Mahabharata Vol. 3 (Penguin Translated Texts) (84 page)
Read Mahabharata Vol. 3 (Penguin Translated Texts) Online
Authors: Bibek Debroy
48
Sadasyas.
49
Shakra is Indra, Shukra is the preceptor of the demons and Brihaspati is the preceptor of the gods.
50
Ruler.
51
The word shyama usually means dark, which makes no sense here. Shyama has a secondary meaning of a woman who has not borne children. That meaning seems more appropriate.
54
A shrotriya is a brahmana learned in the sacred texts, specifically the Vedas.
55
Food left over after offerings to gods, ancestors, brahmanas and guests.
56
Goloka, Krishna’s world.
57
Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth.
58
This is a metaphor for the sacrifice and its offerings.
59
Payasa is a sweet dish made from milk and rice.
60
Yudhishthira.
61
The sun-god.
62
Vishala is the name of a jujube tree in Badari or Badarikashrama.
63
A river believed to flow from the Malaya mountains.
64
The word used is tata. While it does mean father, it is affectionately used for anyone who is senior.
65
The place where the boat (
nau
) was tied (
bandhana
).
66
Parameshthi means the supreme lord and is an epithet used for Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and even Agni and Garuda.
67
Brahma.
68
Those born from wombs, those born from eggs, vegetables and plants and those born from sweat (insects).
69
This is a reference to Vishnu, asleep on the lotus.
70
Brahma.
71
Vishnu.
72
The text uses both the words
karta
and
vikarta
. It is difficult to distinguish between them. Hence, karta has been translated as creator and vikarta as special creator.
73
The four yugas or eras are krita (or satya), treta, dvapara and kali. Between two eras, there is an intermediary period of conjunction (sandhya).
74
The word used is tata.
75
Mlecchas are barbarians, those who do not speak Sanskrit.
76
Shakas are identified as Scythians and Yavanas as Greeks. Pulindas are uncivilized mountainous tribes. Kambojas lived in the Hindu Kush region. Ournikas are those who earned a living off wool. Abhiras are a tribe.
77
Bho is used when addressing an inferior and arya is used when addressing a superior. The sense is that shudras should be saying ‘arya’ and brahmanas should be saying ‘bho’.
78
Presumably indicative of a lot of fighting.
79
Fraudulently pretending to be hermits.
80
Indra. Indra killed a demon named Paka.
81
One of Brahma’s days.
84
The flower of flax,
Linum usitatissimum.
Krishna’s complexion is often likened to this flower.
85
Vishnu bears the srivatsa mark (or curl) on his chest. This is the place where Lakshmi resides.
86
The word used is tata.
87
Markandeya was born in Bhrigu’s lineage.
88
The word used in the text is
vrishala
. While this means shudra, it also means outcast. Servitude is towards a dvija, or twice-born. While dvija does mean brahmana, it is a term that can be applied to all the three upper varnas.
89
The word used is tata.
90
The word
ayana
means abode or path.
91
Kubera.
92
Dhata
and
vidhata
respectively.
93
Shesha naga holds up the earth.
94
This is a reference to Vishnu’s boar (varaha) incarnation.
95
The vadava (or
badava
) fire is a submarine fire. It has the shape of a collection of mares.
96
Evil, the negation of dharma.
97
Because only one quarter of dharma remains in kali yuga.
98
This is a reference to Vishnu’s dwarf (vamana) incarnation, when he covered the three worlds with three strides.
99
Brahma.
102
Dharma has four feet (or quarters) in krita yuga, three in dvapara, two in treta and one in kali. Hence the analogy of the bull.
103
In kali yuga.
104
We have deliberately not translated linga, since it can mean different things. It can mean a religious mark, it can mean gender, it can be a mark for Shiva, it can mean the idol of a god, it can mean proof used in evidence. Any of these might be in vain.
105
More accurately, vrishalas.
106
Eduka
s. This is probably a reference to Buddhist stupas, where there were relic chambers.
107
Vrishalas.
