01.093
Why Vasu’s were cursed.
शन्तनुरुवाच॥
Śantanu said:
आपवो नाम को न्वेष वसूनां किं च दुष्कृतम्। यस्याभिशापात्ते सर्वे मानुषीं तनुमागताः ॥१॥
Who is this one named Āpava among the Vasus, and what wrongdoing was done due to whose curse they all assumed human bodies?
अनेन च कुमारेण गङ्गादत्तेन किं कृतम्। यस्य चैव कृतेनायं मानुषेषु निवत्स्यति ॥२॥
And what was done by this boy Gaṅgādatta, because of which he will dwell among humans?
ईशानाः सर्वलोकस्य वसवस्ते च वै कथम्। मानुषेषूदपद्यन्त तन्ममाचक्ष्व जाह्नवि ॥३॥
The Vasus, lords of all the worlds—how indeed were they born among humans? Tell me that, O Jāhnavī.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
सैवमुक्ता ततो गङ्गा राजानमिदमब्रवीत्। भर्तारं जाह्नवी देवी शन्तनुं पुरुषर्षभम् ॥४॥
Thus addressed, Gaṅgā then said this to the king — Jāhnavī's husband, Śantanu, the best among men.
यं लेभे वरुणः पुत्रं पुरा भरतसत्तम। वसिष्ठो नाम स मुनिः ख्यात आपव इत्युत ॥५॥
The one whom Varuṇa long ago accepted as a son, O best of the Bharatas, that sage is named Vasiṣṭha, and he is indeed known as Āpava.
तस्याश्रमपदं पुण्यं मृगपक्षिगणान्वितम्। मेरोः पार्श्वे नगेन्द्रस्य सर्वर्तुकुसुमावृतम् ॥६॥
His hermitage was sacred, filled with groups of deer and birds, on the slope of Mount Meru, covered with flowers of all seasons.
स वारुणिस्तपस्तेपे तस्मिन्भरतसत्तम। वने पुण्यकृतां श्रेष्ठः स्वादुमूलफलोदके ॥७॥
There, O best of the Bharatas, the son of Varuṇa performed austerities in that forest, being the foremost among the meritorious, living on tasty roots, fruits, and pure water.
दक्षस्य दुहिता या तु सुरभीत्यतिगर्विता। गां प्रजाता तु सा देवी कश्यपाद्भरतर्षभ ॥८॥
The goddess Surabhi, the proud daughter of Dakṣa, O best of the Bharatas, gave birth to the cow from Kaśyapa.
अनुग्रहार्थं जगतः सर्वकामदुघां वराम्। तां लेभे गां तु धर्मात्मा होमधेनुं स वारुणिः ॥९॥
For the blessing of the world, the righteous son of Varuṇa obtained that excellent cow, the wish-fulfilling and sacrificial cow.
सा तस्मिंस्तापसारण्ये वसन्ती मुनिसेविते। चचार रम्ये धर्म्ये च गौरपेतभया तदा ॥१०॥
There, in that forest of ascetics attended by sages, the cow dwelt and roamed freely, delightfully and righteously, without any fear.
अथ तद्वनमाजग्मुः कदाचिद्भरतर्षभ। पृथ्वाद्या वसवः सर्वे देवदेवर्षिसेवितम् ॥११॥
Then once, O best of the Bharatas, all the Vasus including Pṛthvī came to that forest, which was attended by gods and sages.
ते सदारा वनं तच्च व्यचरन्त समन्ततः। रेमिरे रमणीयेषु पर्वतेषु वनेषु च ॥१२॥
They, along with their wives, roamed all around that forest and rejoiced in the delightful mountains and woods.
तत्रैकस्य तु भार्या वै वसोर्वासवविक्रम। सा चरन्ती वने तस्मिन्गां ददर्श सुमध्यमा ॥ या सा वसिष्ठस्य मुनेः सर्वकामधुगुत्तमा ॥१३॥
There, O Indra-like hero, the slender-waisted wife of one of the Vasus, while wandering in the forest, saw the excellent wish-fulfilling cow belonging to the sage Vasiṣṭha.
सा विस्मयसमाविष्टा शीलद्रविणसम्पदा। दिवे वै दर्शयामास तां गां गोवृषभेक्षण ॥१४॥
Filled with wonder at her virtue and wealth, she showed that cow to her husband Dīva, the bull-eyed one.
स्वापीनां च सुदोग्ध्रीं च सुवालधिमुखां शुभाम्। उपपन्नां गुणैः सर्वैः शीलेनानुत्तमेन च ॥१५॥
She was a gentle and excellent milker, beautiful in face and form, endowed with all virtues and unmatched in character.
एवङ्गुणसमायुक्तां वसवे वसुनन्दिनी। दर्शयामास राजेन्द्र पुरा पौरवनन्दन ॥१६॥
Thus endowed with virtues, the daughter of a Vasu showed her to the Vasu, O king, long ago, O scion of the Paurava lineage.
