राष्ट्रं च रञ्जयामास वृत्तेन भरतर्षभ। स तथा सह पुत्रेण रममाणो महीपतिः
O bull among the Bharatas, the king delighted the kingdom by his conduct; thus, enjoying himself with his son, the lord of the earth was pleased.
वर्तयामास वर्षाणि चत्वार्यमितविक्रमः। स कदाचिद्वनं यातो यमुनामभितो नदीम्
Thus, with restrained power, he passed four years; once, he went to the forest near the river Yamuna.
महीपतिरनिर्देश्यमाजिघ्रद्गन्धमुत्तमम्। तस्य प्रभवमन्विच्छन्विचचार समन्ततः
The king perceived an indescribable, excellent fragrance; seeking its source, he wandered all around.
स ददर्श तदा कन्यां दाशानां देवरूपिणीम्। तामपृच्छत्स दृष्ट्वैव कन्यामसितलोचनाम्
Then he saw a maiden of the Dashas, divine in form; seeing her, the dark-eyed maiden, he questioned her.
कस्य त्वमसि का चासि किं च भीरु चिकीर्षसि। साऽब्रवीद्दाशकन्याऽस्मि धर्मार्थं वाहये तरिम्
"Whose are you? Who are you? And what do you intend, O timid one?" She replied, "I am the daughter of a Dasha; I ferry people across for the sake of righteousness and livelihood."
पितुर्नियोगाद्भद्रं ते दाशराज्ञो महात्मनः। रूपमाधुर्यगन्धैस्तां संयुक्तां देवरूपिणीम्
"By the command of my father, O blessed one, the great-souled king of the Dashas,"—she, endowed with beauty, sweetness, and fragrance, divine in form—
समीक्ष्य राजा दाशेयीं कामयामास शान्तनुः। स गत्वा पितरं तस्या वरयामास तां तदा
Seeing the Dasha maiden, King Shantanu desired her; going to her father, he then sought her in marriage.
पर्यपृच्छत्ततस्तस्याः पितरं सोत्मकारणात्। स च तं प्रत्युवाचेदं दाशराजो महीपतिम्
Then, for the sake of his son, he questioned her father; and the king of the Dashas replied to him thus.
जातमात्रैव मे देया वराय वरवर्णिनी। हृदि कामस्तु मे कश्चित्तं निबोध जनेश्वर
"My daughter, radiant as a celestial, is to be given to a suitor as soon as she is born; but, O lord of men, hear the desire that is in my heart."
यदीमां धर्मपत्नीं त्वं मत्तः प्रार्थयसेऽनघ। सत्यवागसि सत्येन समयं कुरु मे ततः
"If you, O sinless one, seek this maiden as your lawful wife from me, who speak the truth, then make a vow to me by truth."
समयेन प्रदद्यां ते कन्यामहमिमां नृप। न हि मे त्वत्समः कश्चिद्वरो जातु भविष्यति
"By a vow I would give you this maiden, O king; for no suitor equal to you will ever arise for her."
श्रुत्वा तव वरं दाश व्यवस्येयमहं तव। दातव्यं चेत्प्रदास्यामि न त्वदेयं कथंचन
"Having heard your request, O Dasha, I will decide; if it is to be given, I will give, but it cannot be given otherwise."
अस्यां जायेत यः पुत्रः स राजा पृथिवीपते। त्वदूर्ध्वमभिषेक्तव्यो नान्यः कश्चन पार्थिव
"The son who is born from her, O lord of the earth, must be anointed king after you; no other, O king."
नाकामयत तं दातुं वरं दाशाय शान्तनुः। शरीरजेन तीव्रेण दह्यमानोऽपि भारत
Shantanu did not wish to grant that boon to the Dasha, O Bharata, even though he was burning intensely with bodily desire.
स चिन्तयन्नेव तदा दाशकन्यां महीपतिः। प्रत्ययाद्धास्तिनपुरं कामोपहतचेतनः
Thus, while thinking of the Dasha maiden, the king, his mind overcome by desire, returned to Hastinapura.
