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Mahabharata -Rajagopalachari
1.DEVAVRATA
I go. I shall not kill this child,
but listen to my story before you judge
me. I, who am constrained to play this
hateful role by the curse of Vasishtha, am
the goddess Ganga, adored of gods and
men. Vasishtha cursed the eight Vasus to
be born in the world of men, and moved
by their supplications said, I was to be
their mother. I bore them to you, and well
is it for you that it was so. For you will go
to higher regions for this service you have
done to the eight Vasus. I shall bring up
this last child of yours for some time and
then return it to you as my gift."
After saying these words the goddess
disappeared with the child. It was this
child who later became famous as
Bhishma. This was how the Vasus came
to incur Vasishtha's curse. They went for a
holiday with their wives to a mountain
tract where stood the hermitage of
Vasishtha: One of them saw Vasishtha's
cow, Nandini, grazing there.
Its divinely beautiful form attracted him
and he pointed it out to the ladies. They
were all loud in praise of the graceful
animal, and one of them requested her
husband to secure it for her.
He replied: "What need have we, the
devas, for the milk of cows? This cow
belongs to the sage Vasishtha who is the
master of the whole place. Man will
certainly become immortal by drinking its
milk. But this is no gain to us, who are
already immortal. Is it worth our while
incurring Vasishtha's wrath merely to
satisfy a whim?"
But she was not thus to be put off. "I have
a dear companion in the mortal world. It is
for her sake that I make this request.
Before Vasishtha returns we shall have
escaped with the cow. You must certainly
do this for my sake, for it is my dearest
wish." Finally her husband yielded. All
the Vasus joined together and took the
cow and its calf away with them.
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