Read Mahabharata: Volume 7 Online

Authors: Bibek Debroy

Mahabharata: Volume 7 (66 page)

Chapter 1182(32)

445
Of the Pandavas.

446
Described in Section 35 (Volume 3).

447
Karna.

448
Both Uluka and Patatri were Shakuni’s sons.

449
Bhima.

450
Bhima.

451
Vrishasena.

452
Vrishasena.

453
Duhshasana.

454
Yudhishthira’s.

Chapter 1183(33)

455
Arrows that had heads like the tooth of a calf.

456
The two Panchalas who were protecting Yudhishthira’s chariot wheels. In shlokas excised in the Critical edition, their names are given as Chandradeva and Dandadhara.

457
Punarvasu is the seventh of the twenty-seven nakshatras. However, Punarvasu is actually a double star, Castor and Pollux in the constellation Gemini.

458
Since Satyasena has already been killed, there is an inconsistency.

459
Varahakarnas have heads like a boar’s ear, narachas are iron arrows, nalikas are hollow arrows, vatsadantas have heads like a calf’s tooth, vipathas are large arrows, kshurapras are sharp as razors and atakamukhas have heads that roam around freely (probably meaning multiple heads).

460
Yudhishthira.

461
There is implicit imagery of the stars.

462
Karna.

463
Shrutakirti (or Shrutakarma) was the son of Arjuna and Droupadi.

464
Karna’s.

465
Yudhishthira.

466
They died.

Chapter 1184(34)

467
This is a reference to the gambling match.

468
This has been described in Section 46 (Volume 4).

469
Bhima.

Chapter 1185(35)

470
Duryodhana.

471
The names of Duryodhana’s brothers. Not only is there an inconsistency about which of Duryodhana’s minor brothers was killed when, there is also inconsistency about the names of Duryodhana’s minor brothers.

472
Identical with Upanandaka.

473
Shakuni.

474
Yudhishthira.

475
Karna and Satyaki.

476
Satyaki.

Chapter 1186(36)

477
Unidentified weapon made out of iron.

478
Unidentified weapon, probably something like a mallet that was tied to a rope.

479
This shloka is not composed very well and there is repetition. The four kinds of forces are elephants, horses, chariots and infantry. What is meant is that each of these fought against the other three kinds of forces.

480
Shakragopas are cochineal insects, crimson in colour.

481
The word used is shyama. While the word also means dark, in this context, it means a lady who has not given birth, or is not married, and is therefore a virgin. Therefore, we have used the word young.

482
Because of the blood.

483
That is, with the wings lopped off. At one point, mountains were believed to have possessed wings.

484
Without being able to differentiate friend from foe.

485
Yama.

Chapter 1187(37)

486
The narayana army was given by Krishna to Duryodhana and an army of gopalas (cowherds) is also mentioned. In Section 49 (Volume 4), Duryodhana and Arjuna had to choose between an unarmed and neutral Krishna and his army. Arjuna opted for Krishna and Duryodhana for the narayana army. In descriptions of the war, the narayana army is often mentioned in conjunction with the samshaptakas, though the two are different. The samshaptakas were warriors, mostly from Trigarta, who had sworn to die rather than retreat. Arjuna destroyed most of the samshaptakas in Section 66 (Volume 6).

487
The king of Trigarta.

488
Chitraratha was the king of the gandharvas.

489
The name of Arjuna’s conch shell. The name of Krishna’s conch shell is Panchajanya.

490
Naga is a serpent. Their feet were tied down with serpents.

491
Taraka was a demon who was eventually killed by Kartikeya.

492
Suparna is Garuda, the enemy of serpents.

493
Divine weapon named after Indra.

Chapter 1188(38)

494
Duryodhana.

495
Kripa.

496
Shikhandi.

497
Shikhandi.

498
Shikhandi.

499
Suketu was a prince of Panchala.

500
Kripa’s.

501
Kripa.

502
This Parshata is Dhrishtadyumna. All of Drupada’s sons can be called Parshata.

503
Kritavarma was from the Vrishni lineage.

Chapter 1189(39)

504
Beings like birds could not descend from the sky to the earth.

505
These are the names of Droupadi’s sons, Prativindhya through Yudhishthira, Sutasoma through Bhima, Shrutakarma through Arjuna, Shatanika through Nakula and Shrutasena through Sahadeva. Shrutakarma and Shrutakirti should be the same, in which case, the text should say Shrutasena (Sahadeva’s son) instead of Shrutakirti.

506
Yudhishthira.

507
Satyaki’s.

508
The Pandava soldiers.

Chapter 1190(40)

509
Duryodhana.

510
Dhrishtadyumna’s.

511
The arrows are being compared to bees.

512
This adds up to nine arrows. One arrow was used for the bow, five for the horses and the charioteer and one for Duryodhana himself. We thus have a tally of sixteen arrows.

513
Dhrishtadyumna.

514
Not to be confused with Arjuna.

515
The name Rochamana has already been mentioned.

516
Karna.

517
The image is that of hunters pursuing and hunting wild elephants with the slapping of palms.

518
Krishna and Arjuna.

519
The snakes are Kadru’s offspring.

520
Sudakshina and his brother were from Kamboja. Arjuna killed Sudakshina in Section 69 (Volume 6).

521
Arujna.

522
Of the samshaptakas.

523
Ashvatthama’s.

524
Arjuna.

525
Ashvatthama.

Chapter 1191(41)

526
Yudhishthira.

Chapter 1192(42)

527
Karna. Vijaya was the name of Karna’s bow.

528
The arrows.

529
Dhrishtadyumna killed Drona.

530
Dhrishtadyumna.

531
Dhrishtadyumna.

532
However, Ashvatthama was immortal.

533
Dhrishtadyumna.

534
Ashvatthama.

535
Ashvatthama.

536
Ashvatthama was dragging Dhrishtadyumna by the hair.

537
Ashvatthama.

Chapter 1193(43)

538
Yudhishthira.

539
Sthunakarna is a broad-headed arrow, while pashupata is a divine weapon named after Pashupati or Shiva. Literally, indrajala means Indra’s net and signifies magic or illusion.

