The maiden, her demeanor gentle and her voice soft, addressed the sage Parāśara: “O revered Brāhmaṇa, I am a virgin. After you have enjoyed my company as you wish, you will surely depart. But your potency is unfailing—what will become of me? If I conceive, what shall I tell my father? You will leave after fulfilling your desire with me; tell me, what should I do then?” Hearing her concern, the sage Parāśara replied with compassion, “O timid and beautiful one, choose any boon you desire, and I shall grant it.” The maiden, Satyavatī, humbly requested, “O best of twice-born, let my vow of maidenhood remain unbroken—grant me this. And may my son be equal to you, endowed with wondrous strength. May this sweet fragrance that now surrounds me never fade, and may my youth always remain fresh and renewed.” The sage smiled kindly and assured her, “Listen, O beautiful one: your son, born from the lineage of Vishnu, will be pure and renowned throughout the three worlds. For some reason, I have become infatuated with you; never before, even when beholding the celestial apsaras, have I lost my composure. By divine arrangement, upon seeing you, I became subject to desire. Know that this has a deeper cause, for destiny is hard to overcome. Once, you bore an unpleasant scent—how could I have been deluded otherwise? Your son, O lovely one, will be the composer of the Purāṇas. He will be a knower of the Vedas, a divider of their branches, and his fame will spread throughout the three worlds.” Having spoken thus, Parāśara, the best of sages, united with Satyavatī and then departed swiftly, bathing in the sacred waters of the Kālindī. Immediately, Satyavatī became pregnant, and on an island in the Yamunā, she gave birth to a son who seemed to be the very embodiment of desire itself. Astonishingly, the radiant child, as soon as he was born, addressed his mother with a mind set on asceticism: “Go, mother, as you wish; I will now depart to perform austerities. Whenever you have some important need, remember me, and I will appear. At that time, O beautiful one, recall me, and I will come swiftly. Farewell; abandon worry and live happily.” Having spoken these words, the child, Vyāsa, departed, and Satyavatī returned to her father’s home. Because the child had been born on an island (dvīpa) in the Yamunā, he became known as Dvaipāyana. By the power of Vishnu’s lineage, Vyāsa grew rapidly, and performed great austerities at various sacred places. Thus, Dvaipāyana was born from Parāśara and Satyavatī. Foreseeing the coming of the Kali age, he arranged and divided the branches of the Vedas. Because he expanded and compiled the Vedas, he became known as Vyāsa. He composed the Purāṇas and the great Mahābhārata. He taught the Vedas to his disciples, dividing them among Sumantu, Jaimini, Paila, Vaishampayana, and also Asita, Devala, and his own son, Shuka. Sūta continued, “All this, O best of sages, I have told you as the reason for these events. The auspicious birth of Satyavatī’s son has been described; there should be no doubt about his origin. In the lives of the great, only virtues should be accepted, O sage; for this reason, Satyavatī’s unusual birth from the belly of a fish occurred. Her union with Parāśara, and later with Shantanu, happened thus; otherwise, how could a sage’s mind be overwhelmed by desire? How could such a sage, a knower of dharma, have acted in a way unworthy of the noble? This wondrous birth and its cause have now been explained. “Whoever hears this auspicious account with attention is completely freed from sin. Such a person does not fall into misfortune and is always happy.” Sūta then continued, “Now, O sages, I will describe the account of Shantanu’s birth from Pratīpa, as you have already heard of the origin of Vyāsa, of immeasurable splendor. Yet, even so, one doubt remains firmly in our minds. The mother of Vyāsa, named Satyavatī, has been mentioned. How did the king himself choose her, the daughter of a Nishada? Who was Shantanu’s first wife? Tell us now. You have previously said, O Sūta, that King Chitrāngada was born. When the heroic Chitrāngada was killed, his younger brother was then born. All the while, the eldest, Bhishma, steadfast and handsome, remained. “When Vichitravirya died, Satyavatī was greatly afflicted with sorrow. How did that illustrious woman not give the kingdom to Bhishma? Why was unrighteousness committed by Vyāsa, whose power is immeasurable? He, the author of the Purāṇa and a soul devoted to righteousness—how did that sage act thus?” Thus, the sages questioned Sūta, seeking to understand the deeper causes and righteousness behind these wondrous and mysterious events.