by sorrow.  In the midst of her lamentations, she addressed the Kurus, ’Ye sinless ones, listen to me as I say unto you all that occurred (with respect to my son).  Possessed of royal conduct and disposition, and endued with wisdom and high birth, my son was the benefactor of all the seniors of his race.  He was devoted to his sire and was of high vows.  He could not be vanquished by even Rama of Jamadagni’s race with his celestial weapons of great energy.  Alas, that hero has been slain by Sikhandin.  Ye kings, without doubt, my heart is made of adamant, for it does not break even at the disappearance of that son from my sight!  At the Self choice at Kasi, he vanquished on a single car the assembled Kshatriyas and ravished the three princesses (for his step-brother Vichitravirya)!  There was no one on earth that equalled him in might.  Alas, my heart does not break upon hearing the slaughter of that son of mine by Sikhandin!’ The puissant Krishna, hearing the goddess of the great river indulging in these lamentations consoled her with many soothing words.  Krishna said, ’O amiable one, be comforted.  Do not yield to grief, O thou of beautiful features!  Without doubt, thy son has gone to the highest region of felicity!  He was one of the Vasus of great energy.  Through a curse, O thou of beautiful features, he had to take birth among men.  It behoveth thee not to grieve for him.  Agreeably to Kshatriya duties, he was slain by Dhananjaya on the field of battle while engaged in battle.  He has not been slain, O goddess, by Sikhandin.  The very chief of the celestials himself could not slay Bhishma in battle when he stood with stretched bow in hand.  O thou of beautiful face, thy son has, in felicity, gone to heaven.  All the gods assembled together could not slay him in battle.  Do not, therefore, O goddess Ganga, grieve for that son of Kuru’s race.  He was one of the Vasus, O goddess!  Thy son has gone to heaven.  Let the fever of thy heart be dispelled.’

“Vaisampayana continued, ’That foremost of all rivers, thus addressed by Krishna and Vyasa, cast off her grief, O great king, and became restored to equanimity.  All the kings there present, headed by Krishna, O monarch, having honoured that goddess duly, received her permission to depart from her banks.’”

The end of Anusasana Parva.

FOOTNOTES

1.  The commentator explains this passage by the illustration that in the act of felling a tree the effect is produced by the intermediate act of raising the axe by some sentient agent, but that in the case of the burning of a forest, the fire is produced by the friction of the dry branches of trees without the intervention of any sentient agent.

2.  Even as the wind indicates the dry twigs to ignite,’ adds the commentator.

3.  Literally, the releaser from bonds.

4.  Refers to the curse pronounced on Viswamitra by the son of Vasishtha, when the former acted as the priest of Trisanku.  The curse was that Viswamitra would partake of canine flesh by officiating as the priest of one who himself was the partaker of such flesh.  It is said that at a time of great scarcity, Viswamitra was obliged to resort to dog’s flesh for food, and that as he was about to cook it, Indra pounced upon it and took it away.