Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (1884).djvu/330

296 as she saw that cow possessing the wealth of all accomplishments, large eyes, full udders, fine tail, beautiful hoofs, and every other auspicious sign, and yielding much milk, she showed it to her husband named Dyau. And, O thou of the prowess of the first of elephants, when Dyau was shown that cow, he began to admire its several qualities, and addressing his wife said—O thou black-eyed girl of fair thighs, this excellent cow belongeth to that Rishi whose is this delightful asylum. And, O thou slender-waisted one, that mortal who drinketh of the sweet milk of this cow remaineth in unchanged youth for ten thousand years.—And, O best of monarchs, hearing this, the slender-waisted goddess of faultless features then addressed her lord of blazing splendour and said,—There is on earth a friend of mine, by name Jitavati, possessed of great beauty and youth. She is the daughter of that god among men, the royal sage Usinara endued with intelligence and devoted to truth. I desire to have this cow, O thou illustrious one, with her calf for that friend of mine. Therefore, O thou best of celestials, bring that cow so that my friend drinking of its milk may alone become on earth free from disease and decrepitude. O thou illustrious and blameless one, it behoveth thee to grant me this desire of mine. There is nothing that would be more agreeable to me.—Hearing these words of his wife, Dyau, moved by the desire of humouring his wife, stole that cow, along with his brothers Prithu and others. Indeed, Dyau, commanded by his lotus leaf-eyed wife, did her bidding, forgetting at the moment the-high ascetic merits of the Rishi who owned her. He did not also think at the time that he fell with the commission of the sin of stealing the cow.

When the son of Varuna returned to his asylum in the evening with the fruits he had collected, and beheld not the cow with its calf there, he began to search for it in the woods. But when the great ascetic, of superior intelligence, found not his cow on search, he saw by his ascetic vision that it had been stolen by the Vasus. His wrath was instantly kindled and he cursed the Vasus saying,—Because the Vasus have stolen my cow of sweet milk and handsome tail, therefore shall they certainly be born on earth.—