Mahabharata Vol. 6 (Penguin Translated Texts) (67 page)

¹⁶⁰
From the blood, flesh and marrow.

¹⁶¹
Severed arms.

¹⁶²
However, Prahlada was a good asura and devoted to Vishnu. There was no reason for Indra to fight with him.

¹⁶³
Obviously in another part of the field and away from Bhima.

¹⁶⁴
Ghatotkacha.

¹⁶⁵
The image is that of men with torches surrounding an elephant.

¹⁶⁶
Ghatotkacha.

¹⁶⁷
Alambusa.

¹⁶⁸
That is, Ghatotkacha picked up Alambusa.

¹⁶⁹
Ghatotkacha.

¹⁷⁰
Alambusa’s.

¹⁷¹
Since alambusa is only a medicinal plant or herb, with small berries, this is only for the sake of the pun.

¹⁷²
In the Pandava camp.

¹⁷³
Drona.

¹⁷⁴
The sun.

¹⁷⁵
The text uses the word
dhumaketu
. Dhumaketu has different meanings. Given the context, fire is most appropriate.

¹⁷⁶
Yudhishthira.

¹⁷⁷
Vijaya is one of Arjuna’s names.

¹⁷⁸
Arjuna.

¹⁷⁹
Satyaki studied fighting under Arjuna.

¹⁸⁰
For the sake of the friends.

¹⁸¹
Though not clearly stated, these are effectively Arjuna’s words.

¹⁸²
Balarama.

¹⁸³
Pradyumna’s son and Krishna’s grandson. Pradyumna was the son of Krishna and Rukmini.

¹⁸⁴
Krishna’s brother.

¹⁸⁵
The son of Krishna and Jambavati.

¹⁸⁶
The word used is tata.

¹⁸⁷
That is, Satyaki himself.

¹⁸⁸
Balarama.

¹⁸⁹
Yudhishthira and Arjuna.

¹⁹⁰
The duty of a Dasharha and the duty to Krishna and Arjuna.

¹⁹¹
Since Arjuna is not present.

¹⁹²
Pradyumna.

¹⁹³
Drona.

¹⁹⁴
Abhimanyu. This Krishna is Arjuna.

¹⁹⁵
The moon has sixteen kalas or phases. Stated differently, these warriors do not even amount to one-sixteenth of Arjuna.

¹⁹⁶
Mythical creatures who were followers of Kubera and could sing well. They were also physically deformed, sometimes described as possessing human heads and bodies of horses.

¹⁹⁷
The ocean.

¹⁹⁸
Dhrishtadyumna.

¹⁹⁹
Arjuna.

²⁰⁰
Arjuna.

²⁰¹
Anjana is one of the eight elephants that is a guardian of the directions.

²⁰²
Exuding musth.

²⁰³
Literally, those with golden chariots.

²⁰⁴
The word used is
niyuddha.
Other than fighting at close quarters, this can also be translated as boxing.

²⁰⁵
Mountain tribes who lived through hunting.

²⁰⁶
Either barbarians or bandits.

²⁰⁷
Duryodhana.

²⁰⁸
Daruka is the name of Krishna’s charioteer.

²⁰⁹
Satyaki’s.

²¹⁰
A snataka is a brahmana who has completed his period of celibate student life and is about to step into the householder stage. Nishka is a golden coin.

²¹¹
A mixture of honey and curd.

²¹²
Kailavata is a region to the north.

²¹³
It is not obvious what the brass signifies. The liquor could have been kept in a brass goblet.

²¹⁴
Yudhishthira.

²¹⁵
Bhima had followed Satyaki.

²¹⁶
Bhima.

²¹⁷
Dhrishtadyumna.

²¹⁸
Satyaki.

²¹⁹
Arjuna. Arjuna did not wish to waste time, fighting with Drona.

²²⁰
Kritavarma.

²²¹
That is, the soldiers are not new and callow recruits.

²²²
Of mounts like elephants.

