453.  The Bombay text has Somapithi and upavati instead of upayanti.  The Bengal text reads Somavithi which seems to be inaccurate.  The sense seems to be that of Somapithi or drinker of (sacrificial) soma.

454.  The Ekaratra, Pancharatra, and Ekadasaratra, sacrifices consist of fasts and gifts for the periods indicated by the names, viz., one night, five nights, and eleven nights.

455.  ‘Golden moons’ imply those well-carved and beautifully fringed discs of gold that are worn by Hindu ladies on the forehead and that hang by thin chains of gold attached to the, hair.  In Bengal, ladies of respectable houses wear a kind of ornament called ‘Chandrahara’ or the moon-wreath.  This ornament is worn round the waist, on the hip.  Several chains of gold, from half a dozen to a dozen, having a large disc of well-carved gold to which they are attached, constitute this really very beautiful ornament.  The disc is divided into two halves, attached to each other by hinges, so that in sitting down, the ornament produces no inconvenience.

456.  In the Santi Parva it has been explained that in ancient times kings sometimes performed sacrifices causing altars to be raised at small distances from one another.  These distances were measured by hurling a heavy piece of wood called Sami, so that throwing the Sami from one altar, the next altar would be created upon the spot where it fell.

457. i.e. if a sinful man mends his conduct, he succeeds in warding off the misery and evils to which he would otherwise be subject in consequence of his sins.

458.  What is said here is this; certain persons have the ugly habit of picking up little clods of earth and pound them into dust, while sitting on the ground and engaged in talking.  The habit also of tearing the grass while sitting on the ground may be marked.  It should be remembered that the people of India in ancient times used often to sit on the bare ground.  As to cutting off the nails with the teeth, it is an ugly habit with many young men.

459.  The Brahma Muhurta is that when the sun is just below the horizon.

460.  The prayers said in the morning and the evening are also spoken of as adoring the two twilights.

461.  ‘One should always observe the vow of Brahmacharya’ means that one should abstain from sexual congress except with one’s wedded wives and in the proper season.

462.  The Bombay text reads the second line differently.  What is meant, is that the wounds inflicted by wordy shafts rankle and fester and lead to death.

463.  Samyava is a thin cake of unleavened bread, fried with ghee, pounded and again made up into an oblong form with fresh bread, sugar and spices, and again fried with ghee.  Krisara is a kind of liquid food made of milk, sesame, rice, sugar, and spices.  Sashkuli is a kind of pie.  Payasa is rice boiled in sugar and milk.

464.  Antarddhane implies ‘in darkness’; hence one should always examine the bed with a light before one lies down on it.