The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (4 vols., libros 1–18) · 3 · 77

119. There were, as now, persons with whom the reading or recitation of the scriptures was a profession. The functions of those men were not unlike those of the rhapsodists of ancient Greece.

120. i.e., one possessed of a knowledge of the Vedas.

121. With very slight verbal alterations, this verse, as also the first half or the next, like many others, occurs in Manu, Vide Manu, Ch. II, V, 157-58.

122. Pratyasanna-vyasaninam is explained by Nilakantha as 'I stand near these distressed brothers of mine' (for whose sake only I am for accepting sovereignty). This is certainly very fanciful. The plain meaning is, 'I am about to lay down my life.'

123. The priest of the Kauravas.

124. Sami is the Acacia suma; Pippala is the Piper longum; and Palasa is the Butea frondosa. Udumvara is the Ficus glomerata.

125. These are peace, war, marching, halting, sowing dissensions, and defence of the kingdom by seeking alliances and building forts, &c.

126. For if he had acted otherwise, he would have been called ungrateful.

127. The literal meaning of Purusha, as applied to the Supreme Being, is 'One that pervades all forms in the Universe.'

128. i.e., Aditi and of Aditi's self as born in different shapes at different times.

129. Yugas may mean either the three ages Krita, Treta and Dwapara, or, the three pairs such as Virtue and Knowledge, Renunciation and Lordship, and Prosperity and Fame.

130. Virat is one superior to an Emperor and Swarat is one superior to a Virat.

131. Vishnu, assuming the form of a dwarf, deluded the Asura Vali into giving away unto him three worlds which he forthwith restored to Indra.

132. The son of Uttanapada, who in the Krita age had adored Vishnu at a very early age and obtained the most valuable boons.

133. Sudharman was the priest of the Kurus. How came Dhaumya, who was the priest of the Pandavas, to have from before an abode in the Kuru capital?

134. This is an allusion to Krishna's having covered the three worlds with three of his steps for deluding the Asura Vali and depriving him of universal sovereignty.

135. There are three states of consciousness in the case of ordinary men, viz., waking, dream, and sound sleep. The fourth state, realisable by Yogins alone, is called Turiya. It is the state of perfect unconsciousness of this world, when the soul, abstracted within itself, is said to be fixed upon the Supreme Being or some single object.

136. Mind, as used generally in Hindu philosophy, is the seat of the senses and the feelings. Buddhi is the Understanding or the cognitive faculties of the Kantian school. The Bombay reading of the second line is correct. It is Gunadevah Kshetrajne etc. Nilakantha correctly explains it as Savdadiguna-bhajodevah, i.e., the senses.

137. The Supreme Being is called here and elsewhere Hansa, i.e., swan, because as the swan is supposed to transcend all winged creatures in the range of its flight, so the Supreme Being transcends all creatures in the universe. He is called That, as in the Vedic formula of Praise, "Thou art That," meaning, "Thou art inconceivable and incapable of being described in words."

138. Created things have attributes. It is Brahma only that has no attributes, in the sense that no attributes with which we are familiar can be affirmed of him.

139. The Vaks are the mantras; the Anuvaks are those portions of the Vedas which are called Brahmanas; the Nishads are those portions of the Vedic ritual which lead to an acquaintance with the gods. The Upanishads are those portions which treat exclusively of the knowledge of the Soul.

140. Quadruple soul, i.e., Brahma, Jiva, Mind, and Consciousness. The four names under which the Supreme Being is adored by the faithful are Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha.

141. Penances are ever present in thee, in the sense thou art never without them, penances constituting thy essence. Performed by creatures, they live in thy limbs, in the sense that penances performed are never lost.

142. In ancient India, the Rishis living in the woods got their fire by rubbing two sticks together. These they called Arani. Brahma on earth is explained by Nilakantha to mean the Vedas, the Brahmanas, and the Sacrifices.

143. These are the twelve Adityas or chief gods.

144. Thou art pure Knowledge and resident beyond the darkness of ignorance. I bow to thee not in any of those forms in which thou art ordinarily adored but in that form of pure light which Yogins only can behold by spiritual sight.

145. The five libations are Dhana, Karambha, Parivapa, and water. The seven woofs are the seven mantras (Cchandas) predominating in the Vedic hymns, such as Gayatri, etc.

146. The Prajapatis who are the creators of the universe performed a sacrifice extending for a thousand years. The Supreme Being appeared in that sacrifice as an act of grace to the sacrificers.

147. Sandhis are those changes of contiguous vowels (in compounding two words) that are required by the rules of euphony. Akshara is literally a character or letter; word made up of characters or letters.

148. The manifest is the body. The Rishis seek thy unmanifest self within the body, in their own hearts. Kshetra is buddhi or intelligence. The Supreme Being is called Kshetrajna because he knows every mind. Intelligence or mind is one of his forms.