युधिष्ठिर उवाच यदा भगवतोऽत्यर्थमासीद् राजा महान् वसुः। किमर्थं स परिभ्रष्टो विवेश विवरं भुवः॥
Yudhishthira said When the great king Vasu was so wholly devoted to Narayana, why then did he drop down from heaven and why again had he to sink beneath the surface of Earth?
भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। ऋषीणां चैव संवादं त्रिदशानां च भारत॥
Regarding it is cited an old discourse, O Bharata, between the Rishis and the gods.
अजेन यष्टव्यमिति प्राहुर्देवा द्विजोत्तमान्। स च च्छागोऽप्यजो ज्ञेयो नान्यः पशुरिति स्थितिः॥
Once on a time, addressing many foremost of Brahmanas the gods said to them that sacrifices should be performed by offering up Ajas as victims. The word Aja means the goat and no other animal.
ऋषय ऊचुः बीजैर्यज्ञेषु यष्टव्यमिति वै वैदिकी श्रुतिः। अजसंज्ञानि बीजानि च्छागं नो हन्तुमर्हथ॥
The Rishis said The Veda declares that in sacrifices the offerings should consist of seeds. Seeds are called Ajas. You should not kill goats.
नैष धर्मः सतां देवा यत्र वध्येत वै पशुः। इदं कृतयुगं श्रेष्ठं कथं वध्येत वै पशुः॥
O gods, that cannot be the religion of good and pious people in which the destruction of animals is sanctioned. This, again, is the golden age. How can animals be killed in this epoch of righteousness?
भीष्म उवाच तेषां संवदतामेवमृषीणां विबुधैः सह। मार्गागतो नृपश्रेष्ठस्तं देशं प्राप्तवान् वसुः॥ अन्तरिक्षचरः श्रीमान् समग्रबलवाहनः।
Bhishma said While this conversation was going on between the Rishis and the gods, that foremost of kings, viz., Vasu, was seen to come that way. Gifted with great prosperity, the king was coming through the sky, accompanied by his troops and vehicles and animals.
तं दृष्ट्वा सहसाऽऽयान्तं वसुं ते त्वन्तरिक्षगम्॥ ऊचुर्द्विजातयो देवानेष च्छेत्स्यति संशयम्।
Seeing king Vasu coming there through the skies, the Brahmanas addressing the gods, said,-This one will dispell our doubts.
यज्वा दानपतिः श्रेष्ठः सर्वभूतहितप्रियः॥ कथंस्विदन्यथा ब्रूयादेष वाक्यं महान् वसुः।
He celebrates sacrifices. He is liberal in making gifts. He always seeks the well being of all creatures. How, indeed, will the great Vasu speak otherwise.
एवं ते संविदं कृत्वा विबुधा ऋषयस्तथा॥ अपृच्छन् सहिताभ्येत्य वसु राजानमन्तिकात्।
Having thus spoken each other, the gods and the Rishis quickly approached king Vasu and asked him, saying,-0 king, with what should one celebrate sacrifices?
भो राजन् केन यष्टव्यमजेनाहोस्विदौषधैः॥ एतन्नः संशयं छिन्धि प्रमाणं नो भवान् मतः।
Should one sacrifice with the goat or with herbs and plants? Do you remove this doubt of ours! We select you as our judge in this matter.
स तान् कृताञ्जलिर्भूत्वा परिपप्रच्छ वै वसुः॥ कस्य वै को मतः कामो ब्रूत सत्यं द्विजोत्तमाः।
Thus accosted by them, Vasu joined his hands in humility and said to them,-Tell me truly, ye foremost of Brahmanas, what opinion is held by you individually in this matter?
ऋषय ऊचुः धान्यैर्यष्टव्यमित्येव पक्षोऽस्माकं नराधिप।।१२। देवानां तु पशुः पक्षो मतो राजन् वदस्व नः।
The Rishis said The opinion held by us, O king, is that sacrifices should be celebrated with grain! The gods, however, hold that sacrifices should be celebrated with animals. Do you judge between us and tell us which of these opinions is correct.
भीष्म उवाच देवानां तु मतं ज्ञात्वा वसुना पक्षसंश्रयात्॥ छागेनाजेन यष्टव्यमेवमुक्तं वचस्तदा।
Bhishma said Learning the opinion of the gods, Vasu, moved by partiality for them, said that sacrifices should be celebrated with animals.
