Bengal never tire of this simile in speaking of Radha
and Krishna in the groves of Vrindavana.
39. The words in the original is pranayam, lit., love. Nilakantha,
however, explains it as meaning modesty, humility. I think, Nilakantha is
right. The relations between Arjuna and the princess were like those
between father and daughter.
40. This sloka is not correctly printed in any of the texts that I have
seen. The Burdwan Pandits read tat-samim. This I think, is correct, but
then asasada in the singular when the other verbs are all dual seems to
be correct. The poet must have used some other verb in the dual for
asasada.
41. Some texts read Diptasya for Diptayam.
42. This sloka does not occur in every text. This is a typical
illustration of the round about way, frequently adopted by Sanskrit
writers, of expressing a simple truth. The excuse in the present instance
consists in Drona's unwillingness to identify the solitary hero with
Arjuna, in the midst of all his hearers. Nadiji is an exclamation
referring to Bhishma, the son of the river Ganga. Lankesa-vanari-ketu is
simply 'ape-bannered,' or as rendered in the text, having the devastator
of the gardens of Lanka's lord for the sign of his banner. Nagahvaya is
'named after tree' for Arjuna is the name of an Indian tree. Nagri-sunu
is 'Indra's son',--Indra being the foe of mountains, for formerly it was
he who cut off the wings of all mountains and compelled them to be
stationary. He failed only in the case of Mainaka, the son of Himavat.
43. Indian insects of a particular kind.
44. Most editions read chapas which is evidently wrong. The correct
reading is avapas, meaning quiver. The Burdwan Pandits give this latter
reading.
45. Some read chandrargha-darsanas. The correct reading is
chandrardha-darsanas.
46. Most editions read hema-punkha and silasita in the instrumental
plural; the correct reading is their nominative plural forms.
47. Sayaka means here, as explained by Nilakantha, a sword, and not a
shaft.
48. From the colour of his steeds.
49. Nilakantha spends much learning and ingenuity in making out that
sixty-five years in this connection means thirty-two years of ordinary
human computation.
50. Some texts read,--'One large meteor fell.'
51. In some editions read,--Bharata dwijam, and Maha-hardam for
maha-drumam. The meaning would then be,--'The banners (of the hostile
army) began to tremble in the sky, and large lakes were agitated.'
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