Authors: Bibek Debroy

Mahabharata: Volume 7 (66 page)

Chapter 1182(32)

⁴⁴⁵Of the Pandavas.

⁴⁴⁶Described in Section 35 (Volume 3).

⁴⁴⁷Karna.

⁴⁴⁸Both Uluka and Patatri were Shakuni’s sons.

⁴⁴⁹Bhima.

⁴⁵⁰Bhima.

⁴⁵¹Vrishasena.

⁴⁵²Vrishasena.

⁴⁵³Duhshasana.

⁴⁵⁴Yudhishthira’s.

Chapter 1183(33)

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

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

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

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

⁴⁵⁹Varahakarnas 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).

⁴⁶⁰Yudhishthira.

⁴⁶¹There is implicit imagery of the stars.

⁴⁶²Karna.

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

⁴⁶⁴Karna’s.

⁴⁶⁵Yudhishthira.

⁴⁶⁶They died.

Chapter 1184(34)

⁴⁶⁷This is a reference to the gambling match.

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

⁴⁶⁹Bhima.

Chapter 1185(35)

⁴⁷⁰Duryodhana.

⁴⁷¹The 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.

⁴⁷²Identical with Upanandaka.

⁴⁷³Shakuni.

⁴⁷⁴Yudhishthira.

⁴⁷⁵Karna and Satyaki.

⁴⁷⁶Satyaki.

Chapter 1186(36)

⁴⁷⁷Unidentified weapon made out of iron.

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

⁴⁷⁹This 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.

⁴⁸⁰Shakragopas are cochineal insects, crimson in colour.

⁴⁸¹The 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.

⁴⁸²Because of the blood.

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

⁴⁸⁴Without being able to differentiate friend from foe.

⁴⁸⁵Yama.

Chapter 1187(37)

⁴⁸⁶The 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).

⁴⁸⁷The king of Trigarta.

⁴⁸⁸Chitraratha was the king of the gandharvas.

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

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

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

⁴⁹²Suparna is Garuda, the enemy of serpents.

⁴⁹³Divine weapon named after Indra.

Chapter 1188(38)

⁴⁹⁴Duryodhana.

⁴⁹⁵Kripa.

⁴⁹⁶Shikhandi.

⁴⁹⁷Shikhandi.

⁴⁹⁸Shikhandi.

⁴⁹⁹Suketu was a prince of Panchala.

⁵⁰⁰Kripa’s.

⁵⁰¹Kripa.

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

⁵⁰³Kritavarma was from the Vrishni lineage.

Chapter 1189(39)

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

⁵⁰⁵These 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.

⁵⁰⁶Yudhishthira.

⁵⁰⁷Satyaki’s.

⁵⁰⁸The Pandava soldiers.

Chapter 1190(40)

⁵⁰⁹Duryodhana.

⁵¹⁰Dhrishtadyumna’s.

⁵¹¹The arrows are being compared to bees.

⁵¹²This 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.

⁵¹³Dhrishtadyumna.

⁵¹⁴Not to be confused with Arjuna.

⁵¹⁵The name Rochamana has already been mentioned.

⁵¹⁶Karna.

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

⁵¹⁸Krishna and Arjuna.

⁵¹⁹The snakes are Kadru’s offspring.

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

⁵²¹Arujna.

⁵²²Of the samshaptakas.

⁵²³Ashvatthama’s.

⁵²⁴Arjuna.

⁵²⁵Ashvatthama.

Chapter 1191(41)

⁵²⁶Yudhishthira.

Chapter 1192(42)

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

⁵²⁸The arrows.

⁵²⁹Dhrishtadyumna killed Drona.

⁵³⁰Dhrishtadyumna.

⁵³¹Dhrishtadyumna.

⁵³²However, Ashvatthama was immortal.

⁵³³Dhrishtadyumna.

⁵³⁴Ashvatthama.

⁵³⁵Ashvatthama.

⁵³⁶Ashvatthama was dragging Dhrishtadyumna by the hair.

⁵³⁷Ashvatthama.

Chapter 1193(43)

⁵³⁸Yudhishthira.

⁵³⁹Sthunakarna 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.

⁵⁴⁰The names of these five are not indicated.

⁵⁴¹That is, the Kourava army.

⁵⁴²The Panchalas.

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

⁵⁴⁴Lake Manasa.

⁵⁴⁵Obviously a king among the nishadas.

⁵⁴⁶Bhima.

⁵⁴⁷Chariots, elephants, horses and infantry.

Chapter 1194(44)

⁵⁴⁸The inconsistency about Chitrasena has been mentioned earlier.

⁵⁴⁹Shikhandi.

⁵⁵⁰Vrishasena was Karna’s son.

⁵⁵¹Satyaki.

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

Chapter 1195(45)

⁵⁵³Yudhishthira.

⁵⁵⁴Arjuna.

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

⁵⁵⁶Arjuna’s name.

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

⁵⁵⁸Other than men, animals.

⁵⁵⁹Yama is the king of the dead.

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

⁵⁶¹Yudhishthira.

⁵⁶²Ashvatthama. 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.

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

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

⁵⁶⁵Referring to the Kouravas.

⁵⁶⁶Arjuna.

⁵⁶⁷Yudhishthira.

⁵⁶⁸Krishna was also younger to Yudhishthira.

⁵⁶⁹The 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)

⁵⁷⁰Karna.

⁵⁷¹Parashurama.

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

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

⁵⁷⁴Parashurama.

⁵⁷⁵That is, as a counter to Arjuna.

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

⁵⁷⁷The word used is tata.

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

⁵⁷⁹Krishnaa, Droupadi.

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

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

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

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

Chapter 1197(47)

⁵⁸⁴Ashvatthama.

⁵⁸⁵The worlds hereafter.

Chapter 1198(48)

⁵⁸⁶Yudhishthira.

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

⁵⁸⁸Kunti.

⁵⁸⁹Kubera.

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

⁵⁹¹When 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).

⁵⁹²Vishvakarma, the architect of the gods.

⁵⁹³Indra is the lord of the Maruts.

Chapter 1199(49)

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

⁵⁹⁵Such as disciples and students.

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

⁵⁹⁷That is, the animal was blind.

⁵⁹⁸Brahma.

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

⁶⁰⁰The image is that of a gambling match.

⁶⁰¹In 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.

⁶⁰²Famous sages.

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

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

⁶⁰⁵‘Tvam’ again.

⁶⁰⁶The text has the word horses twice.

⁶⁰⁷Kubera.

⁶⁰⁸Bhishma.

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

⁶¹⁰Because Arjuna has spoken harsh words to Yudhishthira.

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

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

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