कुपितास्ते ततः सर्वे मुनयः सूर्यवर्चसः॥ ऊचुर्वसुं विमानस्थं देवपक्षार्थवादिनम्। सुरपक्षो गृहीतस्ते यस्मात् तस्माद् दिवः पत॥ अद्यप्रभृति ते राजन्नाकाशे विहता गतिः। असाच्छापाभिघातेन महीं भित्त्वा प्रवेक्ष्यसि॥ (विरुद्धं वेदसूत्राणामुक्तं यदि भवेन्नृप। वयं विरुद्धवचना यदि तत्र पतामहे।।)
At this answer, all the Rishis, effulgent like the Sun, became very angry. Addressing Vasu who was seated on his car and who had supported the deities, they said to him,-Since you have unfairly sided with the gods, do you fall down from heaven! From this day, O king, you shall lose the power of passing through the sky! Through our curse, you shall sink deep below the surface of the Earth.
ततस्तस्मिन् मुहूर्तेऽथ राजोपरिचरस्तदा। अधो वै सम्बभूवाशु भूमेर्विवरगो नृप॥
After the Rishis had said these words, king Uparichara immediately dropped down, O king, and went down a hole in the Earth. At the command, however,. of Narayana, Vasu's memory did not leave him.
स्मृतिस्त्वेनं न हि जहौ तदा नारायणाज्ञया। देवास्तु सहिताः सर्वे वसोः शापविमोक्षणम्॥
To the good fortune of Vasu, the gods, pained at the curse imprecated on him by the Brahmanas, began to think anxiously as to how that curse might be removed.
चिन्तयामासुरव्यग्राः सुकृतं हि नृपस्य तत्। अनेनास्मत्कृते राज्ञा शापः प्राप्तो महात्मना॥
They said, This great king has been cursed for our sake. We, dwellers of heaven, should unite together for doing what is good to him in return for what he has done to us.
अस्य प्रतिप्रियं कार्यं सहितै! दिवौकसः। इति बुद्ध्या व्यवस्याशु गत्वा निश्चयमीश्वराः॥ ऊचुः संहष्टमनसो राजोपरिचरं तदा। ब्रह्मण्यदेवभक्तस्त्वं सुरासुरगुरुर्हरिः॥ कामं स तव तुष्टात्मा कुर्याच्छापविमोक्षणम्।
Having speedily determined this in their minds with the help of reflection, the gods went where king Uparichara was. Arrived before him, they addressed his, saying,-You are devoted to the great God of the Brahmanas (viz., Narayana)! That great Lord of both the gods and the Asuras, pleased with you, will save you from the curse that has been imprecated upon you.
मानना तु द्विजातीनां कर्तव्या वै महात्मनाम्॥ अवश्यं तपसा तेषां फलितव्यं नृपोत्तम।
It is proper, however, that the great Brahmanas should be honoured. Verily, O best of kings, their penances should bear fruits.
यतस्त्वं सहसा भ्रष्ट आकाशान्मेदिनीतलम्॥ एकं त्वनुग्रहं तुभ्यं दद्मो वै दद्मो वै नृपसत्तमा यावत् त्वं शापदोषेण कालमासिष्यसेऽनघ।॥
Indeed, you have already fallen down from the sky on the Earth! We wish, however, O best of kings, to show you a favour. As long as you, O sinless one, will live in this hole, so long you will receive (due sustenance).
भूमेर्विवरगो भूत्वा तावत् त्वं कालमाप्स्यसि। यज्ञेषु सुहुतां विप्रैर्वसोर्धारां समाहितैः॥ प्राप्स्यसेऽस्मदनुध्यानान्मा च त्वां ग्लानिरस्पृशत्।
You will get those streaks of clarified butter which Brahmanas with concentrated minds pour in sacrifices along with sacred Mantras, and which are called by the name of Vasudhara! Indeed, weakness or distress shall hot affect you.
न क्षुत्पिपासे राजेन्द्र भूमेश्छिद्रे भविष्यतः॥ वसोर्धाराभिपीतत्वात् तेजसाऽऽप्यायितेन च। स देवोऽस्मद्वरात् प्रीतो ब्रह्मलोकं हि नेष्यति॥
While living, O king of kings, in the hole of the Earth, neither hunger nor thirst shall assail you for you will drink those streaks of clarified butter called Vasudhara. Your energy also shall continue unabated. By virtue of this our boon that we grant you, the God of gods, viz., Narayana, will be pleased with you, and He will take you hence to the region of Brahman.
एवं दत्त्वा वरं राज्ञे सर्वे ते च दिवौकसः। गताः स्वभवनं देवा ऋषयश्च तपोधनाः॥
Having granted these boons to the king, the dwellers of heaven, as also all those Rishis having penances for wealth, returned each to his respective place.
