[100] Yojanagundhá (Wilson’s Dict.) is a name of Satyavati, the mother of the sage and poet Vyása.
[101] The great epic poem, Mahábhárat, is ascribed to Vyása, on the wars between the Kurus and the Gandus, when more than seven millions of men perished. Of the birth of Vyasa, who divided the Véda into eighteen parts, wrote eighteen Puranas, the eighteen Upapuranas, the Kalkipurana, the Mahabhagavata, the Ekámrapurana, the Vedanta darshana, and founded the Vedanta sect, an account is given, by himself, in the Mahabharat.—(Ward, vol. III. p. 12).—D. S.
[102] Santanu, the fourth prince in succession from Sambarana, the son of Riksha, whose reign began at the commencement of the Kali Yug.
(Ward, vol. III. p. 21-22).—D. S.
According to Sir W. Jones (Works, IV. p. 32) and to Wilson’s Dict. (sub voce), Sántanu was the twenty-first sovereign of the lunar race in the third age; he was the son of Pratípa, and grandson of Riksha (see also Vichnupurana. Wilson’s transl., p. 457.)—A. T.
[103] Kuntí was mother of the five Pandava princes, by as many gods; the names of the princes were Yud´hish['t’]hira, Bhíma, Arjúna, Nakuĺa, and Sahadéva. Pandu was interdicted by a curse from connubial intercourse, and obtained the above five sons through his two wives Kuntí and Madrí (Ward, vol. III. p. 22).—D. S.
[104] Parásaru: this philosopher is described as a very old man, in the dress of a mendicant. He is charged with an infamous intrigue with the daughter of a fisherman; to conceal his amour with whom, he caused a heavy fog to fall on the place of his retreat. Veda Vyasa, the collector of the Vedas, was the fruit of this interview (Ward, vol. IV. p. 40).—D. S.
[105] One of the thirty-eight divisions of Central India (Ward, vol. III, p. ix.)—D. S.
[106] Ahalyá (Vichnupurana, Wilson’s transl., p. 454) was the daughter of Bahwaśwa, and the wife of Gautama.—A. T.
[107] In the Institutes of Manu (l. III. sl. 21.) eight forms of marriage are enumerated, viz.: the marriage form of Brahma, of the Dévas (gods), of the Rishis (saints), of the Praja patis (creators), of the Asúras (demons), of the Gandharvas (celestial musicians), of the Rákshasas (giants), and of the Pisáchas (vampires). The six first in direct order are by some held valid in the case of a priest; the four last in that of a warrior; and the same four, except the Rakshasa marriage, in the cases of a merchant and a man of the servile class. Some consider the four first only as approved in the case of a priest; one, that of Rakshasas, as peculiar to the soldier; and that of Asuras to a mercantile and a servile man; but in this code three of the five last are held legal, and two illegal: the ceremonies of Pisáchas and Asuras must never be performed.—A. T.