Read Mahabharata Vol. 3 (Penguin Translated Texts) Online
Authors: Bibek Debroy
Mahabharata Vol. 3 (Penguin Translated Texts) (76 page)
69
Mahadeva or Shiva.
70
The fruits of a horse sacrifice.
71
That is, the demons.
72
The fruits of a horse sacrifice.
73
Indra’s.
74
Siddhi
means accomplishment. Siddhas are semi-divine species who have attained these superhuman accomplishments or faculties.
75
The land of the five (
pancha
) rivers (
nada
), Punjab. The five rivers are Shatadru, Vipasha, Iravati, Chandrabhaga and Vitasta.
76
The fruits of the five sacrifices. The five sacrifices are those required to be performed every day by householders—studying and offering oblations to brahmanas, ancestors, gods and all other beings.
77
This has been identified with Kapildhara (or Kapiladhara) in Madhya Pradesh, near Amarkantaka. But this is contrived, since one is in the region around Punjab. Bhimasthana is more likely to be Uddiyana or Oddiyana, in the Swat Valley.
78
Yoni
means womb, but this is a reference to a geographical place. It is probably Shahbaz Garhi in Mardan division in Pakistan. This was an important place in Gandhara, was known as Varshapura, and there used to be a temple of Parvati there.
79
Donating one hundred thousand cows.
80
Brahma.
81
Donating one thousand cows.
82
Vimala is identified with Baramula in Kashmir, on the banks of the Jhelum. Baramula is derived from
varaha
(boar) and
mula
(origin or source), a reference to Vishnu’s boar incarnation. There was a lake there and Vishnu drained it in the form of his boar incarnation. Vimala tirtha is thus also known as Varaha tirtha.
83
The fruits of a horse sacrifice.
84
That is, in the evening.
85
An oblation made of rice, barley and pulses and boiled in milk and butter.
86
Donating a hundred thousand cows.
87
Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir. Udhampur was once known as Devika
nagari
(city) on the banks of the Devaka or Devika river. There is an ancient Devika temple in Udhampur.
88
The wielder of the trident is Shiva. There is a famous Shiva temple in Udhampur.
89
Not to be confused with the famous Kamakhya temple in Guwahati in Assam.
90
This is Yaajana, while the earlier one is Yajana.
91
A yojana is between 8 to 9 miles.
92
Other than being a specific geographical place,
dirghasatra
means a long or prolonged (
dirgha
) sacrifice (
satra
).
93
The stipend or fee paid to brahmanas and thus, gifts given at sacrifices.
94
Vinasana is also known as Adarshana and was probably near Jaisalmer in Rajasthan.
95
The same as Chamasa.
96
Donating one thousand cows.
97
Nagas aren’t snakes. In this translation, they have throughout been translated as serpents, rather than snakes. Nagas live in a distinct geographical region of their own and possess semi-divine attributes. For instance, they can assume any form at will.
98
Shashayana literally means the abode or path (
ayana
) of rabbits (
shasha
). This tirtha was on the banks of the Sarasvati.
99
Donating one thousand cows.
100
Donating infinite cows.
101
Shiva’s epithet. Literally, the one with the bull (
vrisha
) on his banner (
dhvaja
).
102
Shiva.
103
Sangama
means union or confluence and this is the confluence of the Sarasvati with the ocean.
104
Celestial singers.
105
The bright half of the lunar month.
106
Vishnu or Krishna.
107
Donating one thousand cows.
108
There is a minor internal inconsistency, because Pulastya is actually speaking to Bhishma, and Narada is repeating the conversation to Yudhishthira.
109
Another name for the nagas.
110
Another name for Kurukshetra.
111
There is a minor internal inconsistency, because Pulastya is actually speaking to Bhishma, and Narada is repeating the conversation to Yudhishthira.
112
Yakshas are semi-divine species and companions of Kubera, the god of treasure. Kurukshetra was bounded to the north by the river Sarasvati and to the south by the river Drishadvati. It also had four yakshas as gatekeepers or guardians in four directions—Ratna to the north-east, Tarantuka to the northwest, Kapila to the south-west and Machakruka to the south-east. Machakruka’s abode is today identified as Sinkh, a village in the district of Panipat.
113
Donating one thousand cows.
114
Hari is Vishnu. The word
satata
means eternal. The place was presumably thus named because Hari was eternally present there.
115
Fruits of a horse sacrifice.
116
That is, a man who goes there.
117
A kind of soma sacrifice observed during the night.
118
Donating a thousand cows.
119
Literally, a place where ten ashvamedha sacrifices have been held. This is probably the one in Didwara village in Jind district.
120
Of ten horse sacrifices.
121
Literally, the goddess of snakes.
122
The fruits of agnishtoma.
123
Tarantuka is identified as the village of Behar Jaka today. It is partly in Patiala district (Punjab) and partly in Kaithal district (Haryana).
124
Donating one thousand cows.
