King Divodasa, however, by taking what he
should not have taken, lost all the merit of his conquests.
287. Nilakantha takes Mahajanam to mean the Vaisya traders that accompany
all forces. Following him, the vernacular translators take that word in
the same sense. There can belittle doubt, however, that this is
erroneous. The word means "vast multitudes." Why should Yudhishthira,
refer to the slaughter of only the Vaisyas in the midst of troops as his
reason for supposing Kshatriya practices to be sinful? Apayana mean,
"flight." I prefer to read Avayana meaning 'march.'
288. The protection of subjects is likened here to the performance of a
sacrifice that has the merit of all sacrifices. The final present in that
sacrifice is the dispelling of everybody's fear.
289. i.e., not at the weapon's edge, but otherwise.
290. Ajya is any liquid substance, generally of course clarified butter,
that is poured upon the sacrificial fire.
291. Sphis is the wooden stick with which lines are drawn on the
sacrificial platform.
292. The van of the hostile army is the place of his wives, for he goes
thither as cheerfully as he does to such a mansion. Agnidhras are those
priests that have charge of the celestial fires.
293. To take up a straw and hold it between the lips is an indication of
unconditional surrender.
294. I do not understand how this is an answer to Yudhishthira's
question. Nilakantha thinks that truth, in the above, means the
ordinances in respect of Kshatriya duties; that Upapatti, which I
understand means reasoning (or conclusion), indicates a disregard for
life, for those ordinances lead to no other conclusion.
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