Sambhava Parva — History of Yayati

Shantanu said : Who was Apava and what fault was committed by the Vasus that they had to be born among men in consequence of his curse?

What also had this child done that he should have to live among men?

Why also the lord of the three worlds, the Vasus, were condemned to be born among men? O daughter of Jahnu, tell me all.

Vaishampayana said : Having been thus addressed, the celestial lady, the daughter of Jahnu, Ganga, replied to her husband, the best of men, Shantanu.

Ganga said: O best of the Bharata race, the son that was formerly born of Varuna, was the Rishi named Vasistha. He was subsequently known by the name of Apava.

His hermitage stood by the side of the best of mountains, the Meru. The place. was holy and abounded in deer and birds. It was covered with all the best flowers.

O best of the Bharata race, that foremost of all virtuous men, the son of Varuna, practised his penances in that forest, abounding in sweet roots, fruits and water.

Daksha had a daughter who was known as Surabhi. O best of the Bharata race, that lady gave birth to a cow by Kashyapa.

The virtuous-minded son of Varuna, obtained that best of kine, capable of granting every desire, for the purpose of his Homa rites and for benefiting the world,

That cow dwelt in that forest adored of all the Rishis. She roamed fearlessly in those sacred and delightful woods.

O best of the Bharata race, once on a time came to that forest adored by the celestials Rishis, all the celestial Vasus, Prithu being at then head.

They roamed with their wives into that forest and enjoyed themselves in those delightful woods and mountains.

O Indra like powerful man, one of the slender-waisted of the Vasus saw that cow roaming in the forest.

O king, her name was Nandini and she could grant every desire; she possessed the wealth of all accomplishments and large eyes, full udders, fine tail, handsome hoop and every auspicious signs. She gave much milk. Seeing her such, the wife of the Vasu showed her in astonishment to her husband named Dyonai. O descendant of Puru, o king, this cow of many qualifications was formerly shown by the daughter of the Vasus to the Vasu. O elephantlike powerful man, when that cow was shown to Dyonai, o king, he began to admire her qualities and thus spoke to the lady (his wife). “O black-eyed lady of beautiful thighs, this excellent cow belongs to the Rishi, the son of Varuna, to whom belongs this excellent wood. O slender-waisted lady, he who drinks the milk of this cow lives young for ten-thousand years." O best of kings, having heard this, that lady of slender-waist thus addressed her husband of burning effulgence. I have a friend among men on earth, named Jitavati, the daughter of a king, who possesses great beauty and youth. She is daughter of the royal sage, truthful and intelligent Ushinara. Her wealth of beauty is famous all over the world. O illustrious one, for her, I desire to posses this cow with her calf.

O best of the celestials, O virtue increasing one, bring her soon. So that my that human friend, drinking her milk, becomes the only person on earth free from disease and decrepitude. O illustrious god, O blameless god, you should grant me my this desire.

"There is nothing which would be more agreeable to me." Having heard her these words, Dyo, in order to please that celestial lady, stole the cow with the help of Prithu and his other brothers. O king, commanded by his lotus-eyed wife, Dyo did her bidding, for getting the great ascetic merits of the Rishi who owned her (the cow). He did not know then that he would have to fall foe the sin of stealing the cow.

When in the evening the son of Varuna returned to his hermitage with the fruits he had collected, he did not find the cow and its calf. Then he began to search for her in that excellent wood.

The noble-minded and greatly intelligent ascetic searched for the cow everywhere in the woods; but though he searched long, yet he could he not find her.

The man of ascetic vision then found that she had been stolen by the Vasus. His anger was at once roused and he cursed the Vasus-

Saying, “As the Vasus have stolen my cow sweet milk and handsome tail, they shall certainly be born as men on earth.”

O best of the Bharata race, the illustrious Apava, the best of Rishis, thus cursed the Vasus out of anger.

Having thus cursed them, the illustrious man again engaged himself in asceticism. O king, when the celestial Vasus were thus cursed in anger by that Brahmarshi and ascetic of great power. They soon came to the hermitage of the illustrious man; as soon as they came to know of it. O best of men, Apava, learned in the ruled of every virtue. O best of kings, the Vasus tried to pacify that Rishi, but they failed to obtain grace from that best of Rishis.

The virtuous Rishi said, “You have been cursed by me along with Dhara and others. But you shall be freed from my curse within a year of your birth among men.

But he for whose act you have all been cursed by me, that Dyo, will have to remain on earth for long for his own (sinful) act.

I shall not make my words futile though uttered in anger. But Dyo shall not beget offspring when dwelling on earth.

"He will be virtuous-minded and learned in all Shastras. He will be very obedient to his father and abstain from the pleasure of women."

Thus addressing all the Vasus, the great Rishi, went away. And the Vasus all came to me.

O king, they prayed to me for a boon, saying, "O Ganga, as soon as each of us will, be born, you yourself should throw us into the water."

O best of kings, I did act accordingly. (I threw them into the waters) in order to free them from their earthly life, the effect of that curse.

O descendant of the Bharata race, O excellent king, the only one, namely Dyo himself, is to live earth on account of the Rishi's curse.

Vaishampayana said : Having said this, the goddess disappeared then and there. Taking her son with her, she went away to the place she wished to go.

That son of Shantanu was named both Gangeya and Devavrata and he excelled his father in all accomplishments.

Shantanu then went to his own capital with a sorrowful heart. I shall now narrate to you the many accomplishments of Shantanu,

And the great fortune of the illustrious king of the Bharata race, the history of whom is called this effulgent Mahabharata.