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.s4.263.6

c5.s4.263.6

he spread *kuça* grass on the earth, etc., and began to pray and mentally.—§ 513: The *Daiteyas* and *Dānavas* who had formerly been vanquished by the gods and were dwelling in *Pātāla*, having ascertained *Duryodhana*'s purpose, commenced a sacrifice with formulas, revealed by *Br̥haspati* and *Uçanas*, according to the rites indicated in the *Atharvaveda* and the *Upaniṣad*, assisted by brahmans of rigid vows, well versed in the *Vedas* and the *Vedāṅgas*. After these rites were ended a sorceress (*kr̥tyā*) arose, whom the *Daityas* caused to bring *Duryodhana* to them in the night (III, 251). The *Dānavas* said to him: “Do not do such a rash act as the vow of starvation. The suicide ever sinks into hell (*adho yāti*), and is blamed . . . In days of old we had obtained thee by ascetic austerities from *Maheçvara*; the upper part of thy body is wholly made of *vajras*, and is, therefore, invulnerable to weapons of every description; the lower part of thy body was made of flowers by *Devī* herself . . . Brave *kṣatriyas*, headed by *Bhagadatta*, will slay thy foes . . . In order to aid thee many *Dānavas* (v. 15172: *Daityas* and *Rakṣhases*) have been *born on earth*. Other *Asuras* will also possess *Bhīṣma*, *Droṇa*, *Kr̥pa*, and others; possessed by those *Asuras* these heroes will abandon their kindness and fight with thy foes . . . We have already settled the means of slaying *Arjuna*; the slain *Naraka* has assumed the form of *Karṇa*;