The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 1 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 2,273 pages of information about The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 1.

The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 1 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 2,273 pages of information about The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 1.

71.  According to the Hindus, the sun rises from and sets behind two hills respectively.  He rises from the Udaya or Sun-rise hill and sets behind the Asta or sun-set hill.

72.  Raudra—­belonging to Rudra, the god of fury, violence, war, &c.

73.  Devasena literally means the celestial army.  This fable seems to be an allegorical representation of the attempts made by Indra to procure a leader for the celestial host.

74.  Anger personified is a deity.

75.  Another name of gods, so named from their having only three stages of life—­viz., infancy, childhood, and youth—­and being exempt from the fourth—­old age.

76. i.e., good and evil spirits.

77.  One of the ensigns of royalty in Hindustan.

78.  Brahma.

79.  Devasenapati is the original.  It may mean either the pati (leader) of the sena (forces) of devas or the pati (husband) of Devasena.

80.  A kind of missile.

81.  Another kind of weapon.

82.  The word in the text is “Agrahara,” which, as Nilakantha explains, means here, “That which is first taken from a heap after the dedication of a portion to the “Viswadevas.”  What Draupadi means to say is, that she always took care to feed those Brahmanas with food “first” taken from the stores, without, in fact, having taken anything there from the use of anybody else.

83.  Lit, Soldiers that have sworn to conquer or die.  A full Akshauhini of these soldiers was owned by Krishna, who gave them to Duryodhana to fight for him.  The story of Krishna’s offering to Duryodhana the choice between these soldiers on the one side, and himself sworn not to fight but only to aid with his counsels on the other, is given in full in the Udyoga Parva.  Duryodhana, from folly, accepted the former, who were all slain by Arjuna.

84.  The vow of the Asuras was (according to the Burdwan Pundits) never to drink wine.  It is more rational to suppose that Karna swears to give up the refined manners and practices of the Aryas and adopt those of the Asuras till the consummation of the cherished desire.

85.  A very small measure.

86.  Picking up for support (1) ears of corn and (2) individual grains, left on the field by husbandmen after they have gathered and carried away the sheaves, are called the Sila and the Unchha modes of life.

87.  Naked.

88.  Both these words are of doubtful meaning.  It seems they are employed in the Vedas to denote the faculties of knowledge and the moral sense respectively.

89.  The six acts of a king are peace, war, marching, halting, sowing dissention, and seeking protection.

90.  Tard-mrigam.  Formerly Prajapati, assuming the Form of a deer, followed his daughter from lust, and Rudra, armed with a trident, pursued Prajapati and struck off his head.  That deer-head of Prajapati severed from the trunk, became the star, or rather constellation, called Mrigasiras.

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The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 1 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.