द्यौस्तदा तां तु दृष्ट्वैव गां गजेन्द्रेन्द्रविक्रम। उवाच राजंस्तां देवीं तस्या रूपगुणान्वदन् ॥१७॥
O king, then Dyau of elephant-like might, having just seen the cow, spoke to that goddess, describing her form and virtues.
एषा गौरुत्तमा देवि वारुणेरसितेक्षणे। ऋषेस्तस्य वरारोहे यस्येदं वनमुत्तमम् ॥१८॥
O slender-waisted dark-eyed goddess, this excellent cow belongs to that sage, son of Varuṇa, whose this forest is.
अस्याः क्षीरं पिबेन्मर्त्यः स्वादु यो वै सुमध्यमे। दश वर्षसहस्राणि स जीवेत्स्थिरयौवनः ॥१९॥
Whoever among mortals drinks her sweet milk, O slender-waisted one, will live for ten thousand years with unaging youth.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु सा देवी नृपोत्तम सुमध्यमा। तमुवाचानवद्याङ्गी भर्तारं दीप्ततेजसम् ॥२०॥
Hearing this, O best of kings, the slender-waisted, flawless-limbed goddess spoke to her husband of blazing splendor.
अस्ति मे मानुषे लोके नरदेवात्मजा सखी। नाम्ना जिनवती नाम रूपयौवनशालिनी ॥२१॥
I have a friend in the human world, the daughter of a king, named Jinavatī, who is endowed with beauty and youth.
उशीनरस्य राजर्षेः सत्यसन्धस्य धीमतः। दुहिता प्रथिता लोके मानुषे रूपसम्पदा ॥२२॥
She is the daughter of the wise and truthful royal sage Uśīnara, renowned in the human world for her beauty.
तस्या हेतोर्महाभाग सवत्सां गां ममेप्सिताम्। आनयस्वामरश्रेष्ठ त्वरितं पुण्यवर्धन ॥२३॥
O greatly fortunate and best among immortals, for her sake bring me the cow with her calf, whom I desire, quickly, O increaser of merit.
यावदस्याः पयः पीत्वा सा सखी मम मानद। मानुषेषु भवत्वेका जरारोगविवर्जिता ॥२४॥
So that, having drunk this milk, my friend may become the one among humans who is free from aging and disease, O honorable one.
एतन्मम महाभाग कर्तुमर्हस्यनिन्दित। प्रियं प्रियतरं ह्यस्मान्नास्ति मेऽन्यत्कथञ्चन ॥२५॥
O greatly fortunate and blameless one, you ought to do this for me — there is nothing dearer to me than this, not in any way.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचस्तस्या देव्याः प्रियचिकीर्षया। पृथ्वाद्यैर्भ्रातृभिः सार्धं द्यौस्तदा तां जहार गाम् ॥२६॥
Having heard the goddess's words and desiring to please her, Dyau then stole the cow along with his brothers, including Pṛthvī and others.
तया कमलपत्राक्ष्या नियुक्तो द्यौस्तदा नृप। ऋषेस्तस्य तपस्तीव्रं न शशाक निरीक्षितुम् ॥ हृता गौः सा तदा तेन प्रपातस्तु न तर्कितः ॥२७॥
Dyau, being instructed by the lotus-eyed goddess, O king, was unable to face the sage's intense austerity. The cow was thus stolen by him then, but he did not foresee the downfall that would follow.
अथाश्रमपदं प्राप्तः फलान्यादाय वारुणिः। न चापश्यत गां तत्र सवत्सां काननोत्तमे ॥२८॥
Then the son of Varuṇa returned to the hermitage with fruits in hand, but did not see the cow with her calf there in the excellent forest.
ततः स मृगयामास वने तस्मिंस्तपोधनः। नाध्यगच्छच्च मृगयंस्तां गां मुनिरुदारधीः ॥२९॥
Then the noble-minded sage, rich in austerity, searched for the cow in that forest, but could not find her despite his efforts.
ज्ञात्वा तथापनीतां तां वसुभिर्दिव्यदर्शनः। ययौ क्रोधवशं सद्यः शशाप च वसूंस्तदा ॥३०॥
Realizing that she had been taken by the Vasus, the divinely-sighted sage immediately became enraged and cursed the Vasus at once.
यस्मान्मे वसवो जह्रुर्गां वै दोग्ध्रीं सुवालधिम्। तस्मात्सर्वे जनिष्यन्ति मानुषेषु न संशयः ॥३१॥
Because the Vasus have stolen my cow, the milker with the beautiful forehead, therefore all of them shall be born among humans — there is no doubt of it.
