वैशम्पायन उवाच इक्ष्वाकुवंशप्रभवो राजाऽऽसीत् पृथिवीपतिः। महाभिष इति ख्यातः सत्यवाक् सत्यविक्रमः॥ सोऽश्वमेधसहस्रेण राजसूयशतेन च। तोषयामास देवेशं स्वर्ग लेभे ततः प्रभुः॥
Vaishampayana said: There was bom a king in the race of Ikshvaku and he was known by the name of Mahabhisha. He, a man, a lord of the world, was truthful and was truly powerful. By performing one thousand Ashvamedha and one hundred Rajasuya sacrifices, he pleased the lord of the celestials. Then he ascended to heaven.
ततः कदाचिद् ब्रह्माणमुपासांचक्रिरे सुराः। तत्र राजर्षयो ह्यासन् स च राजा महाभिषः॥
Once upon a time, the celestials were one day worshipping Brahma. Many royal sages and king Mahabhisha were also present there.
अथ गङ्गा सरिच्छेष्ठा समुपायात् पितामहम्। तस्या वासः समुद्भूतं मारुतेन शशिप्रभम्॥
The queen of the rivers, Ganga also came there to pay her adorations to the Grandsire. Her garments, as white as the moon, were blown away by the winds.
ततोऽभवन् सुरगणाः सहसावाङ्मुखास्तदा। महाभिषस्तु राजर्षिरशङ्को दृष्टवान् नदीम्॥
As her person thus became exposed, the celestials bent down their heads, but the royal sage Mahabhisha rudely continued to stare at her.
सोऽपध्यातो भगवता ब्रह्मणा तु महाभिषः। उक्तश्च जातो मत्र्येषु पुनर्लोकानवाप्स्यसि॥
For this (ude act), Mahabhisha was cursed by Brahma . He said, "You will be born on earth and you shall then again attain to these regions."
ययाऽऽहत्तमनाश्चासि गङ्गया त्वं हि दुर्मते। सा ते वै मानुषे लोके विप्रियाण्याचरिष्यति॥ यदा ते भविता मन्युस्तदा शापाद् विमोक्ष्यसे।
"When you anger on Ganga, than you also free from his curse."
वैशम्पायन उवाच स चिन्तयित्वा नृपतिर्नुपानन्यांस्तपोधनान्॥ प्रतीपं रोचयामास पितरं भूरितेजसम्। महाभिषं तु तं दृष्ट्वा नदी धैर्याच्च्युतं नृपम्॥ तमेव मनसा ध्यायन्त्युपावर्तत् सरिद्वरा। सा तु विध्वस्तवपुषः कश्मलाभिहतान् नृप।॥ ददर्श पथि गच्छन्ती वसून् देवान् दिवौकसः। तथारूपांश्च तान् दृष्ट्वा पप्रच्छ सरितां वरा॥
The king (Mahabhisha) then remembered all the monarchs and ascetics on earth and wished to be born as the son of the greatly powerful Pratipa. The best of the rivers, (Ganga) seeing the king Mahabhisha lose his firmness, went away thinking him in her mind. She saw on her way those dwellers of heaven, the Vasus, who were dejected and who had lost heaven.
किमिदं नष्टरूपाः स्थ कचित् क्षेमं दिवौकसाम्। तामूचुर्वसवो देवाः शप्ताः स्मो वै महानदि॥ अल्पेऽपराधे संरम्भाद् वसिष्ठेन महात्मना। विमूढा हि वयं सर्वे प्रच्छन्नमृषिसत्तमम्॥ संध्यां वप्तिष्ठमासीनं तमत्यभिसृताः पुरा। तेन कोपाद् वयं शप्ता योनौ सम्भवतेति ह॥
The best of rivers, seeing them in that state them, "O dwellers of heaven, why do you look dejected? Is every thing all right with you?" The celestial Vasus replied to her, “O great river, we have been cursed for our little fault by the illustrious Vasistha in anger. Vasishtha was engaged in his Sandhya (twilight worship); that best of Rishis was not seen by us. We in our ignorance crossed him. Therefore, he cursed us in anger, saying, 'Be born as men.'
न निवर्तयितुं शक्यं यदुक्तं ब्रह्मवादिना। त्वमस्मान् मानुषी भूत्वा सृज पुत्रान् वसून् भुवि॥१५
We are not able to frustrate what has been said by that Brahma-knowing Rishi. Kindly make us, the Vasus, your sons by becoming a woman on earth.
न मानुषीणां जठरं प्रविशेम वयं शुभे। इत्युक्ता तैश्च वसुभिस्तथेत्युक्त्वाब्रवीदिदम्॥
O amiable one, we are unwilling to enter the womb of any human female.” Having been thus addressed she said :
गङ्गोवाच मर्येषु पुरुषश्रेष्ठः को वः कर्ता भविष्यति।
Ganga said : Who is that best of men who will be your father?
वसव ऊचुः प्रतीपस्य सुतो राजा शान्तनुर्लोकविश्रुतः। भविता मानुषे लोके स नः कर्ता भविष्यति॥
The Vasus said : There will be born on earth a son to Pratipa who will be a greatly famous king. He will be our father on earth.
गङ्गोवाच ममाप्येवं मतं देवा यथा मां वदतानघाः। प्रियं तस्य करिष्यामि युष्माकं चैतदीप्सितम्॥
Ganga said: O celestials, this is also my wish which you sinless ones have expressed. I shall do the favourite works of that king. It is also your wish as just expressed.
वसव ऊचुः जातान् कुमारान् स्वानप्सु प्रक्षेप्तुं वै त्वमर्हसि। यथा न चिरकालं नो निष्कृतिं स्यात् त्रिलोकगे॥
The Vasus said : O lady of three courses (celestial, terrestrial and subterranean), you should throw your children into water just after their birth, so that we may not have to live for long on earth.
गङ्गोवाच एवमेतत् करिष्यामि पुत्रस्तस्य विधीयताम्। नास्य मोघः संगमः स्यात् पुत्रहेतोर्मया सह॥
Ganga 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.
वसव ऊचुः तुरीयार्धं प्रदास्यामो वीर्यस्यैकैकशो वयम्। तेन वीर्येण पुत्रस्ते भविता तस्य चेप्सितः॥
The Vasus said : We shall each give one eighth part of our respective energies and from it a son will be born to you who will live according to your and his wishes.
न सम्पत्स्यति मत्र्येषु पुनस्तस्य तु संततिः। तस्मादपुत्रः पुत्रस्ते भविष्यति स वीर्यवान्॥
But this son will not beget any children on earth. Therefore, your that powerful son will be childless.
एवं ते समयं कृत्वा गङ्गया वसवः सह। जग्मुः संहृष्टमनसो यथासंकल्पमञ्जसा॥
The Vasus making this arrangement with Ganga, went away in delight to the place where they lived.