61. The Bombay texts read Tridiva for Nischita; this is incorrect, for Tridiva occurs in the Bombay text itself a little before. The name Lohatarini occurs in various forms.
62. For Vetravati, the Bengal texts read Chandrabhaga. Both Chandrabhaga and Vetravati, however occur before.
63. Kamadhuk is that species of kine which always yield milk.
64. Nilakantha explains this in this way. The gods depend on sacrifices performed by human beings; and as regards human beings, their food is supplied by the Earth. Superior and inferior creatures, therefore, are all supported by the earth; the Earth then is their refuge. The word Earth in these slokas is sometimes used to signify the world and sometimes the element of that name.
65. I render the last line a little too freely. If the saying is intended to be general, the translation should run thus: “Up to this day there is no man whose desires can be satiated.”
66. The Bombay text reads Kimanyat Kathayami te. The Bengal reading is Kimanyat srotumicchasi.
67. The Bombay text reads Tatas parena; the Bengal reading is Tatas purvena. I adopt the former.
68. Probably this mythical account of Sakadwipa embodies some vague tradition current in ancient India of some republic in Eastern Asia or Oceanic Asia (further east in the Pacific). Accustomed as the Hindus were to kingly form of government, a government without a king, would strike them exactly in the way described in the last two slokas.
69. The second line of the 3rd sloka is read variously. The Bombay edition incorrectly reads ‘Parvataccha’ etc. etc.,; the Bengal reading is evameva etc. etc. The Bengal reading is better, although the true reading, I apprehend, is Evametais &c., &c.
70. Vamanaka and Vamana are the same words the final ka being a suffix causing no difference of meaning. So Andhakaraka and Andhakara are the same.
71. Dig-gaja, i.e. an elephant supporting the globe. There are four such in Hindu mythology or ten according to some accounts.
72. i.e., with the juice trickling down from their cheeks and mouth. In the season of rut, a peculiar kind of juice issues from several parts of an elephant’s body. It is believed to be the temporal-juice. The stronger and fierce the elephant, the greater the quantity of the juice that issues out its body.
73. Tasya (singular of Tad) and sa (masculine singular of Tad) both refer to the four elephants, Gaja-chatushtaya in singular.
74. Asamyadha lit. “Unbound” or “unrestrained,” i.e. freely or irregularly.
75. It is a remarkable fact that the ratio between the diameter and the circumference of a circle was roughly known to the ancient Hindus. The circumference is nearly, as stated here, three times and a half of the diameter. The next ratio, of course, is slightly less, being three and one-seventh.
76. The first word of this sloka is variously read. ‘Yathadishtam’ is the Bengal reading, while the Bombay reading ‘Yathoddishtam.’ If the latter reading were adopted, the meaning would be as indicated (in the Sastras). The second line literally rendered, is “pacify thy son Duryodhana.” But how Dhritarashtra is to pacify his son having listened to the geographical digression, is not easy to see.
77. For Sadhusattamas of the Bengal texts, the Bombay edition reads Sadhusammatas. I adopt the last.
78. The last word in the first line of the 11th sloka, in the Bengal texts, is ‘Pravriha.’ In the Bombay edition it is ‘Anikaha.’ The difference in meaning is immaterial.
79. The first half of the first line, in the Bengal texts, is read as ‘Kathamascha me putra’, the Bombay text reads “Kathamascha me Yoddha’. If the latter reading be adopted, the meaning would be–“Tell me how my warriors were, etc. etc.
80. In the second line of sloka 3, for ‘kim na asinmanastada’ (what was the state of mind of our men) the Bombay text reads ‘Kimu asinmanastava’ (what was the state of your mind)?
81. The Plural pronouns ‘ye’ in the second line of the 8th sloka (changed into ‘ya’ by rule of Sandhi because coming before tenam) is read ‘ke’ (or ka)’ by the Burdwan Pundits. I think the correction a happy one. Nilakantha would take 7 and 8 and the first half of 9 as a complete sentence reading ‘Asya twama antike’ (thou wert near him) for ‘Asyaram antike’ (smiting or shooting arrows near).
82. Some of the Bengal texts have Panchalanam for Pandavanam.
83. The form of the 2nd line is a negative interrogative, implying,–‘I hope the Kurus did not abandon him.
84. This comparison, lengthy as it is, is not sustained throughout with the usual felicity of Vyasa. In several parts it is undoubtedly faulty. Slight variation of reading also occur here and there, without affecting the sense materially.
85. Gachchhato durgam gatim. The Bombay edition reads Gachchhanto etc., etc. The meaning then would be–“who protected the wings, themselves making the last painful journey?
86. The Burdwan Pundits make Mahavalas an adjective of Putras. A better construction would be to take it as referring to Bhishma.
87. Ghatayitwa is, literally, causing to be slain.
88. The words “high-souled” and also “through whose boon bestowed of me occur in the 9th sloka following.
89. Vyotthiopatti vijananam, Vyutthita is a very doubtful word.
90. Literally, “in Indra’s abodes,” i.e. Amaravati.
