Mahabharata: Vol. 5 (71 page)
Read Mahabharata: Vol. 5 Online
Authors: Bibek Debroy
1
Samantapanchaka is another name for Kurukshetra, usually explained because of the five (
pancha
) lakes created by Parashurama. Alternatively, it is said that the land was five yojanas in every direction.
2
The earth is divided into different continents (
dvipa
). The number varies, but is usually stated to be seven. The central one is Jambudvipa, named after
jambu
, the
jamun
tree. Bharatavarsha is in the centre of Jambudvipa.
3
That is, there were passwords and other signs that the Pandava army would use with each other.
4
Yudhishthira.
5
Panchajanya is Krishna’s conch shell and Devadatta is Arjuna’s.
6
Meaning both Yudhishthira and Duryodhana.
7
The word used in the text is
dhurya
. This means one who carries a burden and can be a beast or a man.
8
The Critical edition may have got this wrong. It uses the word
sandhya
, which means both morning and dusk. Some non-critical versions use the word
sainya
. In that case, Vyasa would have seen the soldiers extending to the front and the rear (instead of morning and dusk) and that fits better.
9
Dhritarashtra was Vichitravirya’s son because his mother was Vichitravirya’s wife. But Dhritarashtra was actually Vyasa’s son. In that sense, Vyasa was a grandfather.
10
In earlier sections, such as Section 60, there is a suggestion that Sanjaya knew what was going on, without being actually present. However, the boon of being able to see from afar, is bestowed here.
11
The text uses the word
prapitamaha
, though Vyasa is actually the paternal grandfather.
12
The text does not explicitly state that this is Vyasadeva speaking. It is left implicit. Hence, we have inserted these quotation marks.
13
‘Khatakhata’ is a crackling sound. When meteors fall down, signifying a calamity, they make this sound. The south is the direction of death.
14
That is, clouds in this shape. The headless torso can be an allusion to Rahu.
15
Arundhati is the rishi Vasishtha’s devoted wife. However, Vasishtha and Arundhati are also stars in Ursa Majoris or
saptarshi
, the constellation of the Great Bear. As a star, Vasishtha is prominent, while Arundhati is faint. As a sign of abnormal times, Arundhati is shining more than Vasishtha.
16
Shanaishchara or Shani is the planet Saturn. Rohini is the fourth of the twenty-seven
nakshatra
s.
17
Sharika
, the bird
Turdus Salica.
18
Padma
(a lotus in general),
utpala
(a blue lotus) and
kumuda
(a lotus that grows in the night or a water lily) respectively.
19
Rahu is a demon. At the time of the churning of the ocean, he disguised himself as a god and began to drink
amrita.
This was noticed by the sun and the moon and they reported this to Vishnu, who sliced off Rahu’s head with his
chakra.
Rahu is a head without a body. Seeking revenge against the sun and the moon, he swallows them at the time of an eclipse.
20
The white planet is Shukra. Chitra is the fourteenth nakshatra, Spica. Shukra has passed beyond Chitra, towards the fifteenth nakshatra, Svati (Arcturus), whose lord is Rahu. The white planet might also be Ketu.
21
Pushya is the eighth nakshatra.
22
Angaraka is Mars, while Magha is the tenth nakshatra. Brihaspati is Jupiter, while Shravana is the twenty-second nakshatra.
23
The son of the sun is Shani and Bhaga is the presiding deity for the eleventh nakshatra, Purva Phalguni. However, we have earlier been told that Saturn is in Rohini. There is a contradiction in the positions of the planets across these two chapters.
24
Shukra is Venus and Purva Proshthapada is the same as Purva Bhadrapada, the twenty-fifth nakshatra. Uttara means Uttara Bhadrapada, the twenty-sixth nakshatra.
25
The dark planet is Saturn, Jyeshtha is the eighteenth nakshatra and its presiding deity is Indra. However, we have earlier been told that Saturn is in Rohini.
26
Dhruva is the pole star.
27
The harsh planet is probably Rahu.
28
Because of the energy of the brahman and Shravana, this seems to be Jupiter.
29
Even if it is the wrong season for that kind of grain.
30
Saptarshi means the seven (
sapta
) great sages (rishi). But here, it means the constellation Ursa Majoris (Great Bear).
31
Vishakha is the sixteenth nakshatra.
32
The identification of the terrible planet is not clear, but it could be Ketu, Rahu’s headless torso. Krittika is the Pleiades, the third of the twenty-seven nakshatras. The reference to Krittika as the first might also mean that the ordering of the nakshatras used to be different earlier.
33
There are different ways of classifying the twenty-seven nakshatras. The three-fold classification can be a reference to their categorization as upward looking, downward looking and ones that look straight or sideways. Alternatively, kings are divided into three categories, those who own elephants, those who own horses and those who own men. The nine nakshatras that begin with Ashvini signify danger to kings who own horses, if evil planets influence them. The nine nakshatras that begin with Magha have the same implication for kings who own elephants and the nine nakshatras that begin with Mula have that implication for kings who own men.
34
Budha is Mercury.
35
That is, without rain.
36
This doesn’t mean anything. It is just the sound being uttered by the birds.
37
The sacrificial fire.
38
It is not clear what this refers to. Nor is the meaning clear. If it refers to crows, crows at the back of an army are auspicious, while those in front of the army are inauspicious.
39
Elephants, horses, chariots and infantry.
40
Among the enemy.
41
The assumption is that there is going to be a fight between Garuda and the birds.
