सोऽश्वमेधसहस्रेण राजसूयशतेन च। तोषयामास देवेशं स्वर्गं लेभे ततः प्रभुः
He pleased the lord of the gods by performing a thousand Ashvamedha sacrifices and a hundred Rajasuya sacrifices, and thus attained heaven.
ततः कदाचिद्ब्रह्माणमुपासांचक्रिरे सुराः। तत्र राजर्षयो ह्यासन्स च राजा महाभिषक्
Then, once, the gods worshipped Brahma; there were royal sages present, and King Mahabhisha was among them.
अथ गङ्गा सरिच्छ्रेष्ठा समुपायात्पितामहम्। तस्या वासः समुद्धूतं मारुतेन शशिप्रभम्
Then Ganga, the foremost of rivers, approached the Grandsire; her garment, stirred by the wind, shone with the radiance of the moon.
ततोऽभवन्सुरगणाः सहसाऽवाङ्मुखास्तदा। महाभिषक्तु राजर्षिरशङ्को दृष्टवान्नदीम्
At that moment, the hosts of gods turned their faces away, but the royal sage Mahabhisha, unhesitating, gazed upon the river.
सोपध्यातो भगवता ब्रह्मणा तु महाभिषक्। उक्तश्च जातो मर्त्येषु पुनर्लोकानवाप्स्यसि
The blessed Brahma, displeased with Mahabhisha, said: 'You shall be born among mortals again; you will attain the worlds only thereafter.'
यया हृतमनाश्चासि गङ्गया त्वं हि दुर्मते। सा ते वै मानुषे लोके विप्रियाण्याचरिष्यति
'Because your mind was captivated by Ganga, O misguided one, she will cause you sorrow in the world of men.'
यदा ते भविता मन्युस्तदा शापाद्विमोक्ष्यते
'When anger arises in you, then, by the power of the curse, you will be released.'
प्रतीपं रोचयामास पितरं भूरितेजसम्। सा महाभिषजं दृष्ट्वा नदी दैर्याच्च्युतं नृपम्
She, seeing the king Mahabhisha, radiant as fire, and fallen from courage, chose Pratipa, his father, as her desired one.
तमेव मनसा ध्यायन्त्युपावृत्ता सरिद्वरा। सा तु विध्वस्तवपुषः कश्मलाभिहतान्नृप
Meditating upon him in her heart, the best of rivers approached; but she, her form shattered and afflicted by sorrow, saw the king.
ददर्श पथि गच्छन्ती वसून्देवान्दिवौकसः। तथारूपांश्च तान्दृष्ट्वा प्रपच्छ सरितां वरा
As she was going along the path, she saw the Vasus, the gods dwelling in heaven, appearing in such a state; seeing them thus, the best of rivers questioned them.
किमिदं नष्टरूपाः स्थ कच्चित्क्षेमं दिवौकसाम्। तामूचुर्वसवो देवाः शप्ताः स्मो वै महानदि
'Why are you in this ruined state? Is all well with the gods?' The Vasus, the gods, replied to her: 'O great river, we have been cursed.'
अल्पेऽपराधे संरम्भाद्वसिष्ठेन महात्मना। विमूढा हि वयं सर्वे प्रच्छन्नमृषिसत्तमम्
'Because of a small offense, out of anger, the great-souled Vasistha cursed us all, for we had foolishly concealed the best of sages.'
सन्ध्यां वसिष्ठमासीनं तमत्यभिसृताः पुरा। तेन कोपाद्वयं शप्ता योनौ संभवतेति ह
'Long ago, we approached Vasistha, seated at twilight; out of wrath, he cursed us: "You shall be born in the womb of mortals."'
न तच्छक्यं निवर्तयितुं यदुक्तं ब्रह्मवादिना। त्वमस्मान्मानुषी भूत्वा सूष्व पुत्रान्वसून्भुवि
'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.'
न मानुषीणां जठरं प्रविशेम वयं शुभे। इत्युक्ता तैश्च वसुभिस्तथेत्युक्त्वाऽब्रवीदिदम्
O auspicious one, we must not enter the wombs of human women. Thus addressed by the Vasus, she replied, 'So be it,' and then spoke these words.
