athed in
her waters, and calling the goddess of that stream, they uttered these
terrible words having the sanction of Bhagirathi herself,
viz.,--'Santanu's son Bhishma has been slain by Dhananjaya. Verily, O
goddess, Bhishma then was engaged with another, and had ceased to fight.
For this fault we shall today denounce a curse on Dhananjaya.'--To this,
the goddess Ganga readily assented, saying,--'Be it so!'--Hearing these
words I became very much afflicted and penetrating into the nether
regions represented everything to my sire. Informed of what had happened,
my sire became plunged in grief. Repairing to the Vasus, he solicited
them for thy sake, repeatedly gratifying them by every means in his
power. They then said unto him, 'Dhananjaya has a highly blessed son who,
endued with youth, is the ruler of Manipura. He will, standing on the
field of battle, cast Dhananjaya down on the Earth. When this will
happen, O prince of snakes, Arjuna will be freed from our curse. Do thou
go back.'--Thus addressed by the Vasus, he came back and informed me of
what had happened. Having learnt all this, O hero, I have freed thee from
the curse of the Vasus even in this way. The chief of the deities himself
is incapable of vanquishing thee in battle. The son is one's own self. It
is for this that thou hast been vanquished by him. I cannot be held, O
puissant one, to have committed any fault. How, indeed, wouldst thou hold
me censurable?"--Thus addressed (by Ulupi), Vijaya became cheerful of
heart and said unto her, "All this that thou hast done, O goddess, is
highly agreeable to me." After this, Jaya addressed his son, the ruler of
Manipura, and said unto him in the hearing of Chitrangada, the daughter
(-in-law) of Kuru's house, "the Horse-sacrifice of Yudhishthira will take
place on the day of full moon in the coming month of Chaitra. Come there,
O king, with thy mother and thy counsellors and officers." Thus addressed
by Partha, king Vabhruvahana of great intelligence, with tearful eyes,
said these words to his sire, "O thou that art conversant with every
duty, I shall certainly repair, at thy command, to the great
Horse-sacrifice, and take upon myself the task of distributing food among
the regenerate ones. For, however, showing thy grace towards me, thou
enter thy own city with thy two wives. Let no scruple be thine as
regards this, O thou that art fully acquainted with every duty. O lord,
having lived for one night in thy own mansion