चक्रे वसुस्ततः पूजां विष्वक्सेनाय भारत। जप्यं जगौ च सततं नारायणमुखोद्गतम्॥
Then Vasu, O Bharata, began to worship the Creator of the universe and to recite silently those sacred Mantras that had come out of Narayana's mouth in days of yore.
तत्रापि पञ्चभिर्यज्ञैः पञ्चकालानरिंदम। अयजद्धरिं सुरपतिं भूमेर्विवरगोऽपि सन्॥
Although living in a pit of the Earth, the king still adored Hari, the Lord of all the gods in the well-known five-sacrifices that are celebrating five times every day, O destroyer of enemies.
ततोऽस्य तुष्टो भगवान् भक्त्या नारायणो हरिः। अनन्यभक्तस्य सतस्तत्परस्य जितात्मनः॥
On account of these adorations of his, Narayana, otherwise called Hari, became highly gratified with him who thus showed himself to be entirely devoted to Him. Who entirely depended upon Him as his sole refuge, and who had completely mastered his senses.
वरदो भगवान् विष्णुः समीपस्थं द्विजोत्तमम्। गरुत्मन्तं महावेगमाबभाषेप्सितं तदा॥
The illustrious Vishnu, that giver of boons, then addressed the fleet Garuda, that foremost of birds, who waited upon Him as his servant, and said these desirable words.
द्विजोत्तम महाभाग पश्यतां वचनान्मम। सम्राट् राजा वसुर्नाम धर्मात्मा संशितव्रतः॥ ब्राह्मणानां प्रकोपेन प्रविष्टो वसुधातलम्।
O foremost of birds, O you who are highly blessed, listen to what I say. There is a great king named Vasu who is of righteous soul and rigid vows! Through the anger of the Brahmanas, he has dropped into a pit of the Earth.
मानितास्ते तु विप्रेन्द्रास्त्वं तु गच्छ द्विजोत्तम॥
The Brahmanas have been sufficiently honoured. Do you go to that king now.
भूमेर्विवरसंगुप्तं गरुडेह ममाज्ञया। अधश्चरं नृपश्रेष्ठं खेचरं कुरु मा चिरम्॥
At my behest, O Garuda, go to that foremost of kings, viz., Uparichara, who is now living in a hole of the Earth and incapable of any longer passing through the sky, and bring him up forthwith into the sky.
गरुत्मानथ विक्षिप्य पक्षौ मारुतवेगवान्। विवेश विवरं भूमेर्यत्रास्ते पार्थिवो वसुः॥
Hearing these words of Vishnu, Garuda, spreading his wings and going with the speed of the wind, entered that pit in the Earth in which king Vasu was residing.
तत एनं समुत्क्षिप्य सहसा विनतासुतः। उत्पपात नभस्तूर्णं तत्र चैनममुञ्चत॥
All on a sudden taking the king up, the son of Vinata soared into the sky and there released the king from his beaks.
अस्मिन् मुहूर्ते संजज्ञे राजोपरिचरः पुनः। सशरीरो गतश्चैव ब्रह्मलोकं नृपोत्तमः॥
At that moment, king Uparichara once more acquired his divine form and re-entered the region of Brahman.
एवं तेनापि कौन्तेय वाग्दोषाद् देवताज्ञया। प्राप्ता गतिरवस्तात् तु द्विजशापान्महात्मना॥
It was the way, O son of Kunti, that that great king first dropped down through the curse of the Brahmanas for a faulty speech, and once more got up to heaven at the behest of the great God (Vishnu).
केवलं पुरुषस्तेन सेवितो हरिरीश्वरः। ततः शीघ्रं जहौ शापं ब्रह्मलोकमवाप च॥
Only the powerful Lord Hari, that foremost of all Beings, was devoutly adored by him. It was for this devout worship that the king succeeded very soon in freeing himself from the curse imprecated upon him by the Brahmanas and in regaining the blessed regions of Brahman.
भीष्म उवाच एतत् ते सर्वमाख्यातं सम्भूता मानवा यथा। नारदोऽपि यथा श्वेतं द्वीपं स गतवानृषिः। तत् ते सर्वं प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणुष्वैकमना नृप।॥
Bhishma said I have thus told you everything regarding the origin of the spiritual sons of Brahman. Listen to me with rapt attention, for I shall now describe to you how the celestial Rishi Narada had proceeded in days of yore to White Island."