Kisari Mohan Ganguli - The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa

597. Pranada is interpreted variously. It may mean He that causes the life-breaths to operate; He that, as Time suspends the life-breaths (i.e., kills all creatures); He that connects the life-breaths (i.e., set them a-going when threatened with extinction; hence, healer of diseases). Prana implies He who is the cause of the life of every living creature being Himself, as it were, the life-breath that inspires them. Hiranyagarbha signifies He that is identical with the Grandsire. Bhugarbha is one who has the Earth for his abdomen, implying that all things on Earth are in His abdomen.

598. Atmavan, other Beings are said to be Sariravan, Indriyavan, etc., in consequence of the possession of such attributes as Sarira, Indriya, etc. But the Supreme God-head is nothing but soul. He rests on his own true nature or essence without requiring anything extraneous like the deities or human beings whereon to live or exist,

599. Aha is the day; He is so called because of Jiva being, as it were, awakened when he goes to Him. As long as Jiva is at a distance from Him, he is steeped in the sleep of Avidya or Nescience (a happy word which Professor Max Muller has coined) Samvatsara or the year He is so called because Time is His essence. Vyala--He is a huge and fierce snake that inspires dread.

600. Vrishakapi is otherwise explained by Valadeva Vidyabhushan, as He that showers blessings upon His worshippers and causes all His foes to tremble with fear.

601. Vishnu is supposed to be within the constellation called Sisumara or the Northern Bear. The stars, without changing their places per se, seem to revolve round this point within the constellation named.

602. In India, no man should worship the deities, with a full stomach. Indeed, one must abstain from every kind of food and drink if one has to worship the deities formally.

603. Rama of Bhrigu's race went to Mahadeva for acquiring the science of arms. While dwelling in Siva's retreat, he had a quarrel with Karttikeya or Kumara, the son of Siva's loins. Rama worsted his preceptor's son in battle, at which his preceptor, gratified with him, made him a present of his own battle-axe, wherewith the regenerate here exterminated the Kshatriyas for full one and twenty times.

604. Many of these words beginning with Mahat represent Krishna's own words as spoken to Arjuna in the Gita. 'I am the foremost of sacrifices; I am the foremost of sacrificers,' etc.

605. Referring to Hanumat and others among the apes that Rama led against Ravana.

606. The universe consists of Soul and Not-soul. Jiva, when cased in matter or Not-soul takes Not-soul for himself, in his ignorance. In fact until true knowledge is attained, the body is taken for self.

607. The sense is that untimely deaths do not occur in such places; nor fear of oppression or unlawful chastisement by the king; etc.

608. The Bengal reading mrishtascha varina is incorrect. The Bombay reading mrishtasya varinsha is correct.

609. The word--kavi used in this verse, means Agni or fire, as explained by the commentator, One of the vernacular translators wrongly takes it as implying the preceptor Sukara.

610. The last verse, as read in the Bengal texts, is vicious. Nastyandam astitu Brahma, etc., is the correct reading.

611. To an afflicted person the day seems long.

612. The sense is that it is this Kesava who upholds the cause of Righteousness when dangers overtake it. cf. 'Yada yada hi dharmasya, etc.' in the Gita. It does not mean that when doubts are entertained by persons on questions of morality, it is Kesava who dispels them.

613. Refers to the existence of Brahma when all else is nought.

614. The fivefold seed consists of the four orders of creatures and acts which determine the conditions of all beings.

615. Eagle marmelos, Linn.

616. Durvasa is regarded as a portion of Mahadeva. The question of Yudhishthira, therefore, really relates to Mahadeva although the name that occurs is of Durvasa.

617. A Parvam is a knot. Reeds and bamboos consist of a series of knots. The space between two knots is called a Salya.

618. The allusion is to the fiery mare's head which is supposed to wander through the ocean.

619. Verses 4 to 9 are extremely difficult. They represent so many surceases. Nilakantha, however, has shown great ingenuity in expounding them. In the first line of 4, drishtam refers to pratyaksham, and srutam to sruti or agama. Hence, what is meant by the first line is,--Innumerable are the cases of both direct perception and scriptural assertion in which the scriptures are regarded as more authoritative, and those is which direct perception is regarded as more authoritative. In 5, the speaker refers to the atomic and other theories of the creation derived from Reason. Bhishma declares it as his opinion that all such theories are untenable or groundless. In the first line of 6, the word Ekam implies Brahma. The sense is, if thou thinkest that Brahma alone is the cause of the universe and in thinking so becomest landed on doubt. The reply to this is that Yoga for a long course of years will enable thee to comprehend the sufficiency of unassisted Brahma to evolve the universe. In 7, anekam pranayatram kalpamanena refers to one who without leading any particular or settled mode of life lives just as it suits him to live, that is, who leads the life of a religious mendicant never thinking of the morrow. In 9, anihaddham vacha implies what is not defined or indicated by the words of the Vedas or scriptures. The Burdwan Pundits have made a mess of the whole passage, or, rather, of nearly the whole of this section.

620. Teshu is equivalent to praryakshanumanachareshu. The sense, therefore, is that the three, viz., direct perception, inference, and good conduct being, for these reasons, fallible, the only infallible standard that remain, is audition or the scriptures, or, as verse 14 puts it, men with understandings born of the scriptures.

621. Atripyantah are men who like Yudhishthira are filled with anxiety: as to what they should do. Seekers after the right are so called.

622. The five who must be first fed are the deities, the Pitris, the guests, diverse creatures included under the word Bhutus, and lastly relatives.

623. Some texts read nabhibhavet, meaning one should never vanquish an old man (i.e., assert one's superiority over him).

624. In his excellent work on the Curiosities of Literature Mr. D'Israeli attempts to trace the origin of the custom of uttering a blessing on people who sneeze. The custom seems, however, to be very ancient and widespread. It exists to this day in India, among the Hindus at any rate, as it existed in the days of the Mahabharata.

625. It seems that the author is of opinion that one lightens one's sins by admissions before the wise. To conceal a sin after having committed it proves the confirmed sinner.

626. 'Covered by righteousness' implies 'if, having once tripped, the sinner restrains himself and engages to do acts of righteousness.'

627. What is stated here is this; the condition of all living creatures is determined by their acts of this and past lives.. Nature, again, is the cause of acts. What of felicity and misery, therefore, one sees in this world, must be ascribed to these two causes. As regards the self also, O Yudhishthira, thou art not freed from that universal law. Do thou, therefore, cease to cherish doubts of any kind. If thou seest a learned man that is poor, or an ignorant man that is wealthy, if thou seest exertion failing and the absence of exertion leading to success. thou must always ascribe the result to acts and Nature.

628. What is stated here is this; one may become righteous by accomplishing oneself righteous deeds or inducing or helping others to do them. Similarly, one becomes unrighteous by doing oneself acts that are evil or by inducing or helping others to do them.