An Index to the Names in the Mahabharata, with Short Explanations and a Concordance to the Bombay and Calcutta Editions and P. C. Roy's Translation c5.s1.498

c5.s1.498

Apavopākhyāna ("episode relating to Apava, i.e. Vasishṭha"). § 164 (cf. Bhīshmotp.): Gaṅgā fully related to Çantanu the reason why the Brahmarshi Vasishṭha (or Apava), the son of Varuṇa, had cursed the Vasus. When the Vasus, Pṛthu (or Dhara), etc., were wandering with their wives in the wood near Vasishṭha's hermitage, frequented by the devarshis, Dyaus was prevailed upon by his wife (assisted by his brothers), in the interest of her friend Jitavatī, daughter of Uçinara, to steal Vasishṭha's homadhenu [Nandinī] (daughter of Kaçyapa and Surabhi, the daughter of Daksha), by drinking whose milk one could remain in unchanged youth for 1,000 years. Vasishṭha, however, was prevailed upon to let among them Dyaus alone (who was to be conversant with all çastras, etc.) dwell on earth for a long time without marrying. Then Gaṅgā, taking with her the child (Gāṅgeya or Devavrata, i.e. Bhīshma), went away, and Çantanu returned to his capital—"I shall now recount the virtues of the Bhārata Çantanu, whose splendid story is called the Mahābhārata" (I, 99). (For continuation v. Satyavatīlabhop.)