Read Mahabharata: Volume 7 Online
Authors: Bibek Debroy
61
Abhiras are cowherds and
vinashana
means disappearance.
62
Balarama.
63
Balarama.
64
The sage Garga is believed to have been a pioneer in astronomy and astrology.
65
A large tree or mountain. The word used is naga, so it could mean either. However, subsequently, a tree is indicated.
66
Vasuki.
67
Valakhilyas are sages who are as small as the thumb. Ashmakuttas are sages who pound their bodies with stone. Dantolukhalinas (or Dantolukhalikas) are sages who use their teeth as mortar, that is, they only eat grain that has not been ground. Samprakshalas are sages who incessantly wash themselves in water.
68
Meaning that part of the Ganga (Mandakini) that flows in heaven.
69
The rishis’.
70
Badari is the Indian
ber
tree, inguda is the desert date, kashmarya is the barberry, plaksha is pipal, ashvattha is the religious fig tree, vibhitaka is myrobalan, panasa is jackfruit, palasha is flame of the forest, karira is
capparis deciduas
and pilu is
salvadora oleoides.
71
Parusha is difficult to identify, Bilva is
bel
, Amrataka is wild mango, atimukta is madhumalati, Kashanda is difficult to identify and parijata is the night jasmine or coral jasmine.
72
Vaneyas are those who live in forests.
73
It is not clear whether Vimalodaka is a proper name or not. If it is a proper name, the seven names of Sarasvati are in addition to the name of Sarasvati. If Sarasvati is also one of the seven names, Vimalodaka is an adjective, meaning the one with clear waters. However, since the seven names occur separately later, Sarasvati is not one of the seven names.
74
Brahma.
75
Because the sacrifice was so spectacular.
76
Here, the text actually says Manohrada, but the two words mean the same thing. Literally, both mean something that has been summoned by the mind.
77
The Critical edition abruptly excises a shloka here. The missing shloka tells us that Sarasvati appeared there as Suvenu. Gangadvara is the gate of the Ganga, meaning the opening in the Himalayas, through which, Ganga descends into the plains. This is in Haridvara.
78
The same as Vimalodaka.
79
The Maruts are gods of the storm and the wind, sometimes identified with Indra and sometimes with Shiva. While the number of Maruts varies, it is often given as forty-nine, which fits the notion of seven times seven.
80
Shiva was in the disguise of a brahmana.
81
After death.
82
Shukra, the preceptor of the demons. The wise Shukra laid down many kinds of policy (
niti
).
83
Not a conflict between the daityas and the danavas, but their conflict with the gods.
84
Kapala
means a skull and
mochana
means release. Thus, release from a skull.
85
Vishvamitra was born as a kshatriya and wanted to become a brahmana.
86
Another name for Balarama.
87
That is, knowledge of the Vedas.
88
Sarasvati.
89
Alternatively, snakes.
90
The word used is tata. This means son, but is affectionately used towards anyone younger or junior.
91
The use of the word Koushika causes a problem, since it is being used for both Vishvamitra and his father. The entire family was descended from Kusha. Vishvamitra’s father was Gadhi. Hence, both Gadhi and Vishvamitra are Koushika.
92
Donation given to priests for performing a sacrifice.
93
That is, the king of Panchala.
94
Baka offered them his animals.
95
The flesh was offered as an oblation, intending the destruction of the kingdom.
96
Balarama.
97
Instead of water.
98
Balarama.
99
We haven’t been told this yet, nor has Janamejaya heard it yet. Janamejaya has inferred this from the name Vasishthapavaha.
Apavaha
means to bear or carry away, so Vasishthapavaha means something that carries off Vasishtha.
100
Vasishtha and Vishvamitra.
101
The eastern and western banks of the river Sarasvati.
102
Sthanu means one who is fixed and immobile and is one of Shiva’s names. The tirtha got its name because of this.
103
Vishvamitra.
104
There was a sage named Maitra Varuni. According to some accounts, Vasishtha was the son of the sage Maitra Varuni and Urvashi. Thus, Vasishtha is being referred to as Maitra Varuni’s son.
105
As a goddess, Sarasvati was born from Brahma’s mental powers.
106
Sarasvati is the goddess of learning.
107
Pushti, Dyuti, Kirti, Siddhi, Vriddhi and Uma respectively.
108
The incantation made when oblations are offered into the fire for the gods.
109
Those born from wombs, those born from eggs, those that are trees/plants and those that are born from sweat (insects).
110
Vishvamitra.
111
Vasishthapavaha, where the river flowed in the form of blood.
112
Saras
means lake or pool and Sarasvati was so named because the river had many lakes or pools.
113
Of feeding on blood.
114
A wicked brahmana becomes a brahma
-
rakshasa. In this, a varna-based classification is being made of rakshasas.
115
The text uses the word
yonidosha
. More literally, this is sexual defilement, or a defect in the female genital organ.
116
Foam is neither wet, nor dry. Because of the mist, it was neither day, nor night.
117
Because Namuchi was descended from the sage Kashyapa.
