"Vaishampaayana said, 'The monarch Shantanu, the most adored of Devas and Rajarishis, was known in all the worlds for his wisdom, Dharma, and truthfulness (of speech). The qualities of self-control, charity, forgiveness, intelligence, modesty, patience and superior energy ever resided in that bull among men - Shantanu, that great being endued with these accomplishments and familiar with both Dharma and Arthaa, the monarch was at once the protector of the Bharata race and all human beings.
"His (Shantanu's) neck was marked with (three) lines, like a conch-shell; his shoulders were broad, and he resembled in bravery an infuriated elephant. It would seem that all the auspicious signs of royalty resided in his person, considering that to be their fittest abode. Men, seeing the behaviour of that monarch of great achievements came to know that Dharma was ever superior to Kaamaa and Arthaa. These were the attributes that stayed in that great being -- that bull among men -- Shantanu. Truly there was never a king like Shantanu. All the kings of the earth, seeing him devoted to Dharma, gave upon that foremost of men of Dharma, the title of King of kings (Rajaraja in Sanskrit).
"All the kings of the earth during the time of that lord-protector of the Bharata race (Shantanu), were without sadness and fear and anxiety of any kind. They all slept in peace, rising from bed every morning after happy dreams. Owing to that monarch of splendid achievements resembling (Lord) Indra himself in energy, all the kings of the earth became Dharmic and devoted to charity, acts of Dharma and yagnas. When the earth was ruled by Shantanu and other monarchs like him, the merits of Dharma of every varna increased very greatly.
"The Kshatriyas served the Brahmanas; the Vaishyas waited upon the Kshatriyas, and the Shudras adoring the Brahmanas and the Kshatriyas, waited upon the Vaishyas. Shantanu residing in Hastinapura, the delightful capital of the Kurus, ruled the whole earth bounded by seas. He was truthful and honest, and like the king of Devas (Lord Indra) himself knowledgeable with the dictates of Dharma. From the combination in him of charity, Dharma and Tapas, he acquired a great good fortune.
"He (Shantanu) was free from anger and hatred, and was handsome in person like Soma (the Moon) himself. In splendour, he was like the Sun and in power of valour like Vayu (the Wind god). In anger, he was like Yama (Lord of Death), and in patience like the Earth. O king (Janamejaya), while Shantanu ruled the earth, no deer, boars, birds, or other animals were needlessly slain. In his territory, the great Dharma of kindness to all creatures prevailed, and the king himself, with the soul of mercy, and void of desire and anger, extended equal protection to all creatures.
"Then yagnas in honour of Devas, Rishis, and Pitris commenced, and no creature was deprived of life sinfully. Shantanu was the king and father of all -- of those that were miserable and those that had no protectors, of birds and animals, in fact, of every created thing. During the rule of the best of Kurus (King Shantanu) -- of that king of kings -- speech became united with truth, and the minds of men were directed towards charity and Dharma. Shantanu, having enjoyed domestic happiness for six and thirty years, retired into the forest.
"Shantanu's son, the Vasu born of Ganga, named Devavrata resembled Shantanu himself in personal beauty, in habits and behaviour, and in learning. In all branches of knowledge worldly or spiritual his skill was very great. His strength and energy were extraordinary. He became a mighty chariot-warrior (Maharatha in Sanskrit). In fact, he (Devavrata) was a great king.
"One day, while pursuing along the banks of the Ganga a deer that he had struck with his arrow, king Shantanu observed that the river (Ganga) had become shallow. On observing this, that bull among men - Shantanu, began to think upon this strange phenomenon. He mentally asked why that first of rivers (Ganga) ran out so quickly as before. While seeking for a cause, the illustrious monarch (Shantanu) saw that a youth of great attractiveness, well-built and friendly person, like (Lord) Indra himself, had, by his keen divine weapon, checked the flow of the river (Ganga).
"The king, seeing this extraordinary feat of the river Ganga having been checked in her path near where that youth stood, became very much surprised. This youth was no other than Shantanu's son himself. But as Shantanu had seen his son only once a few moments after his birth, he had not sufficient recollection to identify that infant with the youth before his eyes. The youth, however, seeing his father, knew him at once, but instead of disclosing himself, he clouded the king's sights by his divine powers of illusion (Maayaa in Sanskrit) and disappeared in his very sight.
"King Shantanu, wondering much at what he saw and imagining the youth to be his own son, then addressed Ganga and said, 'Show me that child.' Ganga thus addressed, assuming a beautiful form, and holding the boy decked with ornaments in her right arm, showed him to Shantanu. Shantanu did not recognise that beautiful female decked with ornaments and attired in fine clothes of white, although he had known her before.
