यक्षी वा पन्नगी वाऽपि मानुषी वा सुमध्यमे। `याऽसि काऽसि सुरप्रख्ये महिषी मे भवानघे
'Or are you a yakshi, a serpent maiden, or a human woman of lovely waist? Whoever you are, O one equal to the gods, become my queen, O sinless one.'
त्वां गता हि मम प्रामा वसु यन्मेऽस्ति किंचन।' याचे त्वां सुरगर्भाभे भार्या मे भव शोभने
'For you have captured my mind, and whatever wealth I possess is yours; I beg you, O one born of the gods, O beautiful one, be my wife.'
एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचो राज्ञः सस्मितं मृदु वल्गु च। यशस्विनी च साऽगच्छच्छान्तनोर्भूतये तदा
Hearing these words of the king, she approached Shantanu with a gentle, charming, and smiling demeanor, intent on his welfare.
सा तु दृष्ट्वा नृपश्रेष्ठं चरन्तं तीरमाश्रितम्। वसूनां समयं स्मृत्वाऽथाभ्यगच्छदनिन्दिता
Having seen the best of kings wandering on the riverbank, she remembered the agreement with the Vasus and, being blameless, approached him.
प्रजार्थिनी राजपुत्रं शान्तनुं पृथिवीपतिम्। प्रतीपवचनं चापि संस्मृत्यैव स्वयं नृपम्
Desiring offspring, she approached King Shantanu, the lord of the earth, recalling also the words of Pratipa.
कालोऽयमिति मत्वा सा वसूनां शापचोदिता। उवाच चैव राज्ञः सा ह्लादयन्ती मनो गिरा
Thinking, 'Now is the time,' prompted by the curse of the Vasus, she spoke to the king, delighting his mind with her words.
भविष्यामि महीपाल महिषी ते वशानुगा। न तु त्वं वा द्वितीयो वा ज्ञातुमिच्छेत्कथंचन
O king, I shall become your queen, obedient to your will; but neither you nor anyone else should ever seek to know my actions.
यत्तु कुर्यामहं राजञ्शुभं वा यदि वाऽशुभम्। न तद्वारयितव्याऽस्मि न वक्तव्या तथाऽप्रियम्
Whatever I may do, whether auspicious or inauspicious, you must not prevent me, nor speak any unpleasant word to me.
एवं हि वर्तमानेऽहं त्वयि वत्स्यामि पार्थिव। वारिता विप्रियं चोक्ता त्यजेयं त्वामसंशयम्
If, while living with you, I am forbidden or addressed harshly, then without doubt, I shall leave you.
एष मे समयो राजन्भज मां त्वं यथेप्सितम्। अनुनीताऽस्मि ते पित्रा भर्ता मे त्वं भव प्रभो
This is my condition, O king; accept me as you desire. Your father has pleaded with me; now, lord, be my husband.
तथेति सा यदा तूक्ता तदा भरतसत्तम। प्रहर्षमतुलं लेभे प्राप्य तं पार्थिवोत्तमम्
When she spoke thus, O best of the Bharatas, he felt incomparable joy, having obtained that foremost of women.
प्रतिज्ञाय तु तत्तस्यास्तथेति मनुजाधिपः। रथमारोप्य तां देवीं जगाम स तया सह
Having pledged to her, 'So be it,' the lord of men placed the lady on his chariot and departed together with her.
सा च शान्तनुमभ्यागात्साक्षाल्लक्ष्मीरिवापरा। आसाद्य शान्तनुस्तां च बुभुजे कामतो वशी
She approached Shantanu like another goddess of fortune herself; and Shantanu, master of his desires, enjoyed her as he wished.
न प्रष्टव्येति मन्वानो न स तां किंचिदूचिवान्। स तस्याः शीलवृत्तेन रूपौदार्यगुणेन च
Remembering her condition, he did not question her at all; he was pleased by her conduct, character, beauty, and noble qualities.
उपचारेण च रहस्तुतोष जगतीपतिः। स राजा परमप्रीतः परमस्त्रीप्रलालितः
By her attentiveness and private affection, the lord of the earth was deeply satisfied, cherished above all by his beloved.