118
Namuchi.
119
Skanda or Kartikeya’s name. Kumara is another of his names.
120
Skanna
means something that has trickled down or fallen. The word Skanda is derived from that. The story is left implicit. Shiva was interrupted by the god of love. The seed fell down and was conveyed by Agni.
121
Meaning Agni.
122
Because Agni had borne the seed.
123
Krittika (Pleiades) is the
third of the twenty-seven nakshatras. Krittika is actually a star cluster, not a single star. There are believed to be six Krittikas in that cluster.
124
After the Krittikas.
125
They had come to see Skanda.
126
Uma’s consort is Shiva. The daughter of the mountains is Uma or Parvati. The bhutas are demons, Shiva’s followers.
127
Cats have already been mentioned. The text uses the word
vrishadamsha
.
Vrisha
means rat or mouse. Therefore, vrishadamsha is something that bites rats/mice, hence it means cat. However, the word can be used for any animal that has strong teeth.
128
The matrikas are mother goddesses, originally identified with the Krittikas. They have both malign and benign aspects, vis-à-vis infants. Usually, the matrikas are said to be seven—Brahmani, Vaishnavi, Maheshvari, Indrani, Koumari, Varahi and Chamundi (or Narasimhi).
129
The sages who were created through Brahma’s mental powers.
130
The sun god.
131
Shiva.
132
All four had some claim to parentage. There are varying stories about Kartikeya’s birth. In some of these, Parvati is the mother.
133
Agni.
134
Parvati.
135
The sun god.
136
Hermits.
137
Semi-divine species.
138
Hri is modesty personified. Shri can be interpreted as prosperity personified, or Lakshmi. Sinivali is the first day of the new moon, when the crescent is barely visible. Anumati is the fifteenth day of the moon. Kuhu is the day of the new moon. Raka is the day of the full moon. Dhishana is intellect personified.
139
Kala and Kashtha are small measures of time.
140
Kratu.
141
Nairrita
s.
142
Agni.
143
Some names are repeated more than once.
144
Tuhana and Tuhaana.
145
Shishumara
, alternatively, dolphins or porpoises.
146
Vrishadamsha again.
147
Tittira
and
krikala
are mentioned. Both are types of partridges.
148
Followers of Shiva.
149
Some names are repeated more than once.
150
Indra.
151
Kartikeya’s name.
152
Demons.
153
Kind of drum.
154
Kind of musical instrument.
155
Adambara.
Alternatively, drum.
156
Kind of musical instrument.
157
Dindima
s.
158
Kartikeya.
159
All in personified form.
160
The one he received from Indra.
161
Taraka.
162
Mahisha is a demon in the form of a buffalo. In some accounts, he was killed by Durga/Parvati. In others, he was killed by Skanda. A padma is a large number.
163
There is a slight anomaly, because we have been told that the javelin was given by Indra, not Agni. Krouncha is a curlew/snipe. When it was shattered, the mountain shrieked like a curlew/snipe and got its name. Mount Krouncha is believed to be in Bellary district of Karnataka.
164
Pine.
165
Golangula
, the cow-tailed black monkey.
166
Mythical animal similar to a lion, which feeds on lions.
167
Pavaka is one of Agni’s names.
168
Usually, it is said that four sons were born to Brahma through his mental powers—Sanatkumara, Sanaka, Sanatana and Sanandana, though seven sons are sometimes also mentioned. Sanatkumara is believed to have reappeared as Kartikeya.
169
We have deliberately retained the word kalpa, since a kalpa is much more than an era (yuga). It is more like an aeon or epoch. A cycle of
satya
(or krita) yuga
, treta
yuga
, dvapara
yuga and
kali
yuga constitutes a
mahayuga
and 1000 mahayugas constitute a kalpa, one of Brahma’s days. A kalpa is divided into fourteen
manvantara
, with a Manu presiding over each of these.
170
The moon.
171
Name of a demon killed by Balarama.
172
The sage Bhrigu’s wife was Puloma. A demon was enamoured of her and asked Agni who she was. To avoid telling a lie, Agni said that she was the sage Bhrigu’s wife. The demon abducted her. At that time, Puloma was pregnant and had a miscarriage. Though the child (Chyavana) survived, Bhrigu cursed Agni for revealing Puloma’s identity. The curse was that Agni would devour everything. The story has been recounted in Section 1 (Volume 1).
173
Balarama.
174
Balarama.
175
According to some accounts, Vishrava was the son of Pulastya and Vishrava’s wife was Ilavida or Ilavila. The son of this union was Ailavida or Ailabila. Ailabila performed austerities and became Kubera, the lord of riches.
176
A berry or jujube is
badara
and
pachana
is to cook, in this case, boil. Hence the name Badarapachana.
177
Vasishtha’s wife.
178
Shiva told her these, while the berries were being cooked.
179
Shiva.
180
The rishis.
181
The text is gender neutral. But that is difficult to render in English.
182
Gender neutral again.
183
The word
srijana
means something that is shed, explaining the name Sruchavati.
184
Balarama.