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.
केयं कुतो वा समुपागताधुना देवाङ्गना वा किमु मानुषी वा । गन्धर्वपुत्री किल नागकन्या जाने कथं गन्धवतीं नु कामिनीम्
Who is she, and from where has she now come? Is she a celestial maiden or a human woman? Perhaps a daughter of the Gandharvas, or a Nāga maiden? How is she, a fragrant and desirable woman?
सञ्चिन्त्य चैवं मनसा नृपोऽसौ न निश्चयं प्राप यदा ततः स्वयम् । गङ्गां स्मरन्कामवशं गतोऽथ पप्रच्छ कान्तां तटसंस्थितां च
Thinking thus in his mind, the king could not reach a conclusion; then, remembering Gaṅgā and overcome by desire, he questioned the lovely woman standing on the riverbank.
कासि प्रिये कस्य सुतासि कस्मा- दिह स्थिता त्वं विजने वरोरु । एकाकिनी किं वद चारुनेत्रे विवाहिता वा न विवाहितासि
Who are you, dear one? Whose daughter are you? For what reason are you here, O beautiful-thighed one, alone in this deserted place? Tell me, charming-eyed one, are you married or unmarried?
सञ्जातकामोऽहमरालनेत्रे त्वां वीक्ष्य कान्तां च मनोरमां च । ब्रूहि प्रिये यासि चिकीर्षसि त्वं किं चेति सर्वं मम विस्तरेण
Desire has arisen in me, O wide-eyed one, seeing you, lovely and enchanting; tell me, dear, what you intend to do, where you are going—tell me everything in detail.
इत्येवमुक्ता सुदती नृपेण प्रोवाच तं सस्मितमम्बुजेक्षणा । दाशस्य पुत्रीं त्वमवेहि राजन् कन्यां पितुः शासनसंस्थितां च
Thus addressed by the king, the sweet-smiling, lotus-eyed maiden replied to him with a smile: 'Know me, O king, as the daughter of a ferryman, a maiden abiding by her father's command.'
तरीमिमां धर्मनिमित्तमेव संवाहयामीह जले नृपेन्द्र । पिता गृहे मेऽद्य गतोऽस्ति कामं सत्यं ब्रवीम्यर्थपते तवाग्रे
O king of men, I am ferrying this boat here for the sake of duty, on the water; my father has gone home today—this is the truth I speak before you, O lord of wealth.
इत्येवमुक्त्वा विरराम बाला कामातुरस्तां नृपतिर्बभाषे । कुरुप्रवीरं कुरु मां पतिं त्वं वृथा न गच्छेन्ननु यौवनं ते
Having spoken thus, the maiden fell silent; but the king, overcome by desire, spoke to her: 'Make me, O noble lady, the foremost of the Kurus, your husband—let not your youth go to waste in vain.'
न चास्ति पत्नी मम वै द्वितीया त्वं धर्मपत्नी भव मे मृगाक्षि । दासोऽस्मि तेऽहं वशगः सदैव मनोभवस्तापयति प्रिये माम्
I have no other wife; be my lawful wife, doe-eyed one. I am your servant, always under your control; O dear one, the god of love torments me.
गता प्रिया मां परिहृत्य कान्ता नान्या वृताहं विधुरोऽस्मि कान्ते । त्वां वीक्ष्य सर्वावयवातिरम्यां मनो हि जातं विवशं मदीयम्
My beloved has left me and gone away; I have chosen no other, and I am forlorn, O beautiful one. Seeing you, so lovely in every limb, my mind has become utterly captivated.
श्रुत्वामृतास्वादरसं नृपस्य वचोऽतिरम्यं खलु दाशकन्या । उवाच तं सात्त्विकभावयुक्ता कृत्वातिधैर्यं नृपतिं सुगन्धा
Hearing the king's words, sweet as nectar and exceedingly delightful, the ferryman's daughter, endowed with a pure disposition, composed herself with great courage and spoke to the king, Sugandhā.