42
Literally, the forest of the Kurus. Another name for Kurukshetra.
43
Like insects.
44
Animals.
45
That is, they are domestic.
46
Trees are
vriksha
. Shrubs are
gulma,
they grow from a clump. Creepers are
lata
, they require a support. Plants are
valli
, these are also creepers of a sort, but they creep along the earth (like pumpkins). These plants only survive for a year. Grass is
trina
.
47
Fourteen mobile and five immobile.
48
The five constituents of matter—
kshiti
or
prithivi
or
bhumi
(earth),
apa
(wate
r), tejas
or
agni
(fire or energy),
marut
or
vayu
(wind or air) and
vyoma
or
akasha
(the sky or ether). These are known as
bhuta
s and pancha (five) bhuta collectively.
49
Gayatri has several nuances. It is a mantra in the Vedas and is described as the mother of the Vedas. It is equated with the brahman or paramatman. In personified form, Gayatri is a goddess and Brahma’s consort. She is equated with Brahma and is the source of all creation.
50
Bhumi possesses all the five qualities.
51
Before creation. This is a reference to the five constituents of matter, not the qualities.
52
At the time of destruction, earth merges into water, water merges into fire, fire merges into air and air merges into ether. At the time of creation, air is created from ether, fire is created from air, water is created from fire and the earth is created from water.
53
Brahma.
54
The bhutas, constituents of matter or elements.
55
These shlokas about Sudarshana are difficult to understand. Perhaps some allegory is intended and the text is not meant to be taken literally.
56
Sacred fig tree, kind of banyan. Also known as
plaksha
and pipal.
57
These words are spoken by Sanjaya.
58
Malyavan and Gandhamadana.
59
Meru extends both above the earth and inside the earth.
60
Garuda’s.
61
Meru.
62
The wind or the wind god.
63
Tumburu, Vishvavasu, Haha and Huhu are the names of gandharvas.
64
Shukracharya, the preceptor of the demons.
65
Shiva. Shiva’s consort is Uma.
66
Karnikara is also the name of a flower. It is colourful, but has no fragrance.
67
Ganga flows in the sky, the earth and the nether world. She is called Mandakini in the sky, Ganga on earth and Bhogavati in the nether world.
68
Jambukhanda or Jambudvipa is at the centre of the seven dvipas (islands), which are spread out in a concentric circle. Meru is at the centre of Jambukhanda. Jambukhanda is named after the jamun (the Indian blackberry). Bharatavarsha is in Jambukhanda.
69
The name of Indra’s pleasure garden.
70
Varsha is a continent and usually nine such continents are mentioned— Kuru, Hiranmaya, Ramyaka, Ilavrita, Hari, Ketumala, Bhadrashva, Kinnara and Bharata. Hiranyaka is the same as Hiranmaya and Airavata is the same as Ilavrita. Shveta and Nila are the names of mountains.
71
The name of a mountain.
72
Probably referring to Hiranyaka, Ramyaka, Ilavrita, Hari and Ketumala.
73
Vishrava’s son, Kubera.
74
There is a typo in the Critical edition’s text here. It should read
parshva
(side) instead of Partha.
75
A lake.
76
Indra.
77
Literally the lord of all beings, Shiva.
78
Shiva.
79
Ganga.
80
Nadi
means river.
81
Probably meaning Shiva.
82
Sarpas are snakes, nagas are serpents. Unlike sarpas, nagas have semi-divine qualities. They can assume any form at will and dwell in a separate nether world.
83
Of the hare.
84
Sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and acidic.
85
As bark.
86
The ruddy goose.
87
Either the
kadamba
or the
devadaru
(deodar) tree.
88
The word used is
maharajata
, which also means turmeric.
89
These are the
valakhilya
sages, usually stated to be sixty thousand in number. They are as long as a thumb and were created from Brahma’s body. They precede the sun’s chariot.
90
The same as Ramyaka.
91
The same as Hiranmaya.
92
Shandili was a female ascetic who lived on Mount Rishabha. The story of Garuda’s encounter with her has been described in Section 54 (Volume 4).
93
The same as Ilavrita. This varsha is supreme because Mount Shringavan is there.
94
The sky.
95
Nara and Narayana are both manifestations of Vishnu. Vaikuntha means immeasurable and is the name of Vishnu’s abode, as well as Vishnu’s name.
96
Though written as Bharata, the country is actually Bhaarata and is named after Bharata.
97
Each
manvantara
(era) is presided over by a sovereign known as Manu. It is because humans are descended from Manu that they are known as
manava
. There are fourteen manvantaras and fourteen Manus to preside over them. The present manvantara is the seventh and the Manu who presides over this is known as Vaivasvata, because he was born from the sun (Vivasvat).
98
Vainya means Vena’s son. King Prithu was a virtuous king who was Vena’s son. Prithivi or
prithvi
, the earth, is named after Prithu.
99
The founder of the solar dynasty.
100
The son of Nahusha. Both the Pandavas and the Yadavas are descended from Yayati. Yayati’s story has been recounted in Section 7 (Volume 1).
101
King of the solar dynasty, the son of Nabhaga.
102
King of the solar dynasty, the son of Yuvanashva. Mandhata’s story has been recounted in Section 33 (Volume 3).
103
King of the lunar dynasty. Nahusha’s story has been recounted in Section 49 (Volume 4).
104
Mandhata’s son.
105
Oushinara means the son of Ushinara. Shibi was the son of King Ushinara of the lunar dynasty and was famous for his generosity.