125
The land of the five (
pancha
) rivers (
nada
), Punjab.
126
There are several places known as Kotitirtha. There is a famous one in Varaha Mula (Baramula). But this is probably the one in Hat village in Haryana.
127
Varaha Mula or Baramula is the obvious identification. But one is in the region around Kurukshetra. So one probably means the village Brah (derived from Varaha) near Jind in Haryana.
128
There are several Somatirthas and several Jayanti rivers. This Jayanti River is near Chandigarh.
129
Donating a thousand cows.
130
Vishnu’s epithet.
131
Munjavata is in Nirjan village in Jind district.
132
The
gana
s are Shiva’s companions. Ganapati is not only Ganesha’s name. It also means one who is the lord (
pati
) of the ganas.
133
Parashurama, the son of Jamadagni.
134
The fruits of a horse sacrifice.
135
Parashurama’s story is recounted in Section 1 (Volume 1). After destroying the kshatriyas, Parashurama constructed five lakes with their blood and this is known as Samanta Panchaka, the region around Kurukshetra.
Samanta
means on all sides and
panchaka
means five. Alternatively, Samanta Panchaka means the region that was five yojanas on all sides.
136
Parashurama was descended from the sage Bhrigu.
137
This may alternatively mean that one gets the fruits obtained through donating a lot of gold.
138
Kayashodhana literally means cleansing (
shodhana
) of the body (
kaya
). In a village known as Kasoon in Almora district of Uttarakhand, there is a Kayashodhana tirtha. But this might not be the one that is meant. What is probably meant is the one in Jind district, in the village of Kasohan (derived from Kayashodhana).
139
This literally means the rescue of the worlds.
140
Probably in the sense of obtains.
141
The word literally means wealth, riches and prosperity. There is a Shri tirtha in the village of Simla in Haryana.
142
There is a Kapila tirtha in a village known as Kalayat, about 80 kilometres from Kurukshetra and close to Kaithal in Haryana. Kalayat is believed to be derived from Kapilayat. Kapila was a famous sage and the expounder of
sankhya
philosophy.
143
Presumably donating one thousand tawny cows.
144
Surya means the sun-god and there are several Surya tirthas. For example, there is a famous one in Mathura. There is yet another famous one on the banks of the Narmada. But since one is in Haryana, neither of these is probably meant. One probably means the Surya tirtha in Boadsham village in Nilokheri block in Karnal.
145
The fruits of agnishtoma.
146
Literally, the abode (
bhavana
) of cows (
gova
).
147
Donating one thousand cows.
148
Now the village of Sanghan in Haryana.
149
Barta village in Haryana.
150
Kubera is the lord of treasures. Since Kubera is mentioned, Ambuvashya is probably Kubera tirtha in Thanesar, on the banks of the Sarasvati.
151
This may be Adi Badri, near Bilaspur in Yamuna Nagar district. There is a temple of Matri Devi or Mantra Devi there.
152
Possibly Siwan in Kaithal district of Haryana.
153
Literally, a place where a dog’s (
shvana
) hair (
loma
) is pulled out (
apaha
).
154
Literally, control over the breath of life, a breathing technique that is an integral component of yoga.
155
The text says Shvanalomapanayana, but Shvanalomapanayana and Shvanalomapaha mean the same thing.
156
Dashashvamedha is a place where ten (
dasha
) horse sacrifices (ashvamedha) have been held. There are several places with this name and this one is probably the one in Jind district of Haryana.
157
The word
manusha
means human and this is Manush, in Kaithal district.
158
In Kaithal district, also known as Apaya and a branch of the Chitang River.
159
One-fourth of a yojana.
160
Alternatively, corn.
161
Udumbara is the name of the fig tree and also the flower. According to legend, this flowers once in several thousand years. The udumbara is also the blue lotus, identified with Brahma and the flower itself is also called Brahma.
162
The seven great sages.
163
Kedara and Kapishthala are clearly different names for the same place. Kapishthala could well be today’s Kaithal.
164
Today’s Shergarh, in the Sirsa district of Haryana.
165
The dark fortnight of the lunar month.
166
Fruits of a horse sacrifice.
167
That is, the fruits of these.
168
Anajanma.
169
There are several rivers in India by the name of Vaitarani. This one flowed through Haryana.
170
The Dhrishadvati literally means a river with many stones and was one of the two major rivers, together with the Sarasvati.
171
Donating one thousand cows.
172
Donating one thousand cows.
173
At the confluence of the rivers Koushiki and Dhrishadvati.
174
Literally, Vyasasthali means Vyasa’s region and there is a Vyasasthali in Kaithal.
175
What this means is unclear. Vyasadeva is an immortal and his sons are Dhritarashtra, Pandu and Vidura. There is no record of his having become sorrowful because of any of these sons.
176
Donating one thousand cows.
177
This measure is called a
prastha.
178
Donating one thousand cows.
179
This is a reference to Vishnu’s
vamana
(dwarf) incarnation.