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.s1.457
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.s1.457
- Language
- English
c5.s1.457.1
Kuntī, etc. (ο), were glad and praised Kṛṣṇa, and so did wrestlers, actors, astrologers, etc.; Kṛṣṇa and the other Vṛṣṇi chiefs made precious gifts to the child, whom Kṛṣṇa called Parikṣit (etymology). When he was a month old, the Pāṇḍavas came back with the wealth, and were received by those Vṛṣṇis and the citizens; Vidura ordered various kinds of worship to be offered to the gods in their temples, etc.; with dancers and singers, the city resembled the mansion of Kubera, etc. (description) (XIV, 70). Kṛṣṇa and his ministers went out to see the Pāṇḍavas, who entered the city together with the Vṛṣṇis, and worshipped Dhṛtarāṣṭra, etc. (π), and also Kṛṣṇa, having heard how he had revived Parikṣit; after a few days Vyāsa came and was worshipped by the Vṛṣṇis and Andhakas, and he permitted Yudhiṣṭhira to perform the horse-sacrifice, "a purifier of all sinners." Yudhiṣṭhira asked Kṛṣṇa to perform the sacrifice; but Kṛṣṇa told Yudhiṣṭhira to appoint them to whatever tasks he likes; "when thou sacrificest, Bhīmasena, etc. (ρ), will do sacrificing" (XIV, 71). Yudhiṣṭhira asked Vyāsa to cause him to be initiated; Vyāsa said that he and Paila and Yājñavalkya would perform the rites; the initiation would be performed on the day of full moon in the month of Caitra; "let sūtas and brahmaus well versed in the science of horses select a worthy horse"; all the articles were duly procured; Vyāsa ordained that the sphya and the kūrca should be made of gold;
c5.s1.457.2
"let the horse be loosened to-day." Asked by Yudhiṣṭhira, Vyāsa ordained that Arjuna should protect the horse; Bhīmasena the kingdom aided by Nakula; Sahadeva should attend to all the relatives invited (with the permission of Dhṛtarāṣṭra); Yudhiṣṭhira asked Arjuna to spare all hostile kings as much as possible and to invite them to the horse-sacrifice (XIV, 72). Yudhiṣṭhira was initiated by the Ṛtvijs (description); the horse was let loose. Arjuna with Gāṇḍīva followed the horse; all Hāstinapura came out wanting to behold him; a disciple of Yājñavalkya followed him in order to perform auspicious rites for him; and also many brahmans and kṣattriyas. During the horse's wanderings many great and wonderful battles were fought; the horse wandered over the whole earth; from the north it turned to the east: kings in myriads fought against Arjuna because they had lost their kinsmen on the field of Kurukṣetra, and innumerable Kirātas, Yavanas, Mlecchas, and Aryas; "I shall narrate only the principal battles" (XIV, 73). The Trigartas (the sons and grandsons of the slain) attacked Arjuna, who in vain asked them to forhear; the Trigarta king Sūryavarman & Arjuna, who slow Sūryavarman's younger brother Ketuvarman; Dhṛtavarman & Arjuna, who was wounded in his hand and let fall Gāṇḍīva, but took it up again and slow eight warriors; the Trigartas fled and accepted Arjuna's dominion (XIV, 74).
c5.s1.457.3
In Prāgjyotiṣa, Bhagadatta's son king Vajradatta (description) attacked Arjuna on his elephant, by a fierce battle (XIV, 75) lasting three days, he on one day had his elephant slain, and he promised the horse-sacrifice (XIV, 76). Recollecting Saindhava, mounted on cars, attacked Arjuna's foot; a terrible wind began to blow; both the sun and the moon at once began to tremble; the seven sages breathed hot sighs; Indra poured flesh and blood upon the gods, D.-r., Saptarṣis, and Arjuna, who on this day (XIV, 77), surrender, but in vain, because they only thought of Jayadratha; many were slain; then Duḥśalā, taking her grandson, the son of Suratha [the son of Jayadratha], in her arms, repaired to Arjuna; Arjuna dropped his bow and asked about Suratha; she said that he had died from sorrow when he heard of Arjuna's arrival; she drew a parallel between Suratha's recollecting Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Gāndhārī, and censuring kṣattriya practices and Duryodhana, Arjuna consoled and returned home. At last the horse arrived at Maṇipūra (XIV, 78), where Babhruvāhana, Arjuna's son by Citrāṅgadā, humbly approached Arjuna, together with a number of brahmans, bringing treasure in his van; Arjuna angrily blamed him for having neglected his duty as a kṣattriya. Ulūpī came from within and beheld her [step-]son standing cheerless, and incited him to fight Arjuna, which he did (description of his car); he even caused the sacrificial horse to be seized; gravely wounded, Arjuna praised his son highly;
c5.s1.457.4
he cut off his standard, which was set with gold and resembled a golden palmyra, and then he slew his steeds; at last Arjuna fell down in a swoon, and so did Babhruvāhana; Citrāṅgadā repaired to the battlefield weeping piteously (XIV, 79); she indulged in copious lamentations, lost her senses, and fell down on the earth; regaining consciousness and seeing Ulūpī, she blamed her for having brought about Arjuna's slaughter by Babhruvāhana, and asked her to revive him; "I do not grieve for my slain son, I only grieve for my husband"; otherwise she would sit in prāya and die; the horse she had set free. Regaining consciousness Babhruvāhana lamented piteously, saying that now he had slain his father, he would wander over the earth, covering himself with his father's skin, or with the two halves of his head, as an expiation, or else he would die; he took an oath (touching water) that, if Arjuna was not revived, he would emaciate his own body, sitting on the field of battle; "I shall without doubt have to sink into hell; he who has slain a heroic kṣattriya becomes purified by making a gift of 100 cows; I, who have slain my father, cannot be rescued." Ulūpī thought of the gem that has the virtue of reviving a dead man; the gem, thus thought of, came there; she said that Arjuna had not been vanquished by Babhruvāhana, but Ulūpī had exhibited this illusion for the benefit of Arjuna. As soon as the prince had placed the gem on the breast of Arjuna the latter revived.
c5.s1.457.5
Indra poured down celestial flowers, etc. Arjuna wondered why the two ladies were present, and why everything seemed to indicate grief, and asked Babhruvāhana who told him to question Ulūpī (XIV, 80). Asked by Arjuna, Ulūpī recited the curse of the Vasus (approved by Gaṅgā) because Arjuna had slain Bhīshma in unfair fight while he was engaged with Śikhaṇḍin and had ceased to fight; Arjuna had died without having expiated his sin and had fallen into Hell; hearing the curse of the Vasus, she consulted her father, who prevailed upon Indra that Arjuna should be freed from their curses by Babhruvāhana. Arjuna highly praised Babhruvāhana and told Babhruvāhana to come with his counsellors and officers to the horse-sacrifice; he then among the brahmans to pass the night in was prevented by re and proceeded