ततः कदाचिच्छोचन्तं शान्तनुं ध्यानमास्थितम्। पुत्रो देवव्रतोऽभ्येत्य पितरं वाक्यमब्रवीत्
Then, once, as Shantanu sat grieving and absorbed in thought, his son Devavrata approached and spoke to his father.
सर्वतो भवतः क्षेमं विधेयाः सर्वपार्थिवाः। तत्किमर्थमिहाभीक्ष्णं परिशोचसि दुःखितः
All the kings are obedient to you, and everywhere there is safety for you; so why do you grieve so deeply and lament again and again?
ध्यायन्निव च मां राजन्नाभिभाषसि किंचन। न चाश्वेन विनिर्यासि विवर्णो हरिणः कृशः
O King, you seem lost in thought and do not speak a word to me; you do not go out with your horse, your color is faded, and you have grown thin like a deer.
व्याधिमिच्छामि ते ज्ञातुं प्रतिकुर्यां हि तत्र वै
I wish to know what afflicts you, so that I may act accordingly.
विवर्तुं नाशकत्तस्मै पिता पुत्रस्य शान्तनुः।' एवमुक्तः स पुत्रेण शान्तनुः प्रत्यभाषत
Shantanu, the father, was unable to reply to his son; but thus addressed by his son, Shantanu spoke.
असंशयं ध्यानपरो यथा वत्स तथा शृणु। अपत्यं नस्त्वमेवैकः कुले महति भारत
Without doubt, my child, I am absorbed in thought; listen as I tell you why: you alone are my child in this great lineage, O Bharata.
शस्त्रनित्यश्च सततं पौरुषे पर्यवस्थितः। अनित्यतां च लोकानामनुशोचामि पुत्रक
You are always devoted to arms and steadfast in valor; but, my son, I grieve over the impermanence of the worlds.
कथंचित्तव गाङ्गेय विपत्तौ नास्ति नः कुलम्। असंशयं त्वमेवैकः शतादपि वरः सुतः
If, O son of Ganga, some misfortune should befall you, our lineage would be lost; without doubt, you alone are better than a hundred sons.
न चाप्यहं वृथा भूयो दारान्कर्तुमिहोत्सहे। संतानस्याविनाशाय कामये भद्रमस्तु ते
Nor am I able, in vain, to take another wife again; I desire the unbroken continuation of the line—may good befall you.
अनपत्यतैकपुत्रत्वमित्याहुर्धर्मवादिनः। `चक्षुरेकं च पुत्रश्च अस्ति नास्ति च भारत। चक्षुर्नाशे तनोर्नाशः पुत्रनाशे कुलक्षयः
The upholders of dharma say that to be childless or to have only one son is the same; 'the eye and the son are one—sometimes present, sometimes not, O Bharata; when the eye is lost, the body perishes; when the son is lost, the lineage is destroyed.'
अग्निहोत्रं त्रयी विद्या यज्ञाश्च सहदक्षिणाः। सर्वाण्येतान्यपत्यस्य कलां नार्हन्ति षोडशीम्
The agnihotra, the threefold Veda, and sacrifices with gifts—all these do not equal even a sixteenth part of having a child.
एवमेतन्मनुष्येषु तच्च सर्वं प्रजास्विति। यदपत्यं महाप्राज्ञ तत्र मे नास्ति संशयः
So it is among men, and so among all creatures; O wise one, I have no doubt about the value of offspring.
अपत्येनानृणो लोके पितॄणां नास्ति संशयः।' एषा त्रयी पुराणानां देवतानां च शाश्वती
By means of offspring, one is freed from the debt to the ancestors—of this there is no doubt; this is the eternal triad of the ancients and the gods.
अपत्यं कर्म विद्या च त्रीणि ज्योतींषि भारत
Offspring, action, and knowledge—these are the three lights, O Bharata.
त्वं च शूरः सदाऽमर्षी शस्त्रनित्यश्च भारत। नान्यत्र युद्धात्तस्मात्ते निधनं विद्यते क्वचित्
And you are brave, ever unyielding, and always devoted to arms, O Bharata; for you, there is no death anywhere except in battle.