king Vasu and questioned him, saying,--'O king, with what
should one perform sacrifices? Should one sacrifice with the goat or with
herbs and plants? Do thou dispel this doubt of ours. We constitute thee
our judge in this matter.'--Thus addressed by them, Vasu joined his hands
in humility and said unto them.--'Tell me truly, ye foremost of Brahmanas,
what opinion is entertained by you in this matter?'

"'"The Rishis said, 'The opinion entertained by us, O king, is that
sacrifices should be performed with grain. The deities, however, maintain
that sacrifices should be performed with animals. Do thou judge between
us and tell us which of these opinions is correct.'"

"'Bhishma continued, "Learning what the opinion was that was entertained
by the deities, Vasu, moved by partiality for them, said that sacrifices
should be performed with animals. At this answer, all the Rishis, endued
with the splendour of the Sun, became very angry. Addressing Vasu who was
seated on his car and who had (wrongly) taken up the side of the deities,
they said unto him,--'Since thou hast (wrongly) taken up the side of the
deities, do thou fall down from heaven. From this day, O monarch, thou
shalt lose the power of journeying through the sky. Through our curse,
thou shalt sink deep below the surface of the Earth.' After the Rishis had
said these words, king Uparichara immediately fell down, O monarch, and
went down a hole in Earth. At the command, however, of Narayana, Vasu's
memory did not leave him. To the good fortune of Vasu, the deities,
pained at the curse denounced on him by the Brahmanas, began to think
anxiously as to how that curse might be neutralised. They said, 'This
high-souled king hath been cursed for our sake. We, denizens of heaven,
should unite together for doing what is good to him in return for that
which he has done to us.' Having quickly settled this in their minds with
the aid of reflection, the deities proceeded to the spot where the king
Uparichara was. Arrived at his presence, they addressed him, saying,
'Thou art devoted to the great God of the Brahmanas (viz., Narayana). That
great Lord of both the deities and the Asuras, gratified with thee, will
rescue thee from the curse that has been denounced upon thee. It is
proper, however, that the high-souled Brahmanas should be honoured.
Verily, O best of kings, their penances should fructify.[1813] Indeed,
thou hast already fallen down from the sky on the Earth. We desire,