एवं शशाप भगवान्वसूंस्तान्मुनिसत्तमः। वशं कोपस्य सम्प्राप्त आपवो भरतर्षभ ॥३२॥
Thus the venerable sage Āpava, overcome by anger, cursed those Vasus, O best of the Bharatas.
शप्त्वा च तान्महाभागस्तपस्येव मनो दधे। एवं स शप्तवान्राजन्वसूनष्टौ तपोधनः॥ महाप्रभावो ब्रह्मर्षिर्देवान्रोषसमन्वितः ॥३३॥
Having cursed them, the greatly fortunate sage fixed his mind again on austerities. Thus the ascetic of great power, the brahma-ṛṣi, cursed the eight Vasus, O king, being filled with anger against the gods.
अथाश्रमपदं प्राप्य तं स्म भूयो महात्मनः। शप्ताः स्म इति जानन्त ऋषिं तमुपचक्रमुः ॥३४॥
Then, realizing, “We are cursed”, having returned to the hermitage of that great-souled one, they approached that sage once again.
प्रसादयन्तस्तमृषिं वसवः पार्थिवर्षभ। न लेभिरे च तस्मात्ते प्रसादमृषिसत्तमात्॥ आपवात्पुरुषव्याघ्र सर्वधर्मविशारदात् ॥३५॥
O bull among kings, the Vasus, tiger among men, tried to appease the sage, the knower of all dharmas, but they did not obtain forgiveness from the best of sages — Āpava.
उवाच च स धर्मात्मा सप्त यूयं धरादयः। अनु संवत्सराच्छापमोक्षं वै समवाप्स्यथ ॥३६॥
And the righteous sage said, “You seven, Dhara and the others, shall indeed obtain release from the curse after one year.”
अयं तु यत्कृते यूयं मया शप्ताः स वत्स्यति। द्यौस्तदा मानुषे लोके दीर्घकालं स्वकर्मणा ॥३७॥
But this one, Dyau, because of whom you were cursed by me, shall live for a long time in the human world due to his own deed.
नानृतं तच्चिकीर्षामि युष्मान्क्रुद्धो यदब्रुवम्। न प्रजास्यति चाप्येष मानुषेषु महामनाः ॥३८॥
I do not wish that what I angrily spoke to you be rendered untrue; and this noble-minded one shall also not procreate among humans.
भविष्यति च धर्मात्मा सर्वशास्त्रविशारदः। पितुः प्रियहिते युक्तः स्त्रीभोगान्वर्जयिष्यति ॥ एवमुक्त्वा वसून्सर्वाञ्जगाम भगवानृषिः ॥३९॥
He shall be righteous, well-versed in all scriptures, devoted to his father’s joy and welfare, and shall renounce pleasures with women. Thus having spoken to all the Vasus, the revered sage departed.
ततो मामुपजग्मुस्ते समस्ता वसवस्तदा। अयाचन्त च मां राजन्वरं स च मया कृतः ॥ जाताञ्जातान्प्रक्षिपास्मान्स्वयं गङ्गे त्वमम्भसि ॥४०॥
Then all the Vasus approached me, O king, and begged me for a boon, which I granted: “O Gaṅgā, as each one is born, cast us yourself into the waters.”
एवं तेषामहं सम्यक्षप्तानां राजसत्तम। मोक्षार्थं मानुषाल्लोकाद्यथावत्कृतवत्यहम् ॥४१॥
Thus, O best of kings, I have rightly acted on behalf of those cursed, and done what is proper for their liberation from the human world.
अयं शापादृषेस्तस्य एक एव नृपोत्तम। द्यौ राजन्मानुषे लोके चिरं वत्स्यति भारत ॥४२॥
This one alone, Dyau, O best of kings, because of the sage’s curse, shall live long in the human world, O Bhārata.
एतदाख्याय सा देवी तत्रैवान्तरधीयत। आदाय च कुमारं तं जगामाथ यथेप्सितम् ॥४३॥
Having narrated this, the goddess vanished then and there, and taking the boy with her, she went as she desired.
स तु देवव्रतो नाम गाङ्गेय इति चाभवत्। द्विनामा शन्तनोः पुत्रः शन्तनोरधिको गुणैः ॥४४॥
He became known both as Devavrata and Gāṅgeya, the son of Gaṅgā, having two names, and in virtues he surpassed Śantanu himself.
शन्तनुश्चापि शोकार्तो जगाम स्वपुरं ततः। तस्याहं कीर्तयिष्यामि शन्तनोरमितान्गुणान् ॥४५॥
Śantanu too, afflicted with sorrow, then returned to his own city. I shall now recount the countless virtues of Śantanu.
महाभाग्यं च नृपतेर्भारतस्य यशस्विनः। यस्येतिहासो द्युतिमान्महाभारतमुच्यते ॥४६॥
And the great fortune of that glorious Bhārata king — his radiant history is what is called the Mahābhārata.