540
The names of these five are not indicated.

541
That is, the Kourava army.

542
The Panchalas.

543
If they die in the battle, the Panchalas will ascend to heaven.

544
Lake Manasa.

545
Obviously a king among the nishadas.

546
Bhima.

547
Chariots, elephants, horses and infantry.

Chapter 1194(44)

548
The inconsistency about Chitrasena has been mentioned earlier.

549
Shikhandi.

550
Vrishasena was Karna’s son.

551
Satyaki.

552
Though not clearly stated, this seems to be Duryodhana.

Chapter 1195(45)

553
Yudhishthira.

554
Arjuna.

555
Krishna is also one of Arjuna’s names and this Krishna is clearly Arjuna.

556
Arjuna’s name.

557
Divine weapon obtained from Bhargava, that is, Parashurama.

558
Other than men, animals.

559
Yama is the king of the dead.

560
That is, Krishna wanted to wait until Karna was exhausted.

561
Yudhishthira.

562
Ashvatthama. But this must be a typo. Ashvatthama was descended from the Bharadvaja lineage, not the Bhrigu lineage. The Critical edition states ‘the son of Bhrigu’. Instead of Bhrigu, other versions say
guru
. This fits, because Ashvatthama was Arjuna’s preceptor’s son.

563
Ajamidha is one of Yudhishthira’s names. Ajatashatru (one without enemies) is also one of Yudhishthira’s names.

564
This is a reference to fighting throughout the night, described in Section 70 (Volume 6).

565
Referring to the Kouravas.

566
Arjuna.

567
Yudhishthira.

568
Krishna was also younger to Yudhishthira.

569
The preceptor in question is Brihaspati, the preceptor of the gods. The asura Jambha is sometimes described as having been killed by Indra, sometimes by Vishnu, and sometimes by Indra and Vishnu together.

Chapter 1196(46)

570
Karna.

571
Parashurama.

572
Though both Krishna and Arjuna are present, Yudhishthira is specifically speaking to Arjuna.

573
The image is of old elephants or rhinos, which retire from the group to die.

574
Parashurama.

575
That is, as a counter to Arjuna.

576
Karna promised these to the person who would point Arjuna out.

577
The word used is tata.

578
Karna took this vow in Section 39 (Volume 3).

579
Krishnaa, Droupadi.

580
However, in Section 43 (Volume 3), Karna donated these to Indra.

581
This incident has been described in Section 27 (Volume 2).

582
This is a reference to the gambling match, described in Section 27 (Volume 2). Yajnaseni is Droupadi’s name.

583
The grandfather is Bhishma and the reference is to the listing of maharathas and rathas, described in Section 59 (Volume 5).

Chapter 1197(47)

584
Ashvatthama.

585
The worlds hereafter.

Chapter 1198(48)

586
Yudhishthira.

587
The explanation has to be deduced. An upper garment has been held under a tree, expecting fruit to fall. Instead, there are flowers.

588
Kunti.

589
Kubera.

590
All the gods are sons of Aditi, who was married to the sage Kashyapa.

591
When Pandu and Kunti and Madri left for the forest, the Pandavas were born on the slopes of the Shatashringa mountain. This has been described in Section 7 (Volume 1).

592
Vishvakarma, the architect of the gods.

593
Indra is the lord of the Maruts.

Chapter 1199(49)

594
The word used is tata. Though it means father, it is affectionately used towards anyone who is senior or elder.

595
Such as disciples and students.

596
The word used is tata. Though it means son, it is affectionately used towards anyone who is junior or younger.

597
That is, the animal was blind.

598
Brahma.

599
This is the etymological meaning of dharma, from the root
dhri
, meaning to hold up.

600
The image is that of a gambling match.

601
In English, ‘tvam’ and ‘
bhavan
’ will both be translated as you. But ‘tvam’ is used for someone younger, equal or junior. ‘Bhavan’ connotes greater honour and is used towards someone who is older or senior. So far, Arjuna has addressed Yudhishthira as ‘bhavan’. ‘Tvam’ will be an insult.

602
Famous sages.

603
Yudhishthira. Both Yudhishthira and Arjuna are Partha, Pritha’s son.

604
In Sanskrit, ‘tvam’, that being the point.

605
‘Tvam’ again.

606
The text has the word horses twice.

607
Kubera.

608
Bhishma.

609
It is not obvious why Sahadeva is being singled out.

610
Because Arjuna has spoken harsh words to Yudhishthira.

611
Because self-praise is like killing one’s own self.

612
Shiva. Pinaka is the name of Shiva’s bow or trident.

613
The conquest, sacrifice and coronation, described in Sections 23 and 24 (Volume 2).

614
Arjuna was born with these signs.

615
Radha, wife of the suta Adhiratha, reared Karna. Thus, Radha was Karna’s mother.

616
Once Arjuna has killed Karna.

617
He was lying down on a bed.

618
Yudhishthira and Arjuna.

Other books

Jack on the Tracks by Jack Gantos
Bloodline-9 by Mark Billingham
The French Executioner by C.C. Humphreys
Separate Beds by Lavyrle Spencer
The Ruining by Collomore, Anna
Night of Cake & Puppets by Laini Taylor
Exile by Julia Barrett
Traffic Stop by Wentz, Tara
Hidden Thrones by Scalzo, Russ


readsbookonline.com Copyright 2016 - 2024