’Trita is performing a sacrifice. We must
go there, ye gods! Endued with great ascetic merit,
if angry, he is competent to create other gods!’
Hearing these words of Brihaspati, all the gods, united
together, repaired to that spot where the sacrifice
of Trita was going on. Having proceeded to that
spot, the gods beheld the high-souled Trita installed
in the performance of his sacrifice. Beholding
that high-souled one resplendent with beauty, the
gods addressed him, saying, ’We have come hither
for our shares (in thy offerings)!’ The Rishi
said unto them, ’Behold me, ye denizens of heaven,
fallen into this terrible well, almost deprived of
my senses!’ Then, Trita, O monarch, duly gave
unto them their shares with proper mantras. The
gods took them and became very glad. Having duly
obtained their allotted shares, the denizens of heaven,
gratified with him, gave him such boons as he desired.
The boon, however, that he solicited was that the
gods should relieve him from his distressful situation
(in the well). He also said, ’Let him that
bathes in this well, have the end that is attained
by persons that have drunk Soma!’ At these words,
O king, the Sarasvati with her waves appeared within
that well. Raised aloft by her, Trita came up
and worshipped the denizens of heaven. The gods
then said unto him ‘Be it as thou wishest!’
All of them, then, O king, went to the place whence
they had come, and Trita, filled with joy, proceeded
to his own abode. Meeting with those two Rishis,
his brothers, he became enraged with them. Possessed
of great ascetic merit, he said certain harsh words
unto them and cursed them, saying, ’Since, moved
by covetousness, you ran away, deserting me, therefore,
you shall become fierce wolves with sharp teeth and
range the forest, cursed by me in consequence of that
sinful act of yours! The offspring also that
you shall have will consist of leopards, and bears
and apes!’ After Trita had said these words,
O monarch, his two brothers were seen to be very soon
transformed into these shapes in consequence of the
words of that truthful sage. Of immeasurable
prowess, Valadeva touched the waters of Udapana.
And he gave away diverse kinds of wealth there and
worshipped many Brahmanas. Beholding Udapana
and applauding it repeatedly, Valadeva next proceeded
to Vinasana which also was on the Sarasvati.”
37
Vaishampayana said, “Then Valadeva, O king, proceeded to Vinasana where the Sarasvati hath become invisible in consequence of her contempt for Sudras and Abhiras. And since the Sarasvati, in consequence of such contempt, is lost at that spot, the Rishis, for that reason, O chief of the Bharatas, always name the place as Vinasana. Having bathed in that tirtha of the Sarasvati, the mighty Baladeva then proceeded to Subhumika, situated on the excellent bank of the same river. There many fair-complexioned Apsaras, of beautiful faces, are always engaged in sports of a pure character without any intermission. The


