volume 1). However, the names of some of the minor brothers in the war accounts are at odds with that listing in Section 1 (Volume 1).
31
Bhurishrava.
32
Abhimanyu.
33
Bhishma.
34
For elephants, ankusha.
35
The Kurus.
36
Tree with red blossoms.
37
Brihadbala was the king of Kosala.
38
Parshni has different meanings. When four horses are attached to a chariot, it means one of the outside horses. It can also mean one of the two charioteers who drive the outside horses, as opposed to the main charioteer (sarathi), or someone who guards the axles. The context suggests Abhimanyu brought down a person, not a horse.
39
Duhshasana’s.
40
Yudhishthira.
41
Dhrishtadyumna’s body.
42
Virata’s eldest son.
43
Bhurishrava.
44
Shankha and Bhurishrava respectively.
45
The king of Chedi.
46
Angaraka is Mars and Budha is Mercury. Mars and Mercury are antagonistic planets.
47
Ghatotkacha was Bhima and Hidimba’s son and was a rakshasa. Alambusha was Rishyashringa’s son and was also a rakshasa, fighting on the Kourava side.
48
Shukra is Venus. Mars and Venus are antagonistic planets.
49
Prativindhya, Sutasoma, Shrutakarma, Shatanika and Shrutasena were Droupadi’s sons, respectively born from Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva.
50
Chekitana was the son of King Dhrishtaketu from Kekaya. Susharma was the king of Trigarta.
51
There is an error. Since this is Sahadeva’s son, this should actually read Shrutasena, not Shrutakarma.
52
Iravan was Arjuna’s son, through Ulupi. Shrutayusha was a rakshasa who fought on the Kourava side.
53
Uluka was Shakuni’s son.
54
Elephants should fight with elephants, horses with horses, chariots with chariots, etc. But this was not observed.
55
Actually, wooden structures on the elephants, howdahs.
56
Bhindipala
. Alternatively, short javelin.
57
Nistrimsha.
Rishti and nistrimsha are both swords. We have used cutlass for nistrimsha only to distinguish it from rishti.
58
That is, other relatives.
59
Bhishma.
60
Of enemies.
61
Tree, the Indian laburnum.
62
The five who were protecting Bhishma.
63
Bhishma’s standard.
64
Krishna is also one of Arjuna’s names and Abhimanyu was Arjuna’s son.
65
Bhishma’s standard.
66
Dhrishtadyumna.
67
Shalya.
68
Uttara’s.
69
He lost his senses.
70
The Critical edition abruptly excises some shlokas here, so that we never get to know who these seven were, or their subsequent bouts. They were Brihadbala, Jayatsena, Rukmaratha, Vinda, Anuvinda, Sudakshina and Jayadratha.
71
The energies of Bhishma and Arjuna.
72
Bibhatsu is Arjuna’s name.
73
Bhishma.
74
Arjuna.
75
A vyuha is the arrangement of troops in battle formation.
76
Krouncha is a curlew or osprey. So this vyuha was in the form of a bird.
77
Arjuna’s.
78
The text uses the name Puruhuta. Puruhuta is one of Indra’s names and means one who is worshipped by many.
79
In this context, by Indra’s weapon, one means Indra’s bow. The rainbow is described as Indra’s bow. Hence, the standard had the complexion of a rainbow.
80
Brahma.
81
Of the bird.
82
This is Naakulas, not to be confused with the Pandava Nakula.
83
The king of Chedi.
84
One of Karna’s sons.
85
Vikarna, Nanda and Upanandaka are Duryodhana’s brothers.
86
Not to be confused with Chitrasena, the king of the gandharvas.
87
Drona.
88
Not to be confused with Karna.
89
Not to be confused with Vikarna.
90
Bheri
, peshi and
anaka
are the names of different kinds of drums.
91
Meaning Drupada.
92
Abhimanyu.
93
Satyaki.
94
Of the Pandavas.
95
Krishna.
96
This is a description of Arjuna’s chariot.
97
Jayadratha.
98
Karna.
99
Kiriti is one of Arjuna’s names.
100
Another name for Shalya.
101
Duryodhana.
102
Gangeya is another name for Bhishma.
103
Dhrishtadyumna.
104
The word used is tata. While this means father, it is affectionately used for anyone who is senior.
