King Bharata, the illustrious son of Shakuntala, shone as a sovereign whose generosity and devotion to dharma became legendary. He performed countless Vajapeya and Satra sacrifices, each conducted with meticulous care and reverence, and he delighted the Brahmins with abundant wealth, ensuring that they were honored and satisfied. In his devotion, Bharata once presented the sage Kanva with a thousand lotus-flowers, each crafted from the purest Jambunada gold—a gift of rare beauty and immense value. During his grand rituals, Bharata erected sacrificial posts of astonishing splendor: each one a hundred cubits in circumference, forged entirely of gold, and reaching a thousand cubits into the sky. These posts, raised in the company of Indra and the other gods, gleamed with every kind of gem, creating a scene of radiant delight. His generosity knew no bounds; he gave away gold, elephants, horses, buffaloes, camels, oxen, and cattle in abundance. He also bestowed maidservants and manservants, great stores of wealth and grain, and cows of excellent character with their calves. To Kanva, he granted fertile land marked by a thousand sacrificial posts, rich in gifts and blessings. Bharata’s charity extended even further. He gave wealth to countless Brahmins, men wise as Brahma himself, and performed many more sacrifices. Villages and splendid houses, numbering by the crore, were distributed freely at that time. From Bharata’s deeds arose the enduring fame known as Bharati, and it was he who established the noble Bharata lineage. In his line were born mighty chariot-warriors, heroes whose prowess rivaled the gods. Many among them, foremost of the Kshatriyas, were as wise and powerful as Brahma himself, their names too numerous to recount. Yet, among these countless scions, there were some whose greatness shone above the rest—men of good fortune, godlike in their virtues, steadfast in truth and uprightness. In another ancient and illustrious lineage, that of Ikshvaku, there was a king named Mahabhisha, lord of the earth, renowned for his truthfulness and unwavering adherence to righteousness. Mahabhisha delighted the lord of the gods by performing a thousand Ashvamedha sacrifices and a hundred Rajasuya sacrifices, and by his merit, he ascended to heaven. Once, as the gods gathered to worship Brahma, the royal sages were present, and Mahabhisha was among them. In that celestial assembly, the river goddess Ganga approached the Grandsire, her garments stirred by the wind and shining with the radiance of the moon. At this sight, the hosts of gods respectfully turned their faces away, but Mahabhisha, overcome by her beauty, continued to gaze upon her without hesitation. Displeased by Mahabhisha’s lack of restraint, Brahma spoke: “You shall be born among mortals again, and only after that will you attain the heavenly worlds. Because your mind was captivated by Ganga, she will bring you sorrow when you are born on earth. When anger arises in you, then, by the power of this curse, you will be released from mortal life.” Ganga, too, saw Mahabhisha—radiant as fire, yet fallen from his former courage. She chose his father, King Pratipa, as the object of her desire, and meditated upon him in her heart. Afflicted by sorrow and her form unsettled, she approached the king. As Ganga made her way, she encountered the Vasus, the celestial beings, who appeared to be in a state of distress. She questioned them, “Why are you in this ruined state? Is all well with the gods?” The Vasus replied, “O great river, we have been cursed. Because of a small offense, the great sage Vasistha, angered by our foolishness in concealing him, cursed us all: ‘You shall be born in the wombs of mortals.’ What has been spoken by the knower of Brahman cannot be undone. Become a woman among mortals and bear us, the Vasus, as sons on earth.” The Vasus pleaded, “O auspicious one, we must not enter the wombs of ordinary women. Grant us this boon.” Ganga replied, “So be it.” She then said, “The son of King Pratipa, Shantanu—renowned in the world—will be born among humans, and he will be the agent for your birth.” She agreed to fulfill the Vasus’ wish, promising, “When the sons are born, I will cast them into the waters, so that your release from the curse will not be delayed. We all, lacking discernment, tried to seize Surabhi and were cursed by the sage; therefore, I will quickly free you from that curse. I shall also ensure a son is begotten for Shantanu, so that his union with me is not fruitless. Each of you will give a fourth part of your energy, and with that, your son will be born as he desires. But there will be no further lineage from him among mortals; thus, your son will be powerful, but without offspring.” Meanwhile, King Pratipa, always intent on the welfare of all beings, spent many years on the banks of the Ganga, absorbed in sacred recitation. One day, Ganga herself, adorned with beauty and virtues, assumed the form of a woman and emerged from the waters, radiating divine charm. As the royal sage sat studying, the divine maiden, her face shining with brilliance, approached and sat upon his right thigh, resembling the graceful sala tree. The wise and righteous Pratipa, skilled in speech and knowing the essence of dharma, addressed her: “Blessed one, what may I do for you that is dear to your heart?” Ganga replied, “O king, I desire you; accept me as I seek you. The abandonment of women who are in love is condemned by the virtuous.” But Pratipa answered gently, “O fair one, it is my vow never to approach another’s wife out of desire, nor one of a different class. He who abandons his own wife to seek another woman is not freed from hell until the dissolution of the worlds. I cannot enjoy, approach, or speak to you thus. O king, accept me as one who seeks you—a divine maiden, the best of women.