1895.  This speech is really that of Saunaka.  Some incorrect texts represent it as the speech of Janamejaya.  The following speech is that of Sauti, though the texts alluded to above make it that of Vaisampayana.  It is true in the speech the vocative ‘Brahman’ occurs, but we may easily take it as a slip of this pen.  K. P. Singha makes the correction.  The Burdwan translator, without perceiving the absurdity, adheres to the incorrect texts.

1896.  It is difficult to settle the reading of this verse.  The Bengal texts have alayah, the Bombay edition has alayam.  At any rate, verse 58 seems to contradict the previous verse.  If after resorting the Vedas to Brahmana, Narayana to his own nature, where would his form be that had the horse-head?

1897.  Both the Vernacular translators give ridiculous versions of this verse.  K. P. Singha takes Panchala to be a king and understands the verse to mean that king Panchala got back his kingdom through the grace of Narayana.  The Burdwan translator errors as usual, by taking krama to imply gati or end.  The fact is this verse repeats what has been already said in verses 100 to 102 of section 343 ante.  Krama means the science by whose aid the words used in the Vedas are separated from each other.

1898.  ‘Those who have burnt of their fuel’ means men that have freed themselves from desire.  Param paryyagati means knowledge as handed down from preceptor to preceptor.

1899.  Vasudeva is called the Fourth because below Him is Sankarshana, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha.

1900.  What is stated in these two verses is the difference between the ends of those that rely on Knowledge, and those that are devoted to Narayana with their whole souls.  The former attain to Vasudeva, it is true, but then they have to pass gradually through the three others one after another, viz., Aniruddha, Pradyumna, and Sankarshana.  The latter, however, at once attain to Vasudeva.  It is curious to note how the Burdwan translator, with the commentary before him and from which he quotes, misunderstands the second verse completely.  K. P. Singha’s version also is not clear though not incorrect.

1901.  The word Ekantin is explained by the commentator to mean a nishkama worshipper, i.e., one who adores the Supreme Deity without the expectation of any fruit whatever.  There can be no error, however in rendering it as one devoted with his whole soul.  Such devotion verily implies nishkama worship.

1902. i.e., all creatures were righteous and compassionate.  Of evil, there was nothing in that age.

1903.  One of the foremost of Samans is called by the name of Jeshthya.  One conversant with the Jeshthya Saman would have this name.

1904.  Ikshaku was the progenitor of the solar race of kings.

1905.  This desire, of course, relates to the acquisition of Emancipation.  Yoga-kshema literally means the acquisition of what is desired and the protection of what has been acquired.