Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (Volume 1).pdf/245

Rh for a venial fault, by the illustrious Vasishtha in anger. The foremost of excellent Rishia, Vasishtha, bad been engaged in his twilight adora. tions and seated as he was, he could not be seen by us. We crossed him in ignorance. Therefore, in wrath he hath cursed us, saying.--Be ye born among men ! It is beyond our power to frustrate what hath been said by that utterer of Brahma. Therefore. O tiver, thyself becoming a human female make us the Vasus, thy children ! O amiable one, we are unwilling to enter the womb of any human female !' Thus addressed, the Queen of rivers told them.-Be it so, and asked them, 'On Earth, who is that foremost of men whom ye will make your father ?*

"The Vasus replied.-'On Eartlı, unto Pratipa shall be born a son, Santanu, who will be a king of word-wide fame'. Ganga then said, Ye celestials, that is exactly my wish wbich ye sinless ones have expressed ! I shall, indeed, do good to that Santaau. That is also your desire as just expressed !' The Vasus then said, -It behoveth thee to throw thy children, afrer birth, into the water, so that, thou of three courses (celestial, terrestrial, and subterranean) we may be rescued soon without having to live on Earth for any length of time I' Ganga then answered, -I shall do what ye desire. But in order that his intercourse with me may not be entirely fruitless, provide ye that one son at least may live! The Vasus then replied.-We shall each contribute an eighth part of our respective energies. With the sum thereof, thou shalt have one son according to thy and his wishes. But this son shall not beget any children on Earth. Therefore, that son of thine endued with great energy, shall be childless !'

"The Vasus, making this arrangement with Ganga, went away with out waiting to the place they liked."

Thus ends the ninety-sixth section in the Sambhava Parva of the Adi Parva.

Vaisampayana said, -There was a king of the name of Pratipa, who was kind to all creatures. He spent many years in ascetic penances at the source of the river Ganga. The accomplished and lovely Ganga, one day, assuming the form of a beautiful female, and rising from the waters, made up to the monarch. The celestial maiden, endued with ravishing beauty, approached the royal sage engaged in ascetic austeri. ties, and sat upon his right thigh that was, for manly strength, a