अंतर्धानं गतः सोऽथ राजा चिंतातुरोऽभवत्
Then he vanished from sight, and the king became troubled with anxious thoughts.
गंगां तुष्टाव भूपालः स्थितस्तत्र समाहितः
Standing there with a focused mind, the king praised Ganga.
दृष्ट्वा तां चारुसर्वांगीं बभाषे नृपतिः स्वयम्
Seeing her, beautiful in every limb, the king himself spoke.
गंगोवाच ददामि तव हस्ते तु गांगेयोऽयं महातपाः
Ganga said: 'I now place this son of Ganga, great in austerity, into your hands.'
कीर्तिकर्ता कुलस्यास्य भविता तव सुव्रतः
He will bring fame to this lineage and will be devoted to you.
वसिष्ठस्याश्रमे दिव्ये संस्थितोऽयं सुतस्तव
This son of yours has been raised in the divine hermitage of Vasishtha.
यद्वेद जामदग्न्योऽसौ तद्वेदायं सुतस्तव
What Jamadagni knew of the Vedas, your son knows as well.
इत्युक्वांऽतर्दधे गंगा दत्त्वा पुत्रं नृपाय वै 2.4.
Having spoken thus, Ganga vanished, after giving the son to the king.
समालिंग्य सुतं राजा समाघ्राय च मस्तकम्
The king embraced his son and smelled his head.
गत्वा गजाह्वयं राजा चकारोत्सवमुत्तमम्
The king went to Gajahvaya and held a splendid festival.
समाहृत्य प्रजाः सर्वाः सचिवान्सर्वशः शुभान्
He gathered all the people and all his auspicious ministers.
कृत्वा तं युवराजानं पुत्रं सर्वगुणान्वितम्
He made his son, endowed with all virtues, the crown prince.
सूत उवाच गांगेयस्य तथोत्पत्तिं जाह्नव्याः संभवं तथा
Suta said: The birth of Gangeya, the origin from Jahnavi, has thus been told.
गंगावतरणं पुण्यं वसूनां संभवं तथा
The sacred descent of Ganga and the origin of the Vasus have also been told.
पुण्यं पवित्रमाख्यानं कथितं मुनिसत्तमः
This holy and pure narrative has been recounted, O best of sages.
श्रीमद्भागवतं पुण्यं नानाख्यानकथान्वितम्
The glorious Bhagavata, sacred and filled with various stories, has been told.
शृण्वतां सर्वपापघ्नं शुभदं सुखदं तथा
For those who listen, it destroys all sins, brings auspiciousness, and gives happiness.
देवव्रतप्रतिज्ञावर्णनम् ऋषय ऊचुः वसूनां सम्भवः सूत कथितः शापकारणात् । गाङ्गेयस्य तथोत्पत्तिः कथिता लोमहर्षणे
Description of Devavrata's vow. The sages said: The origin of the Vasus has been told, caused by a curse; likewise, the birth of Gangeya has been narrated by Lomaharshana.
माता व्यासस्य धर्मज्ञ नाम्ना सत्यवती सती । कथं शन्तनुना प्राप्ता भार्या गन्धवती शुभा
Vyasa's mother, wise in dharma, was named Satyavati, virtuous and fragrant; how did she become the wife of Shantanu?
तन्ममाचक्ष्व विस्तारं दाशपुत्री कथं धृता । राज्ञा धर्मवरिष्ठेन संशयं छिन्धि सुव्रत
Tell me in detail how the daughter of a ferryman was accepted by the king, the foremost in dharma; resolve this doubt, O virtuous one.
सूत उवाच शन्तनुर्नाम राजर्षिर्मृगयानिरतः सदा । वनं जगाम निघ्नन्वै मृगांश्च महिषान् रुरून्
Suta said: Shantanu, a royal sage, always engaged in hunting, went to the forest, killing deer, buffaloes, and antelopes.
चत्वार्येव तु वर्षाणि पुत्रेण सह भूपतिः । रममाणः सुखं प्राप कुमारेण यथा हरः
For four years, the king enjoyed happiness with his son, just as Shiva does with his child.
एकदा विक्षिपन्बाणान्विनिघ्नन्खड्गसूकरान् । स कदाचिद्वनं प्राप्तः कालिन्दीं सरितां वराम्
Once, while shooting arrows and killing boars and wild pigs, he entered a certain forest and reached the river Kalindi, the best of streams.
महीपतिरनिर्देश्यमाजिघ्रद्गन्धमुत्तमम् । तस्य प्रभवमन्विच्छन्सजञ्चचार वनं तदा
The king perceived an indescribable, excellent fragrance; seeking its source, he wandered through the forest.
न मन्दारस्य गन्धोऽयं मृगनाभिमदस्य न । चम्पकस्य न मालत्या न केतक्या मनोहरः
This fragrance is not of mandāra, nor of musk from the deer, nor of campaka, nor of mālatī, nor of ketakī, so delightful.
न चानुभूतपूर्वोऽयं वाति गन्धवहः शुभः । कुतोऽयमेति वायुर्वै मम घ्राणविमोहनः
Nor has such a pure, fragrant breeze ever been experienced before; from where does this wind come, so bewildering to my sense of smell?
इति सञ्चिन्त्यमानोऽसौ बभ्राम वनमण्डलम् । मोहितो गन्धलोभेन शन्तनुः पवनानुगः
Thus reflecting, Shantanu, overcome by desire for the fragrance, wandered through the forest, following the wind.
स ददर्श नदीतीरे संस्थितां चारुदर्शनाम् । शृङ्गाररहितां कान्तां सुस्थितां मलिनाम्बराम्
There, on the riverbank, he saw a woman of lovely appearance, modest, beautiful, standing firm, dressed in soiled garments.
दृष्ट्वा तामसितापाङ्गीं विस्मितः स महीपतिः । अस्या देहस्य गन्धोऽयमिति सञ्जातनिश्चयः
Seeing her, with dark, enchanting eyes, the king was astonished and became certain: this fragrance comes from her body.
तदद्भुतं रूपमतीव सुन्दरं तथैव गन्धोऽखिललोकसम्मतः । वयश्च तादृङ् नवयौवनं शुभं दृष्ट्वैव राजा किल विस्मितोऽभवत्
That wondrous form was exceedingly beautiful, and likewise the fragrance, esteemed by all the world; her age was that of fresh youth—seeing her, the king was truly amazed.