13.  These articles of cognate origin are clarified butter, milk, and other things used as libations in sacrifices.

14. i.e., the subdivisions of the Pranava, the mysterious Mantra, which is the beginning of everything, were first promulgated here.  Nilakantha supposes this to refer to the origin of the Vedas, the Upanishads, and the various branches of the Srutis and the Smritis.

15.  Small divisions of time.

16.  The limbs that should be ‘prominent’ or ‘elevated’ in order to constitute an indication of beauty or auspiciousness are variously mentioned.  The general opinion seems to be that these six only, viz., the back of each palm, the two dorsa, and the two bosoms should be elevated.  Another opinion would seem to indicate that the two bosoms, the two hips, and the two eyes should be so.  The seven that should be delicate or slender are unanimously mentioned as the skin, the hair, the teeth, the fingers of the hands, the fingers of the feet, the waist, and the neck.  The three that should be deep are the navel, the voice, and the understanding.  The five that should be red are the two palms, the two outer corners of the eyes, the tongue, the nether and the upper-lips, and the palate.  These five also, are variously given.

17.  The latter half of this Sloka is variously read.  The correct reading, I apprehend, is Niyamanani Santare Hritanyasan Vitastaya, i.e., ’while transported across, were taken (down) by the (river) Vitasta’—­the latter being one of the five rivers of the Punjab.

18.  The science of arms (Dhanurved) classes arms under four heads, viz., Mukta, Amukta, Muktamukta, and Yantramukta.  A Mukta weapon is one that is hurled from the hand, as a discus.  An Amukta is not hurled from the hand, as a sword.  A Muktamukta is one that is sometimes hurled and sometimes not, as a mace.  A Yantramukta is one shot from a machine, as an arrow or a ball.  All Mukta weapons are Astras, while all Amukta ones are called sastras.

19.  The thousand-handed Arjuna, called also Kartaviryarjuna, the vanquisher of Ravana, the chief of Haihaya clan of Kshatriyas having his capital at Mahishmati on the banks of the Narmada (Nerbuda), was slain by Rama

The Mahabharata

of

Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa

BOOK 6

BHISHMA PARVA

Translated into English Prose from the Original Sanskrit Text

by

Kisari Mohan Ganguli

[1883-1896]

Scanned at sacred-texts.com, January, 2004.  Proofed by John Bruno Hare.

THE MAHABHARATA

BHISHMA PARVA

SECTION I

(Jamvu-khanda Nirmana Parva)

Om!  Having bowed down to Narayana, and Nara, the most exalted of male beings, and also to the goddess Saraswati, must the word ‘Jaya’ be uttered.