Kisari Mohan Ganguli - The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa

147. It should be remembered that Kali which is either the age of sinfulness or the presiding deity of that age and, therefore, a malevolent one, is highly propitious to Emancipation. The world being generally sinful, those who succeed in living righteously in this age or under the sway of this malevolent deity, very quickly attain to heaven if heaven be their object, or Emancipation if they strive for Emancipation.

148. Implying that thou assumest the form of the constellation called the Great Bear, and moving onward in space causest the lapse of Time. This constellation, in Hindu astronomy, is known by the name of Sisumara because of its resemblance with the form of a tortoise.

149. The word bhashma, meaning ashes, literally signifies anything that dispels, tears off all bonds, and cures every disease. Ashes are used by Sanyasins for rubbing their bodies as a mark of their having consumed every sin and cut off every bond and freed themselves from all diseases.

150. Mahadeva gave a quantity of ashes to his devotees for protecting them from sin.

151. Vide the story of Mankanaka. The Rishi of that name, beholding vegetable juice issuing from his body, began to dance in joy. The whole universe, overpowered by a sympathetic influence, began to dance with him. At this, for protecting the universe, Mahadeva showed himself to Mankanaka and, pressing his fingers, brought out a quantity of ashes, thus showing that his body was made of ashes.

152. Anukari literally means an accessory. In the form of Vishnu or Krishna, the Supreme Deity addrest himself to aid Arjuna in slaying Bhishma.

153. As Krishna the friend of Arjuna.

154. In the Pauranik myth, the Earth is described as being supported in empty space by a mighty snake called Sesha. Mahadeva is that Sesha, otherwise called Ananta.

155. i.e., Mahavishnu, from whose navel arose the primeval lotus within which was born Brahma.

156. The Bombay text has a misprint. It reads Punya-chanchu for Punya-chunchu. In printing the commentary also, the well-known grammatical Sutra vrittanschanchu etc. The Burdwan translator repeats the misprint in his rendering. K. P. Singha avoids it.

157. The word Kurukshetra or its abbreviation Kuru means the field or department of action. It means also the actual field, so called, on which king Kuru performed his penances, and which is so sacred that its very dust cleanses a person of all sins.

158. The commentator explains that Siddharthah means Siddhantah, and that the following compound is its adjective.

159. Literally, the Soul of real existence.

160. People eat off plates of silver or gold or of other metals. Mahadeva has for his plate Kala or destroyer of the universe. Both the vernacular translators have erred in rendering this word. K. P. Singha takes the compound as really consisting of two names, etc.

161. The sense is that Mahadeva is the foremost of Sadhakas or worshippers engaged in acquiring a particular object, for he has emaciated or reduced to nothingness all his foes in the form of all passions good and evil. Prakarshena tanukritah arayah kamadayo yena sah.

162. Narah is thus explained by the commentator.

163. The commentator explains that he who is called Suparvan in heaven is otherwise called Mahan.

164. Sarva-sahana-samarthya pradah as the commentator explains. Hence, it means that Mahadeva is he who makes creatures competent to bear all things, i.e. all griefs and all joys, as also the influence all physical objects that is quietly borne without life being destroyed.

165. The etymology of Hara is thus explained by the commentator; Hanti iti ha sulah; tam rati or adatte. This is very fanciful.

166. The sense is this: a nipana is a shallow pond or ditch where cattle drink. The very oceans are the nipanas or Mahadeva.

167. The commentator thinks that this has reference to the incarnation of Trivikrama i.e., the dwarf suddenly expanding his form till with two steps he covered Heaven and Earth and demanded space for his third step.

168. i.e., thou art possessed of Yoga knowledge.

169. The two together form one name.

170. These are Vija, Sakti, and Kilakani. A kakud is a hump or elevated place in the body.

171. The thin bamboo rod in the hand of the Brahmana is mightier than the thunderbolt of Indra. The thunder scorches all existing objects upon which it falls. The Brahmana's rod (which symbolizes the Brahmana's might in the form of his curse) blasts even unborn generations. The might of the rod is derived from Mahadeva.

172. Sayambhuvah Tigmatejah is one name. The commentator explains that Brahman could not look at Mahadeva; hence this reference to his prowess.

173. Brahma, after his birth within the primeval lotus, became desirous of seeing the end of the stalk of that lotus. He went on and on, without succeeding to find what he sought. The meaning of the word, therefore, by implication is that Mahadeva is infinite.

174. Once Brahma asked Surabhi to bear evidence before Vishnu to the statement that Brahma has seen the foremost part of Siva. Surabhi having given false evidence out of fear for Brahma was cursed by Siva that her offspring will eat unholy substances.

175. Uma is another name for Brahmavidya.

176. Falling from the celestial regions, the river Ganga was held by Mahadeva on his head, among his matted locks. At the earnest solicitations of King Bhagiratha he gave her out so that flowing along the surface of the Earth she met the ocean, first passing over the spot where the ashes of Bhagiratha's ancestors, the sixty thousand sons of king Sagara of the solar race, lay.

177. This form is called Hara-Gauri, as explained before.

178. Some texts read Pritatma, implying one of contented soul. The reading noticed by the commentator is Pitatma, meaning gold-complexioned. The Burdwan translator takes Pritatma as one name. This is not correct.

179. Mahadeva is represented as possessed of five heads, four on four sides and one above.

180. Amritogovrisherwarah is one name.

181. These are names for different portions of time.

182. The Srutis declare that Fire is his head, the Sun and the Moon are his eyes, etc.

183. Mahadeva has an image in the country of the Kalingas that is called Vyaghreswara.

184. Kantah is thus explained. Kasya Sukhasya antah sima.

185. Undivided, i.e., having nothing else for its object, Sarva-bhavatah is bhagvat. The sense is that unless one becomes conversant with all the modes of worshipping Bhava, i.e., in thought, word and deed, and unless one has special good luck, one cannot have such devotion to Bhava.

186. There are numerous instances of the gods having become alarmed at the penances of men and done their best to nullify those penances by despatching celestial nymphs for attracting them of carnal pleasures.

187. I expand this verse a little for bringing out the sense clearly.

188. The subject propounded by Yudhishthira is this: marriage is always spoken of as a union of the sexes for practising all religious duties together. The king asks, how can this be. Marriage, as seems to him, is a union sought for pleasure. If it be said that the two individuals married together are married for practising religious duties jointly, such practice is suspended by death. Persons act differently and attain to different ends. There is, therefore, no prospect of a reunion after death. When, again, one of them dies, the joint practice of duties can no longer take place. The other objections, urged by Yudhishthira, to the theory of marriage being a union of the sexes for only practising religious duties jointly, are plain.

189. The sense is that if after returning from thy journey to that region thou claimest thy bride, thou mayst obtain her from me. Thy journey will be a sort of trial or test to which I mean to put thee.