436.  The discourse is called eternal and immutable because of its subject being so.  Duties are eternal truths.

437.  This discourse on duties delivered by the Rishis is called a Sastra.  Literally, anything that governs men, i.e., regulates their behaviour, is called a Sastra.  As such, the enumeration of duties occurring in this Lesson, although it has been made by a reference to their breaches, is therefore, a Sastra.

438.  Literally, they who cook for dogs, i.e., keep dogs a, companions; meaning members of the lowest caste.

439.  The commentator takes Tapah or Penance as indicative of the duties of the four orders of life, and Dharma as indicative of compassion and other virtues.

440.  Dhupas are incenses offered to the deities.  Being of inflammable substances, they are so made that they may burn slowly or smoulder silently.  They are the inseparable accompaniments of a worship of the deities.

441.  Tejas is explained by the commentator, as used here for Kanti or beauty, and prakasam for kirti; there is no necessity, however, for rejecting the ordinary meaning of Tejas which is energy.

442.  The sense seems to be that if a man dies during that period when the sun is in his southward course, he is dragged through a thick darkness.  For escaping that darkness, one should give lights at the period mentioned.

443.  What is meant by the juice of deciduous herbs is oil of mustard seeds and castor seeds, etc.

444.  Well-fried paddy, reduced to powder, is sometimes used for giving a coating to dishes of meat.

445.  It will be remembered that the only chastisement that was in vogue in the Krita age was the crying of ‘Fie’ on an offender.

446.  The Bombay text has vatsakah for utsavah.  If the former reading he adopted, it would mean those rites that are performed for the prosperity and longevity of children.  Of course, in such rites also the deities are worshipped and propitiated.

447.  For Dwijaya some text read Grahaya meaning guests.

448.  ‘Jwalante’ has ‘dwipah’ for its nominative understood.  A twinkle occupies an instant of time.  What is said here is that the giver of lights becomes endued with beauty and strength for as many years as the number of instants for which the lights given by him are seen to burn.

449.  ‘Kshatrabandhu’ implies a low or vile Kshatriya.

450.  Literally, ’Why dost thou dip such parts of thy body into a pond of water?’

451.  The study of the Vedas is regarded as equivalent in merit of gifts.  Hence actual gifts of articles are spoken of as ‘gifts of other kinds.’

452.  Literally ‘friendship is seven-word.’  Sometimes the same expression is understood as meaning ‘seven-paced,’ The sense, of course, is that if the righteous meet and exchange seven words (or, walk with each other for only seven steps), they become friends.