Blest be thou; I leave thee, O king I But rear thou this child of rigid vows. That I should live with thee, so long was the promise I gave to the Vasus. And let this child be called Gangadatta !" !
Thus ends the ninety-eighth section in the Sambhava Parva of the Adi Parva.
SECTION XCIX
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Santanu asked, What was the fault of the Vasus and who was Apava, through whose curse the Vasus had to born among men ? What also hath, this child of thine, Gangadatta, done for which he shall have to live among men ? Why also were the Vasus, the lords of the three worlds, condemned to be born amongst men ? O daughter of Janhu, tell me all'”
Vaisampayana continued,,"Thus addressed, the celestial daughter of Janhu, Ganga, then replied unto the monarch, her husband, that bull amongst men, saying.--'O best of Bharata's race, he who was obtained as son by Varuna was called Vasishtha, the Muni who afterwards came to be known as Apava. He had his asylum on the breast of the king of mountains called Meru. The spot was sacred and abounded with birds and beasts. And there bloomed at all times of the year flowers of every season. And O best of Bharata's race, that foremost of virtuous men, the son of Varuna, practised his ascetic penances in those woods abounding with sweet roots and water.
"Daksha had a daughter known by the name of Surabhi, who, O bull of Bharata's race, for benefiting the world, brought forth, by her connection with Kasyapa, a daughter (Nandini) in the form of a cow. That foremost of all kine, Nandini, was the cow of plenty (capable of granting every desire). The virtuous son of Varuna obtained Nandini for his Homa rites. And Nandini, dwelling in that hermitage which was adored by Munis, roamed about fearlessly in those sacred and delightful woods.
"One day. O bull of Bharata's race, there came into those woods adored by the gods and celestial Rishis, the Vasus with Prithu at their head. And wandering there with their wives, they enjoyed themselves in those delightful woods and mountains. And as they wandered there, the slender-waisted wife of one of the Vasus, Othou of the prowess of Indra, saw in those woods Nandini, the cow of plenty. And seeing that cow possessing the wealth of all accomplishments, large eyes, full udders, fine tail, beautiful hoofs, and every other auspicious, sign, and yielding much milk, she showed the animal to her husband Dyau.