108
The headless torso is Rahu. Rahu eclipses the sun. Rahu is headless because Vishnu sliced the head off.
109
Indra.
110
The eighth of the twenty-seven nakshatras, also known as Pushya.
111
Kalki is Vishnu’s tenth incarnation.
112
The new yuga.
113
Brahma.
114
As signs of order having been restored. The black antelope skins are symbolic of brahmanas, while the weapons are symbolic of kshatriyas.
115
Dasyus are outcasts, bandits, evil demons and the enemies of gods and men.
116
Teaching, studying, sacrifices, acting as priests at sacrifices, donating and receiving gifts.
117
Purana is any old account. But specifically, there are sacred texts known as the Puranas. Vayu is the wind-god. While this may be a reference to any old account told by Vayu, it is more likely to be a specific reference to the
Vayu Purana
, one of those sacred texts.
118
Though not explicit, this may mean that Markandeya, though an immortal, has been through the cycle of death and rebirth several times.
119
The word used is tata.
120
That is, the other Pandavas. Sharnga is the name of Krishna’s bow.
121
The text doesn’t mention this explicitly. But the quotes that follow are clearly in Markandeya’s words.
122
As fodder.
123
A kind of creeper that wraps itself around mango trees. Known as
madhavi, kusari
or
kasturamogara.
124
Vedic chants, the implication being that a brahmana has no need of a mount.
125
Evil spirit, kind of demon,
126
As the subsequent sentences show, this means that Indradyumna no longer knows who he is.
127
This is odd. The text says
rasayanika
, which cannot be translated as anything other than chemists or alchemists. But this doesn’t make a great deal of sense. Perhaps it should read
vasayanika
, meaning those who have fixed abodes. Since hermits don’t have fixed abodes and are not vasayanikas, they are unlikely to recognize anyone, since they move around from one place to another.
128
Both Markandeya and the owl.
129
That is, Indradyumna performed one thousand sacrifices.
130
King Nriga inadvertently donated the same cow to two brahmanas. He was cursed and became a lizard that lived in a well. Krishna rescued him from this curse.
131
The word used is tata.
132
Mara
means to kill. Dhundhumara is the one who slays Dhundhu.
135
Vishnu’s jewel that emerged from the churning of the ocean.
140
This story has been told in Section 33.
141
Kumbhakarna was Ravana’s brother, who slept for six months. While this is a story from the Ramayana, it will be briefly retold in Section 42.
142
Parva, the day of the new moon or the full moon.
145
There is a problem with the Critical edition’s text here. As it stands, the text should be translated as ‘some hold the mother to be equal …’ This doesn’t quite fit. The translation given is in accordance with what non-Critical versions state.
146
The Angas mean the six Vedangas of shiksha (articulation and pronunciation), chhanda (prosody), vyakarana (grammar), nirukta (etymology), jyotisha (astronomy) and kalpa (rituals). The Upanishads are sacred texts known as Vedanta, the last part of the Vedas.
147
Brihaspati had cursed the ocean.
148
Dandaka was born in the Ikshvaku lineage. He coveted Bhargava’s daughter and was cursed by Bhargava that his kingdom would become a wasteland. This is Dandaka Aranya or Dandaka forest.
149
This story has been told in Section 33.
150
Shrutis are sacred texts that have been revealed. They are of divine origin and have no author. The core consists of the Vedas and the Vedanta literature.
154
The word used is tata.
155
The three forms of knowledge are the first three Vedas, excluding the Atharva Veda. The text uses the expression
danda niti
, which can loosely be translated as governance.
156
The Dharmashastras are sacred texts that deal with customs, practices, law and ethical conduct. They belong to the
smriti
tradition, that is, they have specific authors.
157
The words that follow are by the hunter.
158
Karma is action, the fruits of that action and also the consequent destiny.
159
This story has been told in Section 33.
160
Rantideva was a king of the lunar dynasty, known for his generosity.
161
Seasonal festivals after every four months, held in the months of Kartika, Phalguna and Ashada.
162
This story has been told in Section 11 (Volume 1).
163
Kind of rice.
