80.63O great one: Arjuna pays homage to Rudra by reciting his names in a hieratic register. This sounds very much like a ritual formula, and as these names rarely occur elsewhere they are not included in the glossary at the end of the volume. Using the correct formulae to address a god was important, especially in an exchange of this kind. We can understand this interlude with reference to a Vedic model of ritual action. See the Introduction, pp. xv–xx.

84.21Set out to hunt him down: Brihas·pati is the chief priest or purohita of the gods. His wife is called Tara or Taraka, “Star.” The reference here is to an episode in the mythic system that first comes down to us in its entirety in the “Vishnu Purana.” When Soma’s conquests and glory drive him to abduct Taraka in arrogance, the gods declare war on him to steal her back. The Daityas and Danavas join forces with Soma, and a fierce battle begins. Only when Brahma intervenes do the combatants lay down their arms. It is interesting that this episode is mentioned here in particular, as earlier in the epic Jayad·ratha has tried to abscond with Draupadi. See Introduction, n. 9.

85.26Dice game to go ahead: Dhrita·rashtra refers here to the gambling match to which Duryodhana challenges Yudhi·shthira, and during which the Pandava forfeits all that he has.

85.31Half of this seabounded land: it is interesting to note that in Kinjawadekar’s text Dhrita·rashtra refers to the whole of the earth, rather than just a part of it. I prefer the note of equivocation present in the Calcutta reading, although the variant does itself show how contested these nuances were by the epic’s different compilers. It is as if Dhrita·rashtra is still hesitating to concede that his dynasty has no claim at all on the kingdom.

87.22An arum lily: an arum is a genus of plant belonging to the Araceae family of aroids: it is characterised fittingly enough by sagittate or hastate leaves and a tubular, conelike flower called a spathe that enfolds a central spadix. The spadix is formed from an upper stipe and a lower section hidden in the spathe tube ________