An Index to the Names in the Mahabharata, with Short Explanations and a Concordance to the Bombay and Calcutta Editions and P. C. Roy's Translation c5.s1.435
An Index to the Names in the Mahābhārata, with Short Explanations and a Concordance to the Bombay and Calcutta Editions and P. C. Roy's Translation c5.s1.435
- Language
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He who gives away a white umbrella with 100 cows attains to eternal felicity after death in heaven, respected by brahmans, Aps., and D.” (XIII, 95). Asked by *Yudhiṣṭhira* about the duties of kings, *Bhīṣma* recited the old story of *Vāsudeva* and the Earth (*Pṛthivī* (Earth), who instructed *Pṛthu*). D., P., and men should be protected; one should perform an *Agni-ṣṭoma*, *Aśvamedha*, etc., and separately an *Agnicayana*, *Rājasūya*, etc. (α); he should honour a king, *ṛtvij*, *guru*, father-in-law, and *snātaka*; in the evening and morning he should place food on the ground for dogs, *śrapacas*, and birds: this is called the *Vaiśvadeva* offering. *Vāsudeva* acted accordingly (XIII, 97).—§ 754: Asked by *Yudhiṣṭhira*, *Bhīṣma*, in order to explain the gift of lamps, flowers, and incense, told the old story of the discourse between the *Prajāpati* *Manu Svāyambhuva* and the learned and noble brahman *Suvarṇa* (so called from his golden complexion) on the golden mountain *Meru*. Asked by *Suvarṇa* about the above-named topic, *Manu* related the old history of the discourse between *Cukra Bhārgava* and the *Asura* king *Bali Vairocaṇa*, who ruled the three worlds. Asked by *Bali* about this very topic, *Cukra* discoursed on the plants (having *Soma* for their lord), of which some are *amṛta* (aud agreeable to the gods, etc.) and some poison; some are acceptable to As., some to the gods, Rā., U., Y., men, P.; garlands of water flowers should be offered to G., N., and Y.;
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plants with red flowers and keen scent nud having thorns have been laid down in the *Atharvans* as fit for incantation in order to injure foes, etc.; D. become gratified with the scent of flowers, Y. and Rā. with their sight, N. with their touch, men with all three. Among incenses, all exudations (except that of the *Boswellia serrata*) are agrecable to the gods; that of *Aquilaria Agallocha* to Y., Rā., and N.; that of *Boswellia serrata*, etc., to Dai., etc. [For avoiding] *Andhatamas* (B. *°am ta°*; a certain hell, Nīl.), darkness, and the sun's southward course, one should give lights during the sun's northward course (Nīl. and the note of PCR., p. 477); D. are resplendent, Rā. dark; hence one should always give lights, etc.; thereby a man attains to the same world as the celestial lights (*jyotiṣūm sālokyam*). The merits of *bali*-offerings made to D., U., men, *Bhūtas*, and Rā. Y., Rā., Pn., D., P., etc., are supported by the food offered by the householder; the *bali* offered to Y. and Rā. should be rich in blood and meat, wines and spirits, etc.; *balis* with lotuses and *utpalas* are agreeable to N.; sesame seeds with sugar to the *Bhūtas*. He who eats without first serving *brahmana* and gods and guests and children, should be known as a Rā. Thus said *Kāvya Bhārgava* to *Bali*; then *Manu* > *Suvarṇa* > *Nārada* > *Bhīṣma* (XIII, 98).—§ 755: *Yudhiṣṭhira* (referring to § 754) once more questioned *Bhīṣma* on this subject;
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*Bhīṣma* told the old story of the discourse between *Nahuṣa* and *Agastya* and *Bhṛgu* [i.e. *Nahuṣopākhyāna*] (β)(XIII, 99-100).—§ 756: Asked by *Yudhiṣṭhira* where those men who steal articles belonging to brahmans, *Bhīṣma* related the old conversation between a *Cāṇḍāla* and a *Kṣattriya* (*Kṣattrabandhoḥ*), who wondered that the old *Cāṇḍāla*, whose body was besmeared with the dust raised by dogs and asses, without minding that dust, was anxious to wash off the small drops of milk that had fallen upon his body; the *Cāṇḍāla* related that formerly some kine belonging to a brahman were stolen, and some milk from them fell upon some *Soma* plants that grew by the roadside; the king who performed the sacrifice with this *Soma*, the brahmans who drank its juice, those who had assisted at the sacrifice, and those who drank milk, etc., in the palace of this king, had to fall into hell, as also the sons and grandsons of those who had stolen them, and the queen, although she treated the animals with great care. The *Cāṇḍāla* himself, who had lived in the observance of *brahmacarya* in that place, and whose alms had been sprinkled with the milk of the kine, had in this life become a *Cāṇḍāla*. It is for this reason that the *Soma* plants become unsaleable, and the persons who sell and who purchase them both sink into the *Raurava*-hell, when they repair to the region of Yama, etc.