"Ganga said, 'O tiger among men (Shantanu), that eighth son whom you had some time before fathering upon me is this. O monarch (Shantanu), know that this excellent child is knowledgeable with all weapons take him now. I have brought him up with care. O tiger among men (Shantanu), go home taking him with you. Endued with superior intelligence, he (Devavrata) has studied with (Rishi) Vasishtha the entire Vedas with their branches. Skilled in all weapons and a mighty bowman, he is like (Lord) Indra in battle. O Bharata (Shantanu), both Devas and Asuras look upon him with favour. Whatever branches of knowledge are known to Ushanas (Asura Guru Shukra), this one knows completely. So is he (Devavrata) the master of all those Shastras that the son of (Rishi) Angiras (Deva Guru Brihaspati) adored by Devas and Asuras, knows. All the weapons known to the powerful and invincible (Parasu) Rama, the son of (Rishi) Jamadagni are known to this your illustrious son of mighty arms. O king of superior courage (Shantanu), take this your own heroic child given to you by me. He is a mighty bowman and knowledgeable with the interpretation of all treatises on the duties of a king.'
"Thus commanded by Ganga, Shantanu took his child resembling the Sun himself in glory and returned to his capital. Having reached his city (Hastinapura) that was like to the divine capital, that monarch of Pooru's line regarded himself greatly fortunate. Having summoned all the Pauravas together, for the protection of his kingdom he installed his son as his heir-apparent (Yuvaraja in Sanskrit). O bull of Bharata's race (Janamejaya), the prince (Devavrata) soon pleased by his behaviour his father and the other members of the Paurava race: in fact, all the subjects of the kingdom. The king of incomparable prowess lived happily with that son (Devavrata) of his.
"Four years had thus passed away, when the king one day went into the forest on the bank of the Yamuna. While the king was walking there, he perceived a sweet scent coming from an unknown direction. The monarch, driven by the desire of knowing the cause, wandered here and there. In course of his walk, he saw a black-eyed woman of divine beauty, the daughter of a fisherman (Satyavati).
"The king (Shantanu) addressing her, said, 'Who are you, and whose daughter? What do you do here, O faint-hearted one?'
"She answered, 'Blessed be you! I am the daughter of the chief of the fishermen. At his command, I am engaged for merit of Dharma, in rowing passengers across this river in my boat.'
"Shantanu, seeing that lady of divine form endued with beauty, friendliness, and such fragrance, desired her for his wife. Travelling to her father, the king (Shantanu) requested his consent to the proposed match.
"But the chief of the fishermen replied to the monarch, saying, 'O king, as soon as my daughter of superior complexion was born, it was of course, understood that she should be given upon a husband. But listen to the desire I have cherished all along in my heart. O sinless one, you are truthful: if you desire to obtain this woman as a gift from me, give, me then this pledge. If, indeed, you give the pledge, I will of course give my daughter upon you for truly I can never obtain a husband for her equal to you.'
"Shantanu, hearing this, replied, 'When I have heard of the pledge you ask, I shall then say whether I would be able to grant it. If it is capable of being granted, I shall certainly grant it. Otherwise how shall I grant it.'
"The fisherman said, 'O king, what I ask of you is this: the son born of this woman shall be installed by you on your throne and none else shall you make your successor.'
"Vaishampaayana continued, 'O Bharata (Janamejaya), when Shantanu heard this, he felt no inclination to grant such a boon, though the fire of Kaamaa sorely burnt him within. The king (Shantanu) with his heart pained by Kaamaa returned to Hastinapura, thinking all the way of the fisherman's daughter (Satyavati). Having returned home, the monarch (Shantanu) passed his time in sorrowful meditation.
"One day, Devavrata approaching his pained father said, 'All is prosperity with you; all chiefs obey you; then how is it that you grieve thus? Absorbed in your own thoughts, you speak not a word to me in reply. You do not go out on horse-back now; you look pale and thin, having lost all animation. I wish to know the disease you suffer from, so that I may attempt to apply a remedy.'
"Thus addressed by his son, Shantanu answered, 'You say truly, O son, that I have become sad. I will also tell you why I am so. O you of Bharata's line (Devavrata), you are the only descendant of this our large race. You are always engaged in sports of arms and achievements of prowess. But, O son, I am always thinking of the instability of human life. If any danger overtake you, O child of Ganga, the result is that we become sonless. Truly you alone are to me as a century of sons. I do not, therefore, desire to wed again. I only desire and pray that prosperity may ever attend you so that our dynasty may be preserved. The wise say that he that has one son has no son. Yagnas before fire and the knowledge of the three Vedas (Rig Veda, Yajur Veda and Sama Veda) yield, it is true, everlasting merit of Dharma, but all these, in point of merit of Dharma, do not, come up to a sixteenth part of the merit of Dharma attainable on the birth of a son. Indeed, in this respect, there is hardly any difference between men and the lower animals. O wise one, I do not entertain a shadow of doubt that one attains to heaven in consequence of his having fathering a son. The Vedas which constitute the root of the Puranas and are regarded as authoritative even by Devas, contain numerous proof of this. O you of Bharata's race (Devavrata), you are a hero of excitable temper, who is always engaged in the exercise of arms. It is very probable that you will be slain on the field of battle. If it so happen, what then will be the state of the Bharata dynasty. It is this thought that has made me so sad. I have now told you fully the causes of my sorrow.'
