Gaṅgā becomes Mother for Vasus

 vaiśampāyana uvāca

ikṣvākuvaṁśaprabhavo rājā āsīt pṛthivīpatiḥ
mahābhiṣa iti khyātaḥ satyavāk satyavikramaḥ
so ̍śvamedhasahasreṇa rājasūyaśatena ca
toṣayāmāsa deveśaṁ svargaṁ lebhe tataḥ prabhuḥ

Vaiśampāyana said: There was a king in the race of Ikṣvāku known as Mahābhiṣa. He was truthful and was truly powerful. By performing 1,000 Aśvamedha and 100 Rājasūya sacrifices, he pleased Indra. Then he ascended to heaven.

tataḥ kadācid brāhmāṇamupāsaāṁcakrire surāḥ
tatra rājarṣayo hyāsan sa ca rājā mahābhiṣaḥ

Once upon a time celestials were worshipping Brahmā. Many kings and king Mahābhiṣa were present there.

atha gaṅgā saricchreṣṭhā samupāyāt pitāmaham
tasyā vāsaḥ samuddhṛtaṁ mārutena śaśiprabham

Queen of the rivers, Gaṅgā, also came there to pay her adorations to the Grandsire. Her garments, as white as the moon, were blown away by the wind.

tato ̍bhavan suraṇāḥ sahasāvāṅmukhāstadā
mahābhiṣastu rājarṣiraśaṅko dṛṣṭavān nadīm

As she was thus exposed, celestials bent down their heads, but king Mahābhiṣu rudely continued to stare at her.

so ̍padhyāto bhagavatā brahmaṇā tu mahābhiṣaḥ
uktaśca jāto martyeṣu punarlokānavāpsyasi

For this, Mahābhiṣa was cursed by Brahmā. He said: You will be born on Earth and you will then again attain to these regions.

yayā āhṛtamanāścāsi gaṅgyā tvaṁ hi durmate
sā te mānuṣe loke vipriyāṇyācariṣyati
yadā te bhavitā manyustadā śāpād vimokṣyase

When you anger on Gaṅgā, then you also free from this curse!

vaiśampāyana uvāca
sa cintayitvā nṛpatirnṛpānanyāṁstapodhanān
pratīpaṁ rocayāmāsa pitaraṁ bhūryāccyutaṁ nṛpam
tameva manasā dhyāyantyupāvartat saridvarā
sā tu vidhvastavapuṣaḥ kaśmalābhihatān nṛpa
dadarśa pathi gacchantī vasūn devān divaukasaḥ
tathārūpāṁśca tān dṛṣṭvā papraccha saritāṁ varā

King Mahābhiṣa then remembered all the kings and ascetics on Earth and wished to be born as the son of greatly powerful Pratīpa. The best of rivers, Gaṅgā, seeing king Mahābhiṣa lose his firmness, went away thinking of him in her mind. She saw on her way those dwellers of heaven, Vasus, who were dejected and who had lost heaven.

kimidaṁ naṣṭarūpāḥ stha kaccit kṣemaṁ divaukasām
tāmūcurvasavo devāḥ śaptāḥ smo vai mahānadi
alpe \parādhe saṁrambhād vasiṣṭhena mahātmanā
vimūḍā hi vayaṁ sarve pracchannamṛṣisattamam
saṁdhyāṁ vasiṣṭhamāsīnaṁ tamatyabhisṛtāḥ purā
tena kopād vayaṁ śaptā yonau sambhavateti

The best of rivers, seeing them in that state, she said: O dwellers of heaven! Why do you look dejected? Is everything all right with you?
Vasus replied: O great river! We have been cursed by illustrious Vasiṣṭha in anger.
Vasiṣṭha was engaged in his Sandhya and that best of Ṛṣis was not seen by us. We in our ignorance crossed him. Therefore, he cursed us in anger saying: Be born as men!

na nivartayituṁ śakyaṁ yaduktaṁ brahmavādinā
tvamasmān mānuṣī bhūtvā sṛja putrān vasūn bhuvi

We are not able to frustrate what has been said by that Brahma knowing Ṛṣi. Kindly make us, Vasus, your sons by becoming a woman on the Earth!

na mānuṣīṇāṁ jaṭharaṁ praviśema vayaṁ śubhe
ityuktātaiśca vasubhistathetyuktvābravīdidam

O amiable one! we are unwilling to enter the womb of any human female!
Having been thus addressed, she said:

gaṅgovāca
martye puruṣaśreṣṭhaḥ ko vaḥ kartā bhaviṣyati

Gaṅgā said: Who will be that best of men who will be your father?

vasava ūcuḥ
pratīpasya suto rājā śāntanurlokaviśrutaḥ
bhavitā mānuṣe loke sa naḥ kartā bhaviṣyati

Vasu said: There will be on Earth a son of Pratīpa, who will be a greatly famous king. He will be our father on Earth.

gaṅgovāca
mamāpyevaṁ mataṁ devā yathā māṁ vadatānaghāḥ
priyaṁ tasya kariṣyāmi yuṣmākaṁ caitadīpsitam

Gaṅgā said: O celestials! This is also myy wish which you sinless ones have expressed. I shall do the favourite works of that king. It is also your wish as just expressed.

vasava ūcuḥ
jātān kumārān svānapsu prakṣeptuṁ vai tvamarhasi
yathā na cirakālaṁ no niṣkṛtiṁ syāt trilokage

Vasus said: O lady of 3courses! You should throw your children into the water just after their birth, so that we may not have to live for a long time on Earth.

gaṅgovāca
evametat kariṣyāmi putrastasya vidhīyatām
nāsya moghaḥ saṁgamaḥ syāt putrahetormayā saha

Gaṅgā said: I shall do as you desire, but so that my companionship with him may not be entirely fruitless, do this that one son may live!

vasava ūcuḥ
turīyārdhaṁ pradāsyāmo vīryasyaikaikaśo vayam
tena vīryeṇa putraste bhavitā tasya cepsitaḥ

Vasus said: We will each give one eighth part of our respective energies and from this a son will be born to you who will live according to your and his wishes.

na sampatsyati martyeṣu punastasya saṁtatiḥ
tasmādaputraḥ putraste bhaviṣyati sa vīryavān

But this son will not beget any children on Earth. Therefore, your that powerful son will be chidless.

evaṁ te samayaṁ kṛtvā gaṅgayā vasavaḥ saha
jagmuḥ saṁhṛṣṭamanaso yathāsaṁkalpamañjasā

Vasus making this arrangement with Gaṅgā, went away in delight to the place where they lived.