Shloka 10
Ādi-parva Adhyāya 97: Satyavatī’s appeal and Bhīṣma’s reaffirmation of satya
तमेव मनसा ध्यायन्त्युपावर्तत् सरिद्वरा । सा तु विध्वस्तवपुष: कश्मलाभिहतान् नृप,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! तब राजा महाभिषने अन्य बहुत-से तपस्वी राजाओंका चिन्तन करके महातेजस्वी राजा प्रतीपको ही अपना पिता बनानेके योग्य चुना --उन््हींको पसंद किया। महानदी गंगा राजा महाभिषको धैर्य खोते देख मन-ही-मन उन्हींका चिन्तन करती हुई लौटी। मार्गसे जाती हुई गंगाने वसुदेवताओंको देखा। उनका शरीर स्वर्गसे नीचे गिर रहा था। वे मोहाच्छन्न एवं मलिन दिखायी दे रहे थे। उन्हें इस रूपमें देखकर नदियोंमें श्रेष्ठ गंगाने पूछा--
tam eva manasā dhyāyanty upāvartat saridvarā | sā tu vidhvastavapuṣaḥ kaśmalābhihatān nṛpa |
Vaiśampāyana said: “O king, the river-best, Gaṅgā, keeping him alone in her mind, turned back. On her way she saw the Vasus, their forms shattered as they were falling down from heaven—overwhelmed by delusion and stained by sin.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even divine beings are not beyond the consequences of moral error: when dharma is violated, the result is a fall (kaśmala) and loss of splendor. The verse underscores the Mahābhārata theme that karma operates impartially across human and celestial realms.
Gaṅgā, having mentally fixed her attention on a chosen person, turns back and on the way encounters the Vasus descending from heaven in a degraded condition, afflicted by sin and delusion—setting up her inquiry into their plight and the ensuing episode.