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.'
त्वया निवृत्तमेतत्तु यन्मां चोदयसि प्रियम्। अन्यथा प्रतिपन्नं मां नाशयेद्धर्मविप्लवः
'This, that you urge me to do what is dear, has been rejected by you yourself. Otherwise, if I acted differently, it would destroy righteousness.'
प्राप्य दक्षिणमूरुं मे त्वमाश्लिष्टा वराङ्गने। अपत्यानां स्नुषाणां च भीरु विद्ध्येतदासनम्
'O beautiful-limbed one, you have sat upon my right thigh; know, timid lady, that this seat is for daughters-in-law and descendants.'
सव्योरुः कामिनीभोग्यस्त्वया स च विवर्जितः। तस्मादहं नाचरिष्ये त्वयि कामं वराङ्गने
My left thigh is meant for the enjoyment of women, but you have avoided it; therefore, O beautiful-limbed one, I will not approach you with desire.
स्नुषा मे भव सुश्रोणि पुत्रार्थं त्वां वृणोम्यहम्। स्नुषापक्षं हि वामोरु त्वमागम्य समाश्रिता
Become my daughter-in-law, O lovely-hipped one; I choose you for the sake of a son. By coming to me, O slender-waisted lady, you have taken the side of the daughter-in-law.
एवमप्यस्तु धर्मज्ञ संयुज्येयं सुतेन ते। त्वद्भक्त्या तु भजिष्यामि प्रख्यातं भारतं कुलम्
So be it, O knower of righteousness; let me be united with your son. Through devotion to you, I will honor the illustrious Bharata lineage.
पृथिव्यां पार्थिवा ये च तेषां यूयं परायणम्। गुणा न हि मया शक्या वक्तुं वर्षशतैरपि
You are the refuge for all the kings on earth; your virtues cannot be described by me, not even in a hundred years.
कुलस्य ये वः प्रथितास्तत्साधुत्वमथोत्तमम्। समयेनेह धर्मज्ञ आचरेयं च यद्विभो
The renowned excellence and supreme virtue of your lineage is well known; O knower of righteousness, I will act here according to the agreement, O lord.
तत्सर्वमेव पुत्रस्ते न मीमांसेत कर्हिचित्। एवं वसन्ती पुत्रे ते वर्धयिष्याम्यहं रतिम्
Let your son never doubt any of this at any time; thus, dwelling here, I will foster affection for your son.
तथेत्युक्त्वा तु सा राजंस्तत्रैवान्तरधीयत। `अदृश्या राजसिंहस्य पश्यतः साऽभवत्तदा
Having said 'so be it,' she vanished there itself, O king; she became invisible to the lion among kings, even as he watched.
पुत्रजन्म प्रतीक्षन्वै स राजा तदधारयत्। एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु प्रतीपः क्षत्रियर्षभः
The king waited for the birth of a son, holding this in mind; and at that very time, Pratipa, the bull among Kshatriyas—