e, of course, is that if a Brahmana starves, that is due to
the king having neglected his duty of providing for him.
475. I follow Nilakantha in rendering abrahmanam manyamanah. It may also
mean 'regarding himself to be a fallen Brahmana (for the time being)'.
476. It should be noted that the word foeticide used in such texts
frequently means all sins that are regarded as equivalent to foeticide.
Hence, killing a Brahmana is foeticide, etc.
477. There is a material difference of reading in this verse. Following
the Bengal texts, the above version is given. The Bombay text runs as
follows: 'upon his body being burnt therewith, or by death, he becomes
cleansed.' The Bombay text seems to be vicious. Drinking is regarded as
one of the five heinous sins. The severer injunction contained in the
Bengal texts seems therefore, to be the correct reading.
478. The true reading is nigacchati and not niyacchati. The Burdwan
translator has misunderstood the word papam in this verse.
479. Nilakantha correctly explains the connection of Susamsitah.
480. Nilakantha explains that the question of Nakula excited the heart of
Bhishma and caused a flow of blood through his wounds. Hence Bhishma
compares himself to a hill of red-chalk.
481. Durvarani, Durvaradini, Durvachadini, are some of the readings of
the first line.
482. Literally, family or clan; here origin.
483. The second line of 19 is unintelligible.
484. Taddhitwa is tat hi twa. Nilakantha thinks that twa here is twam.
485. In the Bengal texts, 41 is made a triplet, and 42 is made to consist
of a single line; 42 is represented as Vaisampayana's speech. This is
evidently an error; 41 a couplet. 42 also is so. Rajna etc., refer to
Bhima. K.P. Singha avoids the error; the Burdwan translator, as usual,
makes a mess of 41 by taking it to be a triplet.
486. There can be very little doubt that the second line has a distinct
reference to the principal article of faith in Buddhism. Emancipation
here is identified with Extinction or Annihilation. The word used is
Nirvana. The advice given is abstention from attachments of every kind.
These portions of the Santi are either interpolations, or were written
after the spread of Buddhism.
487. The doctrine set forth in 48 is the doctrine of either Universal
Necessity as expounded by Leibnitz, or that of Occasional Causes of the
Cartesian school. In fact, all the theories about the government of the
universe are strangely
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