26. Parena is explained by Nilakantha as atisayena.
27. Some of the Bengal texts read anugraham (making the initial a silent after maharshe, in the vocative case). There can be no doubt however, that this is incorrect. The true reading is nadharmam which I have adopted. The Bombay text reads na cha dharmam. The introduction of the article cha needlessly makes the line incorrect as to metre.
28. The second line of the 67th sloka is very obscure. I have followed Nilakantha in translating it thus. The sense seems to be, that when crows hover behind an army, that is an auspicious sign; while it is an inauspicious sign if they are seen ahead. I am not sure that Nilakantha is right in taking the pronoun ye as referring to even crows.
29. Such as “don’t fight, for you will be dead men soon.” &c.
30. Nilakantha explains these five species thus: trees such as the peepul; gulma (shrub), as kusa, kasa, &c., growing from a clump underneath; creepers, such as all plants growing upon the soil but requiring some support to twine round; Valli, those that creep on the earth and live for a year only, such, as the gourd, the pumpkin, etc., and lastly, Trina, such as grass and all plants that are stemless, having only their barks and leaves.
31. When Gayatri, or Brahma or the Universe, is mentioned, these twenty-four are indicated, five of which exist independently, the remaining nineteen being the result of five in those various proportions.
32. I have rendered 4 and 5 a little too freely. The language of the original is very terse.
33. Samyam is homogeneity. The allusion is to the state of the universe before creation, when there exists nothing but a homogeneous mass or Brahma alone. The first compound of the 2nd line is read differently. The Burdwan Pandits and the Bombay edition read anyonyam (in the accusative); many of the Bengal texts read anyonyena (in the instrumental). The meaning is scarcely affected by this difference of reading.
34. The order of destruction is that earth merges into water, water into fire, fire into air, and air into space. And so the order of birth is that from space arises air, from air arises fire, from fire arises water, and from water arises earth.
35. Nilakantha explains the last six slokas as having an esoteric meaning. By Sudarsana he understands the mind. The rest is explained consistently. Interpretations, however, are not rare among commentators seeking to put sense in non-sense.
36. The Bombay text reads Varsha parvatas for parvatas samas.
37. For Pinaddha occurring in the Bengal texts, the Bombay edition reads Vichitra.
38. The Bengal texts add a line here which is properly omitted in the Bombay edition.
39. After the 10th occurs a line in the Bengal text which is evidently vicious.
40. Day of the full-moon and that of the new-moon.
41. The Bengal texts, except the Burdwan one, have divi for Daityas, of course, the latter reading is correct.
42. The Bombay text has Sarvatas (which is better) for Sarvata in the Bengal texts.
43. in the first line of 28, the Bengal texts read Sirasas (ablative) for Sikhhrat of the Bombay edition. In the last line of 29 also, the Bombay text has plavantiva-pravegena for the Bengal reading patatyajapravegena. No material difference of meaning arises if one or the other is accepted.
44. Alluding to the tradition of Siva’s holding Ganga on his head and for which the great god is sometimes called Gangadhara.
45. This word occurs in various forms, Ketumala and Ketumali being two others.
46. The Bombay edition reads tu for cha after Jamvukhanda. The meaning becomes changed.
47. The sacred stream Ganga is believed to have three currents. In heaven the current is called Mandakini; on earth, it is called Ganga; and in the subterraneous world it is called Bhogavati.
48. The Bengal texts, excepting the Burdwan one, incorrectly read Sakram for Satram.
49. The correct reading is Gatimanti. Many of the Bengal texts incorrectly read matimanti, which is unmeaning.
50. Many of the Bengal texts incorrectly read Merorapyyantaram for Merorathottaram.
51. This sloka beginning with mani and ending with prabham is omitted in the Bombay text, I don’t think rightly. If anything that seems to be a repetition is to be omitted.
52. i.e. “have fallen away from a celestial state.”
53. In sloka 13, the Bengal texts read Bhayanakas for mahavalas. In 15 Mudhabhishekas for Purvabhishekas; is substituted in the Bombay text. In 1 again the Bombay text reads Subhas for drumas.
54. The Bengal texts have Chandrabhasa for Chandraprabha. The difference is not material.
55. Both the Burdwan and the Bombay editions read Panchashat (five and six). The Bengal texts generally have panchasat (fifty).
56. The Bombay edition reads Tasmat-sritigamatas param. The Bengal texts read Yasmat-sringamatas param. The Bengal reading is better. The Asiatic Society’s edition contains a misprint. The meaning is, “Because Sringa (jewelled mountain of that name), therefore superior.” I have rendered it somewhat freely.
57. They are but portions of the same Supreme Being.
58. i.e. mountains forming boundaries of divisions.
59. The Bombay text reads Ikshula and Krimi for “Ikshumlavi” occurring in Bengal texts.
60. The Bengal texts have Gandakincha mahanadim. The Bombay text reads Vandanancha mahanadim with a cha immediately before. The Burdwan Pandits read Chandanancha mahanadim.