105
Bhishma.
106
Ashvatthama.
107
The sense is that it was impossible to distinguish between Bhishma and Arjuna, except through the signs on the respective standards.
108
Dhrishtadyumna.
109
Dhrishtadyumna’s.
110
Drona.
111
Dhrishtadyumna.
112
Bhima.
113
Shrutayu was the king of Kalinga.
114
The few were those on Bhima’s side. The many were the Kalingas and the Nishadas.
115
The text uses the word
shaikyayasa.
This should be translated as steel. However, it is also possible to break up the word into
shaikya
and
ayasa
and thus translate it as sharp iron.
116
Shrutayu was the king of Kalinga and his sons were Bhanuman, Shakradeva and Ketuman.
117
Bhanuman’s elephant.
118
Of elephants.
119
The Critical edition probably has a typo here. It should probably read Bhima rather than Bhishma.
120
Bhima had earlier lost his chariot. Ashoka or Vishoka was the name of Bhima’s charioteer.
121
The text states khadga and rishti. These are different types of swords. A rishti is not quite a scimitar, but we have used that term to distinguish between the two different types of swords.
122
We have corrected this typo, since it doesn’t make sense otherwise. The text says Bhishma.
123
The king of Panchala is Drupada. However, the reference here is to Dhrishtadyumna.
124
Satyaki.
125
The text uses the word shaikyayasa. This should be translated as steel. However, it is also possible to break up the word into shaikya and ayasa and thus translate it as sharp iron.
126
Referring to Dhrishtadyumna.
127
Both Abhimanyu and Lakshmana were Dhritarashtra’s grandsons. Abhimanyu was the son of Arjuna and Subhadra. Lakshmana was the son of Duryodhana and Bhanumati.
128
Abhimanyu’s.
129
Arjuna’s.
130
The mountain over which the sun sets.
131
Ghatotkacha.
132
Referring to Arjuna.
133
A trifle inaccurately, we have translated gotra as family name. Since nothing could be seen, the identities of the two sides had to be determined on the basis of such indications.
134
Unidentified weapon that makes the enemy tremble.
135
A kind of lance.
136
Varshneya means someone of the Vrishni lineage. In this context, it is being used for Satyaki.
137
Ghatotkacha.
138
Satyaki and Abhimanyu respectively.
139
Duryodhana is addressing both Bhishma and Drona now.
140
Krishna.
141
Krishna is also one of Arjuna’s names.
142
Krishna.
143
There were two Shrutayus, one was the king of Kalinga and the other one was the king of Ambashtha. Ambashtha was located in the area of the Punjab.
144
Krishna.
145
The text uses the word
rathanga
. This can mean the wheel of a chariot, or it can mean a chakra. Krishna could have been referring to the sudarshana chakra, or to the more mundane wheel of the chariot. Either translation is correct.
146
Yudhishthira.
147
Nakula and Sahadeva.
148
The original lotus is the lotus at the time of creation, which emerged from Vishnu’s navel.
149
Since Kuru was a common ancestor, the Pandavas can also be referred to as the Kouravas. This is presumably a reference to Arjuna, but can also be a reference to Yudhishthira.
150
Duryodhana.
151
The word used in the text is
dhumaketu
. The natural meaning for this is comet or meteor. But the word also means fire and fire seems more appropriate, given that dry wood or grass is referred to.
152
River that separates the world of the living from the world of the dead.
153
Belonging to the enemy.
154
This is being addressed to Duryodhana.
155
Arjuna had an ape on his standard.
156
Karshni means a descendant of Krishna. This is Abhimanyu. Hence, the Krishna in question is Arjuna.
157
Released by Bhishma.
158
In what follows, the warrior seems to be Shala and not Chitrasena.
159
Samyamani is another name for Shala.
160
The Krishna here is Arjuna and Krishna’s son is Abhimanyu.
161
Bhurishrava.
162
Kripa.
163
Of Samayamani’s son.
164
Parshnis. Parshni has different meanings. When four horses are attached to a chariot, it means one of the outside horses. It can also mean one of the two charioteers who drive the outside horses, as opposed to the main charioteer (sarathi), or someone who guards the axles.
165
The word Panchala is being used both for Drupada and for his son, Dhrishtadyumna.