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—
तपस्तेपे सुतस्यार्थे सभार्यः कुरुनन्दन। `प्रतीपस्य तु भार्यायां गर्भः श्रीमानवर्धत
Pratipa performed austerities with his wife for the sake of a son, O joy of the Kurus; and in Pratipa's wife, a glorious embryo grew.
श्रिया परमया युक्तः शरच्छुक्ले यथा शशी। ततस्तु दशमे मासि प्राजायत रविप्रभम्
Endowed with supreme splendor, like the moon in the bright half of autumn, then in the tenth month, a son was born, radiant like the sun.
कुमारं देवगर्भाभं प्रतीपमहिषी तदा।' तयोः समभवत्पुत्रो वृद्धयोः स महाभिषक्
At that time, Pratipa's queen gave birth to a son resembling one born of the gods; to those aged parents, a son was born, a great healer.
शान्तस्य जज्ञे सन्तानस्तस्मादासीत्स शान्तनुः। `तस्य जातस्य कृत्यानि प्रतीपोऽकारयत्प्रभुः
From Shantanu, a lineage was born to Shantanu; thus he was called Shantanu. When he was born, Pratipa, the lord, performed the required rites.
जातकर्मादि विप्रेण वेदोक्तैः कर्मभिस्तदा। नामकर्म च विप्रास्तु चक्रुः परमसत्कृतम्
At that time, the priest performed the birth and other rites for him, as prescribed in the Vedas; and the naming ceremony was conducted by the Brahmins with great honor.
शान्तनोरवनीपाल वेदोक्तैः कर्मभिस्तदा। ततः संवर्धितो राजा शान्तनुर्लोकधार्मिकः
Shantanu, the protector of the earth, was then raised with the rites prescribed in the Vedas; thus the king Shantanu, righteous in conduct, was brought up.
स तु लेभे परां निष्ठां प्राप्य धर्मभृतां वरः। धनुर्वेदे च वेदे च गतिं स परमा गतः
He attained the highest excellence, being the foremost among upholders of righteousness; in the science of archery and in the Vedas, he reached the highest attainment.
यौवनं चापि संप्राप्तः कुमारो वदतां वरः।' संस्मरंश्चाक्षयाँल्लोकान्विजातान्स्वेन कर्मणा
When the prince, best among speakers, reached youth, remembering the imperishable worlds attained by his own deeds—
पुण्यकर्मकृदेवासीच्छान्तनुः कुरुसत्तमः। प्रतीपः शान्तनुं पुत्रं यौवनस्थं ततोऽन्वशात्
Shantanu, the best of the Kurus, became a doer of virtuous deeds; then Pratipa instructed his son Shantanu, who was in the prime of youth.
पुरा स्त्री मां समभ्यागाच्छान्तनो भूतये तव। त्वामाव्रजेद्यदि रहः सा पुत्र वरवर्णिनी
Once, a woman approached me, O Shantanu, for your sake; if that beautiful-complexioned lady comes to you in private, my son—