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“Behold also this miserable dog!” In a former life the Cāṇḍāla was born in a noble family, but out of pride he ate the meat attached to the vertebral column of animals, and thence he had attained to his present state; in consequence of some meritorious act in a former life, he had retained the memory of his previous existences. Asked by the Cāṇḍāla, the kṣattriya told him (in order to obtain emancipation (mokṣa) from his state of a Cāṇḍāla) to give up his life for the sake of a brahman. This the Cāṇḍāla did in a battle for protecting a brahman’s wealth, and attained to a desirable end (XIII, 101).—§ 757: Asked by Yudhiṣṭhira whether there is a difference of position among righteous men after death, Bhīṣma related the old narrative of the conversation between the muni Gautama and Indra [i.o. Hastikūṭa] (b) (XIII, 102).—(†) § 758: Asked by Yudhiṣṭhira what constitutes the highest penance, Bhīṣma said that there is no penance superior to abstention from food, and told the old story of the conversation between king Bhagīratha and Brahmán. Bhagīratha had transcended the world of the gods, that of kine, and that of the Ṛṣis; beholding this, Brahmán asked him how he had attained to that region, where neither gods, nor G., nor men succeed in coming without having practised the severest austerities; Bhagīratha enumerated his sacrifices, his penances on the Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā), etc. (a); those on the banks of Sarayū, etc. (β), he gave away millions of kine to the brahmans.
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“It is not through the merits of those acts that I have attained to this region, but through the vow of fast, which had been known to Indra, who had kept it secret, but which Bhārgava Uçanas had learnt through penance († v. 5945); all brahmans and R. gratified me, saying that I should repair to Brahmaloka.” Bhagīratha was honoured by Brahmán (XIII, 103).—§ 759: Asked by Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīṣma discussed the reason why, a man’s period of life being said to extend over 100 years, one becomes short-lived or long-lived; one should awake at the Brahma muhūrta [i.e. at the hour when the sun is just below the horizon, PCR.]; R. by adoring the two twilights became long-lived; one should avoid atheism (nāstikyam), calumniating the Vedas, censuring tho gods, etc.; one should also wash one’s feet before sitting down to recite the Vedas or to eat any food; one should perform the homas for propitiating the gods (çāntihomān) and recite the Sāvitra mantras (Sāvitrāṇi ca dhārayet; i.e. mantraviçeṣan, Nil.); persons conversant with ancient history cite a gāthā sung by Yama in days of old (about running—prādravati, B.—or studying with uncleansed mouth); “he who studies at forbidden times, loses his Veda and shortens his life” (v. 5026-8); nor should one eat at the çrāddha of an enemy; the spots of the hand named Brāhma tīrtha, etc. (a); having drunk water thrice, etc., one should worship the P. and gods according to the ordinances of the Vedas (v. 5065);
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a brahman should perform [the ācamana] (samupasprçet) in all the purificatory acts with the Brāhma tīrtha (v. 5066); one should never perform any act in honour of P. in the night-time (v. 5075); one should wash his head before performing any act in honour of P. or gods (v. 5081); one should never perform [a çrāddha] under the constellation of one’s nativity, nor under the two Proṣṭhapadas, nor under Āgneya (i.e. Kṛttikāḥ, Nil.), nor under fierce [nakṣatras, such as Āçleṣā, etc., PCR.], nor under those that are hostile (pratyarim), or those mentioned [i.e. forbidden] in the Jyotiṣa (v. 5082-3); a woman of the same pravara (samārṣām), etc., should be