दिव्यरूपा हि सा देवी गङ्गा त्रिपथगामिनी। मानुषं विग्रहं कृत्वा श्रीमन्तं वरवर्णिनी
That goddess Ganga, the threefold-flowing, possessed a divine form; assuming a human body, radiant and beautiful, she appeared.
भाग्योपनतकामस्य भार्या चोपनताऽभवत्। शन्तनोर्नृपसिंहस्य देवराजसमद्युतेः
She became the wife of Shantanu, lion among kings, equal in splendor to the lord of the gods, joined to him by fortune and desire.
संभोगस्नेहचातुर्यैर्हावलास्यैर्मनोहरैः। राजानं रमयामास यथा रज्येत स प्रभुः
With union, affection, skill, and enchanting smiles, she delighted the king as only a master could be pleased.
संवत्सरानृतून्मासान्बुबुधे न बहून्गतान्। रममाणस्तया सार्धं यथाकामं नरेश्वरः
The lord of men, enjoying with her as he wished, did not notice the passing of years, seasons, or months.
दिविष्ठान्मानुषांश्चैव भोगान्भुङ्क्ते स वै नृपः।' आसाद्य शान्तनुः श्रीमान्मुमुदे योषितां वराम्
That glorious Shantanu, having obtained that best of women, enjoyed pleasures both human and divine.
ऋतुकाले तु सा देवी दिव्यं गर्भमधारयत्। अष्टावजनयत्पुत्रांस्तस्मादमरसन्निभान्
In due season, that goddess conceived a divine child, and bore eight sons, each resembling the immortals.
जातं जातं च सा पुत्रं क्षिपत्यम्यसि भारत। सूतके कण्ठमाक्रम्य तान्निनाय यमक्षयम्
But, O Bharata, as each son was born, she cast him into the river, seizing him by the throat and sending him to the abode of Yama.
प्रीणाम्यहं त्वामित्युक्त्वा गङ्गास्रोतस्यमज्जयत्। तस्य तन्न प्रियं राज्ञः शान्तनोरभवत्तदा
Saying, 'I please you,' she submerged the child in the Ganga's stream; but this was not pleasing to King Shantanu.
न च तां किंचनोवाच त्यागाद्भीतो महीपतिः। `अमीमांस्या कर्मयोनिरागमश्चेति शान्तनुः
Yet, out of fear of losing her, the king said nothing; Shantanu thought, 'The origin of this act must be pondered.'
स्मरन्पितृवचश्चैव नापृच्छत्पुत्रकिल्बिषम्। जाताञ्जातांश्च वै हन्ति सा स्त्री सप्त वरान्सुतान्
Remembering her father's words, she did not seek her husband's permission for the sin against her sons; that woman kills both those born and those yet unborn—seven sons over seven years.
शान्तनुर्धर्मभङ्गाच्च नापृच्छत्तां कथंचन। अष्टमं तु जिघांसन्त्यां चुक्षुभे शान्तनोर्धृतिः
Because of his commitment to righteousness, Shantanu never questioned her; but when she sought to kill the eighth, Shantanu's resolve was shaken.
अथैनामष्टमे पुत्रे जाते प्रहसतीमिव। उवाच राजा दुःखार्तः परीप्सन्पुत्रमात्मनः
Then, as the eighth son was born and she seemed to smile, the king, tormented by grief and longing to save his son, spoke to her.
आलभन्तीं तदा दृष्ट्वा तां स कौरवनन्दनः। अब्रवीद्भरतश्रेष्ठो वाक्यं परमदुःखितः
Seeing her about to seize the child, that joy of the Kurus, the best of the Bharatas, spoke to her, overwhelmed by sorrow.
मावधीः कस्य काऽसीति किं हिनत्सि सुतानिति। पुत्रघ्नि सुमहत्पापं संप्राप्तं ते सुगर्हितम्
"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."
पुत्रकाम न ते हन्मि पुत्रं पुत्रवतां वर। जीर्णस्तु मम वासोऽयं यथा स समयः कृतः
"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."