351. The sense is that Arjuna representing one force, and Bhishma another, the two forces seemed to mingle, into one another, like one bolt of heaven against another, as one may say.
352. Aplavas and Alpave are both correct.
353. In the first line of the 14th verse Aviseshana seems to be incorrect. The Bombay text reads Avaseshena which I adopt.
354. The correct reading is Vishnu, and not Jishnu as in many of the Bengal texts.
355. Indrayudha is Indra’s bow or the rainbow. Akasaga (literally a ranger of the skies) is a bird. The vapoury edifices and forms, constantly melting away and reappearing in new shapes, are called Gandharvanagar as (lit. towns of the Gandharvas or celestial choiristers).
356. The Bengal reading is Savayambhuriva bhanuna which I have adopted. The Bombay reading is Merurivabhanuna, which means “like the mountain Meru with Sun.” It is difficult to make a choice between the two.
357. The Bombay text differs in many respects from the Bengal texts as regards the positions assigned to the several warriors and races in the Pandava host. It is impossible to settle the true readings. I have, therefore, without any attempt at correction, followed the Bengal text.
358. The last word of the 28th verse is ‘Ratheshu cha’, and not ‘Dhajeshu cha’ for umbrellas could not possibly be fastened to standards.
359. This identical verse occurs in the first chapter of the Bhagavad Gita (vide, Verse 10, Chap. 25, of this Parvan, ante). There following the commentators, particularly Sreedhara, I have rendered Aparyaptam and Paryaptam as less than sufficient and sufficient. It would seem, however, that that is erroneous.
360. For these names, vide note in page ante, Bhishma Parva.
361. The 26th verse in the Bengal texts consists of three lines. In the Bombay texts, the half-sloka about Artayani does not occur.
362. In the first line of the 5th verse, the true reading is avidhata and not amarshanam.
363. In the first line of 29, the correct reading is Prishna and not Pritana.
364. ‘Samuchchhritam’ or ‘Samutthitam,’ meaning risen, is scarcely a happy adjective here.
365. ‘Parshni’ is the wing or side of a car-warrior. The last word of this verse is not ‘Satpurushochitam’ but ‘Satparushairvritam’.
366. ‘Kovdara’ is the species of ebony called Bauhinia Variegata.
367. The Bombay reading ‘Vegavattaram’ is better. Literally, it means, ‘capable of imparting a greater impetus.’ To avoid such periphrasis I render it ‘tougher’.
368. The sense is that all these were entirely shrouded by Arjuna’s arrows.
369. The true reading is Charmanam and not Varmanam: also bhumipa and bhutale.
370. i.e., is about to set.
371. For ‘Satyatha tena’ the Bombay text reads ‘Satyasandhena’. I follow the Bengal reading.
372. What these were it is difficult to determine. The Bombay reading is different. For Indrajala they read Indrakila which is as unknown as the other.
373. The Vaitarani is the fabulous river that separate this world from the next.
374. In the first line of the 5th, for ‘rajna’ of the Bengal texts the Bombay text reads ‘gupta’. I follow the Bengal reading which is better.
375. In the second line of the 6th, for sasars sena the Bombay reading is sena mahogra which is better, I adopt it.
376. I adopt the Bengal reading Vyapta and not Vyala.
377. The word Saravarani in the text is rendered by K. P. Singha as quivers. Nilakantha explains it as coats of mail. There can be no doubt, however, that the Burdwan Pundits render it correctly as shields.
378. In the first line of 19th, the Bengal reading Saykanam is a mistake. The true reading is Saditanam.
379. Salya is called Artayani after the name of his father.
380. These were Kshuras (arrows with heads like razors), kshurapras, (arrows with horseshoe heads), bhallas (broad-headed arrows), and anjalikas (arrows with crescent-shaped-heads).
381. i.e., the universal destroyer armed with his bow.
382. Gory mace wet with &c. the original is pleonastic.
383. The Bengal reading parantapa is a mistake for kathanchana.
384. ‘Kimpaca’ is a species of cucurbitaceous plant. To avoid periphrasis I render it poison.
385. Aklishtakarman literally means one who is not tired with what he does; hence, one who easily achieves the highest feats. When applied to Krishna or any divine personage it means one who does everything by a fiat of his will, without being dependent on means like ordinary persons. It may also mean one of pure or white deeds.
386. Literally “be a perpetuator (son) of Yadu’s race!”
387. The Bengal reading is Sa vai devas. The Bombay reading is Purvadevas.
388. The Three-stepped Lord, Vishnu became vamana or the dwarf for robbing the Asura Vali of his dominions. Disguised in that shape he asked of Vali three steps of land. Vali, smiling at the littleness of what was asked, gave it. But when the dwarf expanded his form and covered the heavens and the earth with only two steps of his, no space could be found for the third step. Vali was forthwith seized and bound as a promise-breaker, and sent to reside in the nether regions.
389. Word of command.
390. i.e., really existent among all things.