²²³
The wages are based on merit, not on lineage, favours or relationships.

²²⁴
The word used is tata.

²²⁵
The ocean.

²²⁶
Leading to the ebb and flow of the waters.

²²⁷
Arjuna.

²²⁸
Since Dhrishtadyumna and Shikhandi have been separately named, it is not clear which of Yajnasena’s (Drupada’s) sons is meant by this.

²²⁹
The Pandava warriors.

²³⁰
Satyaki had gone on ahead, but returned.

²³¹
In Section 67, Abhimanyu killed Shalya’s son, Rukmaratha. Unless this is a different Rukmaratha, there is an inconsistency.

²³²
Jasmine, white in complexion.

²³³
Duryodhana’s brother, Jalasandha, has been killed in Section 64 (Volume 5). This is Jalasandha from Magadha.

²³⁴
Satyaki.

²³⁵
There is a problem with the translation here. The word used in the text is
naishadi
. Beyond something associated with
nishada
s, this has no obvious meaning. However, clearly some kind of housing is indicated.

²³⁶
Duryodhana.

²³⁷
Kritavarma’s.

²³⁸
Kritavarma.

²³⁹
Kartavirya Arjuna.

²⁴⁰
The charioteer.

²⁴¹
Drona.

²⁴²
Indra has a thousand eyes.

²⁴³
Sudarshana’s.

²⁴⁴
The word used is tata.

²⁴⁵
Parashurama.

²⁴⁶
The text uses the word
goshpada
. This literally means the mark of a cow’s foot in the soil and the small puddle of water that fills up such a mark, that is, a trifle.

²⁴⁷
Yama.

²⁴⁸
Duryodhana.

²⁴⁹
Dasyus.

²⁵⁰
Shakuni.

²⁵¹
Duryodhana’s charioteer.

²⁵²
The word used is tata.

²⁵³
That is, there is no need for them to fight.

²⁵⁴
The names of the eight elephants in charge of the eight directions are usually given as Airavata, Pundarika, Vamana, Kumuda, Anjana, Pushpadanta, Sarvabhouma and Supratika. Pundarika, Kumuda and Padma mean lotuses. So Mahapadma might mean either Pundarika or Kumuda.

²⁵⁵
The reference to dharma is puzzling, other than the general statement that dasyus did not follow dharma. There was adharma in many fighting with a single person, but that dharma was in any case not being followed.

²⁵⁶
Those that had not been killed.

²⁵⁷
Yuvaraja
is heir apparent, and this need not necessarily be the king’s son. The sense is that Duhshasana should fight and make Duryodhana the king, with Duhshasana as heir apparent.

²⁵⁸
In a pedantic sense, ninety-nine brothers. To be even more pedantic, fewer, since several of them have already been killed.

²⁵⁹
There should be no confusion. The plural Panchalas is being used for all the Panchalas and the singular Panchala is being used for Viraketu.

²⁶⁰
It was red because of the blood.

²⁶¹
Dhrishtadyumna’s.

²⁶²
Drona’s.

²⁶³
Vaitastika arrows were nine inches long.

²⁶⁴
They also carried Dhrishtadyumna away.

²⁶⁵
Satyaki.

²⁶⁶
Alternatively, gnat.

²⁶⁷
Duryodhana.

²⁶⁸
That is, they had taken a pledge to die, rather than retreat.

²⁶⁹
Garuda.

²⁷⁰
Satyaki.

²⁷¹
Duhshasana’s.

²⁷²
Dhrishtadyumna.

²⁷³
This is a reference to Duryodhana single-handedly facing the enemy.

²⁷⁴
Duryodhana.

²⁷⁵
Yudhishthira.

²⁷⁶
Duryodhana.

²⁷⁷
Drona.

²⁷⁸
Drona was born in a pot.

²⁷⁹
Dhrishtaketu.

²⁸⁰
Since this is within quotes, this address to Dhritarashtra does not belong.

²⁸¹
Indra.

