The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (4 vols., libros 1–18) · 2 · 52

250 (return) [ Devam is explained by Sreedhara as Dyotanatmakam i.e., endued with splendour. Mr. Davies renders it resplendent; but Telang renders it “deity.”]

251 (return) [ Pra-vibhaktam-anekadha (divided diversely) is an adjective of Jagat. See Sreedhara. Both Mr. Davies and Telang seem to take it as a predicate in contra-distinction to Ekastham. This is scarcely correct.]

252 (return) [ Verse 21 is read differently. For Twam Surasangha, some texts read twa-Asurasanghas. Then again for Stuvanti in the second line some read Vikshate.]

253 (return) [ Pravritti is explained by both Sankara and Sreedhara as Chesta, i.e., movements or acts. Mr. Davies is, I think, not correct in taking it to mean “evolved or developed form.”]

254 (return) [ Kala here is death. Mr. Davies renders it Time, following some other translators. Pravriddha is not (as Mr. Davies renders it) “old” or “very old,” but swelling or fully developed. Then again, Mr. Davies commits a ludicrous blunder in rendering Rite twam as “Except thee.” This is one of those idioms at which a foreigner is sure to stumble who has only the lexicons for his guide. What Krishna says is not that all would perish save Arjuna, but that without Arjuna (i.e., even if he did not fight) all would perish.]

255 (return) [ Nidhanam is either refuge or support or abode or receptacle. Mr. Davies incorrectly renders it “treasure-house.”]

256 (return) [ Sankara accepts the reading Gururgariyan, Sreedhara takes it as Gururgariyan. In either case the difference in meaning is not material.]

257 (return) [ Sankara connects Adhyayana with Veda and Yajna. This seems to be right explanation.]

258 (return) [ Ata urddham is ‘after this,’ or ‘hereafter on high’ as Mr. Davies renders it.]

259 (return) [ Although the limitation “for fruit” does not occur in the text, yet, it is evident, it should be understood. Krishna does not recommend the total abandonment of actions, but abandonment for their fruit. Mr. Davies renders arambha as “enterprise.”]

260 (return) [ The learned, i.e., they that are themselves acquainted with is Kshetra and what not. As explained by Krishna himself below, Kshetra is Matter, and Kshetrajna is Soul.]

261 (return) [ Dukha-dosha is explained by both Sankara and Sreedhara as a Dwanda compound.]

262 (return) [ Vivikta is explained by the commentators as Suddha or Chittaprasadakara. There can be no doubt, however, that it is in opposition to Janasamsadi following. Hence I render it “lonely”.]

263 (return) [ The object of the knowledge of truth is the dispelling of ignorance and the acquisition of happiness.]

264 (return) [ Nor having eyes, etc., yet seeing, etc.; without attributes, yet having or enjoying all that the attributes give.]

265 (return) [ All modifications, i.e., of material forms; all qualities, i.e., pleasure, pain, etc. The word rendered “nature” is Prakriti (primal matter), and that rendered “spirit” is Purusha (the active principle). Vikarna and Gunan include all material forms and attributes of the soul.]

266 (return) [ Karya-karana-karttritwa is explained by both Sankara and Sreedhara to mean “the capacity of working (residing) in the body and the senses.” K. T. Telang adopts this. Mr. Davies in his text has “in the activity of the organs of action.” In course of his philological notes, however, he gives the correct rendering. ‘Is said to be’ is explained by Sreedhara as referring to Kapila and others.]

267 (return) [ It is the embodied spirit only that can enjoy the qualities of Nature. Then again, the kind of connection it has with those qualities settles its birth in good or evil wombs.]

268 (return) [ Mr. Davies misunderstands the grammatical connection of the words in the second line of this verse. K. T. Telang, following Sreedhara, says, the word should be rendered “approver.”]

269 (return) [ What is heard, i.e., the Srutis or the sacred doctrines.]

270 (return) [ Destroying self by self is to be deprived of true knowledge.]

271 (return) [ Sarvatra in the second line is explained by Sreedhara as “in every body, superior and inferior.” Grammatically it may mean also, “in every part of the body.” Such a theory, however, of the seat of the soul would be contrary to all Hindu ideas.]

272 (return) [ Bhuta-Prakriti-moksha is explained by both Sankara and Sreedhara as moksha or deliverance from the prakriti (nature) of bhutas’ or entities. It is true knowledge that effects such deliverance. Mr. Davies renders it “deliverance of beings from Nature.” This is evidently incorrect. “Beings” is not synonymous with self or soul.]

273 (return) [ Itas is explained by Sreedhara as “from the fetters of this body.”]

274 (return) [ Sreedhara makes mahat an adjective of yoni; Sankara makes it an adjective of Brahma. K. T. Telang follows Sankara.]

275 (return) [ Happiness and knowledge are attributes of the mind, not of the soul. Hence, when attached to the soul, they are as fetters from which the soul should be freed.]

276 (return) [ Deha samudbhava is explained by the commentators as having their “samudbhava or parinama in deha.” It is an instance of the vahuvrihi compound.]

277 (return) [ Light, activity, and delusion are the three qualities as indicated by their effects.]

278 (return) [ Pratishtha is explained by Sankara as “something on which another (here Brahma) stays or rests.” Sreedhara explains it as Pratima. Telang following Sreedhara, renders it “embodiment;” Mr. Davies, as “seat.” Amritasya and Avyayasya are taken separately by the commentators.]

279 (return) [ The ‘Aswattha’ is the sacred Indian fig tree, here emblematical of the course of worldly life. Its roots are above; those roots are the Supreme Being. Its branches are below, these being the inferior deities. Its leaves are the sacred hymns of the Vedas, i.e., as leaves keep the tree alive and even conduce to its fruits, so the Vedas support this tree and lead to salvation.]