"Vaishampaayana continued, 'Devavrata who was endued with great intelligence, having confimed all this from the king, thought within himself for a while. He then went to the old minister devoted to his father's welfare and asked him about the cause of the king's grief. O bull of Bharata's race (Janamejaya), when the prince (Devavrata) questioned the minister, the latter told him about the boon that was demanded by the chief of the fishermen in respect of his daughter Gandhavati (Satyavati).
"Then Devavrata, accompanied by many Kshatriya chiefs of respectable age, personally repaired to the chief of the fishermen and begged of him his daughter on behalf of the king (Shantanu). The chief of the fishermen received him with due adorations, and, O you of Bharata's race (Janamejaya), when the prince (Devavrata) took his seat in the court of the chief (of the fishermen), the latter addressed him and said, 'O bull among the Bharatas (Devavrata), you are the first of all wielders of weapons and the only son of Shantanu. Your power is great. But I have something to tell you. If the bride's father was (Lord) Indra himself, even then he would have to repent of rejecting such an exceedingly honourable and desirable proposal of marriage. The great man of whose seed this celebrated lady named Satyavati was born, is, indeed, equal to you in Dharma (Refer Chapter 63 (A), Chapter 63 (B) and Chapter 63 (C)). He has spoken to me on many occasions of the virtues of your father and told me that, the king alone is worthy of (marrying) Satyavati. Let me tell you that I have even rejected the solicitations of that best of Brahmarshis -- the Devarishi Asita -- who, too, had often asked for Satyavati's hand in marriage. I have only one word to say on the part of this lady. In the matter of the proposed marriage, there is one great objection founded on the fact of a rival in the person of a co-wife's son. O oppressor of all enemies, he has no security, even if he be an Asura or a Gandharva, who has a rival in you. There is this only objection to the proposed marriage, and nothing else. Blessed be you! But this is all I have to say in the matter of the bestowal or otherwise, of Satyavati.'
"Vaishampaayana continued, 'O you of Bharata's race (Janamejaya), Devavrata, having heard these words, and moved by the desire of benefiting his father thus answered in the hearing of the assembled chiefs, 'O foremost of truthful men, listen to the vow I utter! The man has not been or will not be born, who will have the courage to take such a vow! I shall accomplish all that you demand! The son that may be born of this lady shall be our king.'
"Thus addressed, the chief of the fishermen, driven by desire of sovereignty (for his daughter's son), to achieve the almost impossible, then said, 'O you of Dharmaatma (Devavrata), you are come here as full agent on behalf of your father Shantanu of immeasurable glory; you also be the sole manager on my behalf in the matter of the bestowal of this my daughter. But, O friendly one (Devavrata), there is something else to be said, something else to be thought upon by you. O suppressor of enemies, those that have daughters, from the very nature of their obligations, must say what I say. O you that are devoted to truth (Devavrata), the promise you have given in the presence of these chiefs for the benefit of Satyavati, has, indeed, been worthy of you. O you of mighty arms (Devavrata), I have not the least doubt of its ever being violated by you. But I have my doubts in respect of the children you may father.'
"Vaishampaayana continued, 'O king (Janamejaya), the son of Ganga (Devavrata), devoted to truth, having confirmed the hesitation of the chief of the fishermen, then said, moved to that by the desire of benefiting his father, 'Chief of fishermen, O best of men, listen to what I say in the presence of these assembled kings. O kings, I have already relinquished my right to the throne, I shall now settle the matter of my children. O fisherman, from this day I adopt the vow of Brahmacharya (study and meditation in celibacy). If I die sonless, I shall yet attain to regions of perennial joy in heaven!'
"Vaishampaayana continued, 'Upon these words of the son of Ganga (Devavrata), the hair on the fisherman's body stood on end from happiness, and he replied, 'I bestow my daughter!' Immediately after, the Apsaras and the Devas with diverse tribes of Rishis began to rain down flowers from the sky upon the head of Devavrata and exclaimed, 'This one is Bhishma (the terrible).' Bhishma then, to serve his father, addressed the illustrious lady and said, 'O mother, ascend this chariot, and let us go to our house.'
"Vaishampaayana continued, 'Having said this, Bhishma helped the beautiful lady into his chariot. On arriving with her at Hastinapura, he told Shantanu everything as it had happened. The assembled kings, jointly and individually, applauded his extraordinary act and said, 'He is really Bhishma (the terrible)!' Shantanu also, hearing of the extraordinary achievements of his son, became highly pleased and gave upon the high-souled prince (Bhishma) the boon of death at will, saying, 'Death shall never come to you as long as you desire to live. Truly death shall approach you, O sinless one, having first obtained your command.'"
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