²⁸²
Arjuna and Satyaki.

²⁸³
This is a reference to Arjuna, not Krishna.

²⁸⁴
Indra.

²⁸⁵
The
chakora
bird.

²⁸⁶
Shiva.

²⁸⁷
Indra’s bow, that is, a rainbow.

²⁸⁸
Vishnu, hence Krishna.

²⁸⁹
Bhima and Yudhishthira respectively.

²⁹⁰
Bhima’s charioteer.

²⁹¹
Not to be confused with Vinda and Anuvinda from Avanti.

²⁹²
Javelin is only partly correct. The text uses the word
rathashakti
. While
shakti
is a javelin, rathashakti is the pole that holds up the standard in a chariot. However, Duhshasana seems to have hurled a javelin, rather than such a pole.

²⁹³
Duryodhana’s brothers.

²⁹⁴
Garuda.

²⁹⁵
Of Drona’s chariot.

²⁹⁶
Arjuna.

²⁹⁷
This is a reference to the burning of the Khandava forest, described in Section 19 (Volume 2).

²⁹⁸
This incident has been described in Section 35 (Volume 3).

²⁹⁹
This has been described in Section 47 (Volume 4).

³⁰⁰
This incident has been descrbed in Section 35 (Volume 3).

³⁰¹
This incident has been described in Section 39 (Volume 3).

³⁰²
That is, seen Saindhava slain in the battle.

³⁰³
The word used is tata.

³⁰⁴
Karna’s.

³⁰⁵
Karna and Bhima.

³⁰⁶
The account of the duel between Karna and Bhima resumes again later. Karna probably fought mildly because he had given his word to Kunti that he would not harm any of the Pandavas other than Arjuna.

³⁰⁷
The word used is tata.

³⁰⁸
The victory there was illusory.

³⁰⁹
The text does not explicitly indicate where Drona’s quote ends and Sanjaya’s begins. But it is obvious.

³¹⁰
These two protected Arjuna’s chariot wheels.

³¹¹
In the encounter between Yudhamanyu-Uttamouja and Duryodhana, the Critical edition excises some shlokas. Consequently, there is some abruptness in what remains.

³¹²
Duryodhana’s.

³¹³
Duryodhana.

³¹⁴
Yudhishthira.

³¹⁵
That the Pandavas were his brothers.

³¹⁶
This promise has been described in Section 55 (Volume 5). With the exception of Arjuna, Karna promised Kunti that he would not harm any of the other Pandavas.

³¹⁷
That is, wheeled his chariot around.

³¹⁸
Karna’s.

³¹⁹
Karna covered Bhima.

³²⁰
The image is of birds descending on a tree.

³²¹
The arrows are being compared to poisonous snakes.

³²²
Karna.

³²³
Sharabha has many meanings—young elephant, camel. It is also a mythical animal with eight legs, believed to be stronger than a lion. In this context, it probably means the mythical animal.

³²⁴
Krishnaa, Droupadi.

³²⁵
These were the words addressed to Droupadi in the assembly hall.

³²⁶
Bhima.

³²⁷
The army that was with Bhima.

³²⁸
Of that army being agitated.

³²⁹
Karna and Bhima.

³³⁰
Meaning Yudhishthira. The lord of riches is Kubera.

³³¹
The image is that a searcher of honey has climbed a tree and doesn’t know that he will fall down.

³³²
The kingdom.

³³³
Vrisha is one of Karna’s names.

³³⁴
Karna’s name.

³³⁵
Duryodhana’s brother.

³³⁶
Duryodhana and Durjaya respectively.

³³⁷
Karna.

³³⁸
Bhima.

³³⁹
A shataghni is a weapon that is difficult to identify. All one knows is that it could kill one hundred (shata) at one go.

³⁴⁰
Kishku is a measure of length. It is variously described as forty-two
angula
s (the length of a finger) or four
hasta
s (the length of an arm).

³⁴¹
Duryodhana’s brother.