वैशम्पायन उवाच एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचो राज्ञः सस्मितं मृदु वल्गु च। वसूनां समयं स्मृत्वाथाभ्यगच्छदनिन्दिता॥ उवाच चैव राज्ञः सा ह्लादयन्ती मनो गिरा। भविष्यामि महीपाल महिषी ते वशानुगा॥
Vaishampayana said : Having heard these soft and sweet words of the smiling king, that faultless maiden remembered the promise she had made to the Vasus. She spoke to the king, sending a thrill of pleasure; (she said), “O protector of the world, I shall become your wife and obey your commands.
यत् तु कुर्यामहं राजञ्छुभं वा यदि वाशुभम्। न तद् वारयितव्यास्मि न वक्तव्या तथाप्रियम्॥
But O king, you must not interfere in any of my acts, whether they be agreeable or disagreeable to you. You most not also speak to me in harsh words.
एवं हि वर्तमानेऽहं त्वयि वत्स्यामि पार्थिवा वारिता विप्रियं चोक्ता त्यजेयं त्वामसंशयम्॥
O king, so long you will act in the way I ask you to do, I shall live with you. But I shall certainly leave you as soon as you interfere with me or use harsh words towards me."
तथेति सा यदा तूक्ता तदा भरतसत्तम। प्रहर्षमतुलं लेभे प्राप्य तं पार्थिवोत्तमम्॥
The best of the Bharata race, the king said, "Be it so." Thereupon, the maiden was exceedingly glad to get that excellent king for her husband.
आसाद्य शान्तनुस्तां च बुभुजे कामतो वशी। न प्रष्टव्येति मन्वानो न स तां किंचिदूचिवान्॥
King Shantanu also was exceedingly pleased to get her for his wife. He fully enjoyed her sweet company. Adhering to his promise, he refrained refrained from asking her anything.
स तस्याः शीलवृत्तेन रूपौदार्यगुणेन च। उपचारेण च रहस्तुतोष जगतीपतिः॥
The lord of the world, king Shantanu, became very much pleased with her beauty, conduct, magnanimity and attention to comforts.
दिव्यरूपा हि सा देवी गङ्गा त्रिपथगामिनी। मानुषं विग्रहं कृत्वा श्रीमन्तं वरवर्णिनी॥ भाग्योपनतकामस्य भार्या चोपनताभवत्। शान्तनोनृपसिंहस्य देवराजसमद्युतेः॥
That celestial lady, Ganga of the three courses, assuming a human form of exceeding beauty and excellent feature. Lived happily as the wife of Shantanu, having as the fruit of her virtues, obtained that best of kings, as effulgent as the king of the celestials.
सम्भोगस्नेहचातुर्यैर्हावभावसमन्वितैः। राजानं रमयामास यथा रेमे तथैव सः॥
She pleased the king with her attractiveness and love, with her affection and wits, her music and dance and king was exceedingly pleased with her.
स राजा रतिसक्तत्वादुत्तमस्त्रीगुणैर्हतः। संवत्सरानृतून् मासान् बुबुधे न बहून् गतान्॥
The king was so much sunk in the beauty of his wife, that months, seasons and years rolled away without his being conscious of them.
रममाणस्तया साधं यथाकामं नरेश्चरः। अष्टावजनयत् पुत्रांस्तम्यापमरसंनिभान्॥
When the king was thus enjoying himself with his wife, eight sons were born to him. They were all like the celestial.
जातं जातं च सा पुत्रं क्षिपत्यम्भसि भारत। प्रीणाम्यहं त्वामित्युक्त्वा गङ्गा स्रोतस्यमज्जयत्॥
O descendant of the Bharata race, as soon as they were born, they were one after the other thrown into the river by Ganga, who said, when she threw them into the stream. “ This is done for your good.”
तस्य तन्न प्रियं राज्ञः शान्तनोरभवत् तदा। न च तां किंचनोवाच त्यागाद् भीतो महीपतिः॥
The king Shantanu could not be pleased with such conduct, but he did not speak a word to her for the fear of losing her.
अथैनामष्टमे पुत्रे जाते प्रहसतीमिव। उवाच राजा दुःखार्तः परीप्सन् पुत्रमात्मनः॥
When the eighth son was born and when Ganga was smiling (before she threw it into the river), the king, desiring to protect his son, said in sorrow-
मा वधीः कस्य कासीति किं हिनत्सि सुतानिति। पुत्रनि सुमहत् पापं सम्प्राप्तं ते सुगर्हितम्॥
"Do not kill it. Who are you? To whom do you belong? Why do you kill your own sons? Murderess of your sons, you are earning great sins by your improper acts."
गङ्गोवाच पुत्रकाम न ते हन्मि पुत्रं पुत्रवतां वर। जीर्णस्तु मम वासोऽयं यथा स समयः कृतः॥
Ganga said : As you desire for a son, I shall not kill this child. You have become the foremost of fathers. But there must be an end of my stay with you according to our agreement.
अहं गङ्गा जह्वसुता महर्षिगणसेविता। देवकार्यार्थसिद्ध्यर्थमुषिताहं त्वया सह॥
I am Ganga, the daughter of Jahnu, worshipped by all great Rishis. I have so long lived with your for accomplishing the purpose of the celestials.
इमेऽष्टौ वसवो देवा महाभागा महौजसः। वसिष्ठशापदोषेण मानुषत्वमुपागताः॥
These sons were the eight celestials, the illustrious and greatly effulgent Vasus. They had to assume human form in consequence of the curse of Vasistha.
तेषां जनयिता नान्यस्त्वदृते भुवि विद्यते। मद्विधा मानुषी धात्री लोके नास्तीह काचन॥
There is none on earth who desires to be their progenitor. There is none among human females like me who may be their mother.
तस्मात् तजननीहेतोर्मानुषत्वमुपागता। जनयित्वा वसूनष्टौ जिता लोकास्त्वयाक्षयाः॥
Therefore, I assumed the human form, to become their mother. You have acquired great regions of celestial bliss by becoming the progenitor of the eight Vasus.
देवानां समयस्त्वेष वसूनां संश्रुतो मया। जातं जातं मोक्षयिष्ये जन्मतो मानुषादिति॥
My agreement with the celestials Vasus was that I should free them from their human birth as soon as each would be born.
तत् ते शापाद् विनिर्मुक्ता आपवस्य महात्मनः। स्वस्ति तेऽस्तु गमिष्यामि पुत्रं पाहि महाव्रतम्॥
Thus have I freed them from the curse of the illustrious Rishi Apava (Vasistha.) Be blessed, I leave you now. Rear this child of rigid vows.
एष पर्यायवासो मे वसूनां संनिधौ कृतः। मत्प्रसूतिं विजानीहि गङ्गादत्तमिमं सुतम्॥
I promised to the Vasus to live with you so long (as I have lived). Let this child of mine be known by the name of Gangadatta.