Critical Edition
वैशंपायन उवाच इक्ष्वाकुवंशप्रभवो राजासीत्पृथिवीपतिः महाभिष इति ख्यातः सत्यवाक्सत्यविक्रमः
AI Translation: Vaishmapayana said There was a king named Mahaabhiṣa, born in the Ikṣvāku dynasty, a lord of the earth, known for his truthfulness and valor.
सोऽश्वमेधसहस्रेण वाजपेयशतेन च तोषयामास देवेन्द्रं स्वर्गं लेभे ततः प्रभुः
AI Translation: He satisfied Indra with a thousand horse sacrifices and a hundred Vajapeya sacrifices, and then the lord attained heaven.
Supplementary Passages:
1.91.2 After 2, T2 G (except G3.6) ins.: *910 यौवनं चानुसंप्राप्तं कुमारं वदतां वरम् संस्मरंश्चाक्षयाँल्लोकान्विदितांश्च स्वकर्मणा
ततः कदाचिद्ब्रह्माणमुपासां चक्रिरे सुराः तत्र राजर्षयो आसन्स च राजा महाभिषः
M. N. Dutt: Once upon a time, the celestials were one day worshipping Brahma. Many royal sages and king Mahabhisha were also present there.
अथ गङ्गा सरिच्छ्रेष्ठा समुपायात्पितामहम् तस्या वासः समुद्धूतं मारुतेन शशिप्रभम्
M. N. Dutt: 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.
ततोऽभवन्सुरगणाः सहसावाङ्मुखास्तदा महाभिषस्तु राजर्षिरशङ्को दृष्टवान्नदीम्
M. N. Dutt: As her person thus became exposed, the celestials bent down their heads, but the royal sage Mahabhisha rudely continued to stare at her.
अपध्यातो भगवता ब्रह्मणा स महाभिषः उक्तश्च जातो मर्त्येषु पुनर्लोकानवाप्स्यसि
M. N. Dutt: 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."
Supplementary Passages:
1.91.6 After 6, D4 (marg. sec. m.) S (D4 G2 om. line 1) ins.: *911 मनुष्येषु चिरं स्थित्वा लोकान्प्राप्स्यसि शोभनान् यया हृतमनाश्चासि गङ्गया त्वं सुदुर्मते सा ते वै मानुषे लोके विप्रियाण्याचरिष्यति यदा ते भविता मन्युस्तदा शापाद्विमोक्ष्यसे
स चिन्तयित्वा नृपतिर्नृपान्सर्वांस्तपोधनान् प्रतीपं रोचयामास पितरं भूरिवर्चसम्
AI Translation: Having thought about it, the king, the lord of the earth, the one with great splendor, approached his father Pratipa, the one with great splendor.
महाभिषं तु तं दृष्ट्वा नदी धैर्याच्च्युतं नृपम् तमेव मनसाध्यायमुपावर्तत्सरिद्वरा
AI Translation: Seeing the king who had lost his courage, the great river Maha-bhisha meditated on him in her mind and turned back.
Supplementary Passages:
1.91.8 After 8, B1 (irrelevantly) ins.: *912 भावं मनसि वै कृत्वा जगाम नृपतिं पतिम्
सा तु विध्वस्तवपुषः कश्मलाभिहतौजसः ददर्श पथि गच्छन्ती वसून्देवान्दिवौकसः
AI Translation: But she, on her way, saw the Vasus, the gods, the dwellers of heaven, whose bodies were shattered and whose energy was struck down by the demons.
तथारूपांश्च तान्दृष्ट्वा पप्रच्छ सरितां वरा किमिदं नष्टरूपाः स्थ कच्चित्क्षेमं दिवौकसाम्
AI Translation: Seeing them in that state, the best of rivers asked them: "What is this? Have you lost your form? Is everything well with the dwellers of heaven?"
Supplementary Passages:
1.91.10 After 10, T2 ins.: *913 सुखानि न प्रसन्नानि विवर्णानि कृतानि किम् while G6 ins.: *914 किमर्थं मनुजा भूमौ निपतिष्यन्ति दुःखिताः
तामूचुर्वसवो देवाः शप्ताः स्मो वै महानदि अल्पेऽपराधे संरम्भाद्वसिष्ठेन महात्मना
AI Translation: The Vasus said to her: "O great river, we have been cursed by the great-souled Vasishtha for a minor offence, out of anger.
विमूढा हि वयं सर्वे प्रच्छन्नमृषिसत्तमम् संध्यां वसिष्ठमासीनं तमत्यभिसृताः पुरा
AI Translation: For we were all deluded, O best of sages, when we approached the sage Vasishtha, who was seated at dusk, in our ignorance.
तेन कोपाद्वयं शप्ता योनौ संभवतेति ह न शक्यमन्यथा कर्तुं यदुक्तं ब्रह्मवादिना
AI Translation: Therefore, they were cursed by him in anger, saying, "You will be born in a womb." What has been said by the speaker of Brahman cannot be done otherwise.
त्वं तस्मान्मानुषी भूत्वा सूष्व पुत्रान्वसून्भुवि न मानुषीणां जठरं प्रविशेमाशुभं वयम्
AI Translation: You, having become a human, give birth to sons, the Vasus, on earth. We should not enter the womb of a human woman.
इत्युक्ता तान्वसून्गङ्गा तथेत्युक्त्वाब्रवीदिदम् मर्त्येषु पुरुषश्रेष्ठः को वः कर्ता भविष्यति
AI Translation: Thus addressed, Ganga said to the Vasus, "So be it," and then said this: "Who among mortals will be your creator, O best of men?"
Supplementary Passages:
1.91.15 After 15, B3 ins.: *915 इत्युक्ता गङ्गया ते च तामूचुर्वसवस्तदा
वसव ऊचुः प्रतीपस्य सुतो राजा शंतनुर्नाम धार्मिकः भविता मानुषे लोके स नः कर्ता भविष्यति
M. N. Dutt: 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 यथावदत मानघाः प्रियं तस्य करिष्यामि युष्माकं चैतदीप्सितम्
M. N. Dutt: 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 जातान्कुमारान्स्वानप्सु प्रक्षेप्तुं वै त्वमर्हसि यथा नचिरकालं नो निष्कृतिः स्यात्त्रिलोकगे
M. N. Dutt: 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 एवमेतत्करिष्यामि पुत्रस्तस्य विधीयताम् नास्य मोघः संगमः स्यात्पुत्रहेतोर्मया सह
M. N. Dutt: 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
M. N. Dutt: 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 संपत्स्यति मर्त्येषु पुनस्तस्य तु संततिः तस्मादपुत्रः पुत्रस्ते भविष्यति स वीर्यवान्
M. N. Dutt: But this son will not beget any children on earth. Therefore, your that powerful son will be childless.
वैशंपायन उवाच एवं ते समयं कृत्वा गङ्गया वसवः सह जग्मुः प्रहृष्टमनसो यथासंकल्पमञ्जसा
M. N. Dutt: The Vasus making this arrangement with Ganga, went away in delight to the place where they lived.
Supplementary Passages:
1.91.22 After 22, B3 ins.: *916 सा तु विध्वस्तवपुषं कश्मलाभिहतं नृप