When the maiden spoke thus, O best of the Bharatas, Shantanu was filled with incomparable joy, for he had obtained that foremost of women. Having pledged to her, “So be it,” the lord of men placed the lady upon his chariot, and together they departed. She approached Shantanu like a goddess of fortune herself, and the king, master of his desires, enjoyed her company as he wished. Mindful of the condition she had set, Shantanu never questioned her; he was wholly pleased by her conduct, character, beauty, and noble qualities. Through her attentiveness and private affection, the lord of the earth was deeply satisfied, cherished above all by his beloved. That goddess Ganga, the threefold-flowing river, had assumed a human form—radiant and beautiful—and appeared before him as his wife. Thus, Ganga, equal in splendor to the lord of the gods, became the wife of Shantanu, lion among kings, joined to him by fortune and desire. With union, affection, skill, and enchanting smiles, she delighted the king as only a master could be pleased. So absorbed was Shantanu in her company that he did not notice the passing of years, seasons, or months. Having obtained that best of women, he enjoyed pleasures both human and divine. In due season, the goddess conceived a divine child, and over time, she bore eight sons, each one resembling the immortals. But, O Bharata, as each son was born, Ganga seized the newborn by the throat and cast him into the river, sending him to the abode of Yama. While she would say, “I please you,” as she submerged the child in the Ganga’s stream, this was far from pleasing to King Shantanu. Yet, out of fear of losing her, the king remained silent, pondering the origin of this terrible act. Remembering her father’s words, Ganga did not seek her husband’s permission for what she did to her sons. For seven years, she slew both those born and those yet unborn—seven sons in all. Because of his steadfast commitment to righteousness, Shantanu never questioned her. But when she sought to kill the eighth son, the king’s resolve was finally shaken. As the eighth son was born, Ganga appeared to smile, and Shantanu, tormented by grief and longing to save his child, spoke to her at last. Seeing her about to seize the infant, Shantanu, the joy of the Kurus and best of the Bharatas, overwhelmed by sorrow, cried out, “Do not kill him! Whose are you? Why do you destroy your sons? Killing one’s own child is a great and terrible sin, and you have incurred severe blame. Desiring a son, I do not kill your child, O best of those with sons. My obligation to you is fulfilled, just as this old garment of mine is worn out.” Then Ganga revealed her true self: “I am Ganga, daughter of Jahnu, attended by great sages. For the sake of fulfilling a divine purpose, I have dwelt with you. These eight Vasus, great and mighty gods, have, due to Vasistha’s curse, taken birth as humans. No one but you could be their father on earth, and no woman but me could be their mother in this world. Therefore, for the sake of bearing them, I took human form; having given birth to the eight Vasus, you have gained imperishable worlds. This was the agreement I made with the Vasus: ‘Each one born, I will release from human birth.’ Thus, by the curse of the great soul Apava, they are freed. Farewell to you; I will go. Protect this son, who is devoted to great vows. This son of yours, born from their energy, O joy of the lineage, will accomplish extraordinary deeds—of this there is no doubt.” Now, hear of all the virtues of Shantanu: self-control, generosity, patience, wisdom, modesty, steadfastness, and supreme brilliance—these qualities always shone forth in the great-souled Shantanu, foremost among men. Endowed with such virtues, skilled in righteousness and wealth, he was the protector of the Bharata lineage and of all people. He had a conch-like neck, broad shoulders, the strength of a maddened elephant, and was adorned with all the marks of royalty and prosperity. Observing his ever-glorious conduct, people always concluded that for him, righteousness was supreme over desire and wealth. Thus was the great-souled Shantanu, O best of the Bharatas; in righteousness, no other king equaled him. Abiding in righteousness, foremost among all upholders of duty, the kings anointed him, protector of the earth, as sovereign over the kingdom. Freed from sorrow, fear, and affliction, waking from sleep in happiness, the kings accepted him as their lord, the protector of the Bharatas. Because of his fame and energy, equal to Indra, those kings—devoted to sacrifice, charity, and righteous acts—flourished under his rule. When the world was protected by kings led by Shantanu, the highest righteousness prevailed among all classes, through strict observance. The Brahmins served the Kshatriyas, the people followed the Kshatriyas, and the Shudras, devoted to Brahmins and Kshatriyas, served the people. Dwelling in the delightful city of Hastinapura, at the heart of the Kurus, Shantanu ruled the earth extending to the ocean’s edge. He was like the king of the gods, wise in righteousness, truthful in speech, upright, and endowed with supreme prosperity through charity, righteousness, and ascetic practice. Free from attachment and aversion, pleasing to behold like the moon, radiant like the sun, swift as the wind, terrible in anger like Death, and patient as the earth—such was Shantanu, the great king of the Bharatas.