प्रतीपस्य सुतो राजा शान्तनुर्लोकविश्रुतः। भविता मानुषे लोके स नः कर्ता भविष्यति
The king Pratipa's son, Shantanu, renowned in the world, will be born among humans; he will be our agent.
ममाप्येवं मतं देवा यथा मां वदथानघाः। प्रियं तस्य करिष्यामि युष्माकं चेतदीप्सितम्
This is also my view, O sinless ones, just as you have said to me. I will do what pleases him, if this is your wish.
जातान्कुमारान्स्वानप्सु प्रक्षेप्तुं वै त्वमर्हसि। यथा नचिरकालं नो निष्कृतिः स्यात्त्रिलोकगे
When the sons are born, you should cast them into the waters, so that our release in the three worlds will not be delayed.
जिघृक्षवो वयं सर्वे सुरभिं मन्दबुद्धयः। शप्ता ब्रह्मर्षिणा तेन तांस्त्वं मोचय चाशु नः
We all, lacking discernment, wished to seize Surabhi and were cursed by the Brahmarshi; therefore, quickly free us from that curse.
एवमेतत्करिष्यामि पुत्रस्तस्य विधीयताम्। नास्य मोघः सङ्गमः स्यात्पुत्रहेतोर्मया सह
So shall I do. Let a son be begotten for him, so that his union with me for the sake of a son is not in vain.
तुरीयार्धं प्रदास्यामो वीर्यस्यैकैकशो वयम्। तेन वीर्येण पुत्रस्ते भविता तस्य चेप्सितः
We will each give a fourth part of our energy; with that energy, your son will be born, as he desires.
न संपत्स्यति मर्त्येषु पुनस्तस्य तु सन्ततिः। तस्मादपुत्रः पुत्रस्ते भविष्यति स वीर्यवान्
There will not be a further lineage among mortals from him; therefore, your son will be powerful but without offspring.
ततः प्रतीपो राजाऽऽसीत्सर्वभूतहितः सदा। निषसाद समा बह्वीर्गङ्गाद्वारगतो जपन्
Then King Pratipa, always devoted to the welfare of all beings, sat for many years at the bank of the Ganga, engaged in recitation.
तस्य रूपगुणोपेता गङ्गा स्त्रीरूपधारिणी। उत्तीर्य सलिलात्तस्माल्लोभनीयतमाकृतिः
To him, Ganga, endowed with beauty and virtues, taking the form of a woman, emerged from the waters, possessing the most alluring appearance.
अधीयानस्य राजर्षेर्दिव्यरूपा मनस्विनी। दक्षिणं शालसङ्काशमूरुं भेजे शुभानना
As the royal sage was studying, the divine and thoughtful maiden, with a radiant face, sat upon his right thigh, resembling a sala tree.
प्रतीपस्तु महीपालस्तामुवाच यशस्विनीम्। `वाक्यं वाक्यविदां श्रेष्ठो धर्मनिश्चयतत्त्ववित्।' करोमि किं ते कल्याणि प्रियं यत्तेऽभिकाङ्क्षितम्
But Pratipa, the illustrious king, addressed her—he who was foremost among those skilled in speech and knower of the essence of righteousness—'What may I do for you, blessed one, that is dear to you and desired?'
त्वामहं कामये राजन्भजमानां भजस्व माम्। त्यागः कामवतीनां हि स्त्रीणां सद्भिर्विगर्हितः
'I desire you, O king; accept me as I seek you. For the abandonment of women who are in love is condemned by the virtuous.'
नाहं परस्त्रियं कामाद्गच्छेदं वरवर्णिनि। न चासवर्णां कल्याणि धर्म्यमेतद्धि मे व्रतम्
'O fair one, I do not approach another’s wife out of desire, nor one of a different class, blessed lady; this is my righteous vow.'
यः स्वदारान्परित्यज्य पारक्यां सेवते स्त्रियम्। निरयान्नैव मुच्यते यावदाभूतसंप्लवम्
'He who, abandoning his own wife, seeks another woman, is not freed from hell until the dissolution of the worlds.'
नाश्रेयस्यस्मि नागम्या न वक्तव्या च कर्हिचित्। भजन्तीं भज मां राजन्दिव्यां कन्यां वरस्त्रियम्
'I am not to be enjoyed, nor approached, nor ever spoken to thus. O king, accept me as one who seeks you, a divine maiden, the best of women.'