Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (Volume 1).pdf/247

Rh that fair-complexioned one in secret and it she solicit thee for children, accept her as thy wife. And. O sinless one, judge not of the propriety or impropriety of her action and ask not who she is, or whose or whence, but accept her as thy wife at my command I"

Vaisampayana continued,-'Pratipa, having thus commanded his son Santanu and installed him on his throne, retired into the woods. And king Santanu endued with great intelligence and equal unto Indra himself in splendour, became addicted to hunting and passed much of his time in the woods. And the best of monarchs always slew deer and buffaloes. And one day, as he was wandering along the bank of the Ganges, he came upon a region frequented by Siddhas and Charanas. And there he saw a lovely maiden of blazing beauty and like unto another Sree herself: of faultless and pearly teeth and decked with celestial ornaments, and attired in garments of fine texture that resembled in splendour the filaments of the lotus. And the monarch. on beholding that damsel, became surprised, and his captures produced instant horripilation. With steadfast gaze he seemed to be drinking her charms, but repeated draughts failed to quench his thirst. The damsel also be holding the monarch of blazing splendour moving about in great agitation, was moved herself and experienced an affection for him. She gazed and gazed and longed to gaze on him evermore, The monarch then in soft words addressed her and said, slender-waisted one, be thou a goddess or the daughter of a Danava, be thou of the race of the Gandharvas, or Apsaras, be thou of the Yakshas or the Nagas, or be thou of human origin, O thou of celestial beauty, I solicit thee to be my wife !'"

Thus ends the ninety-seventh section in the Sambhava Parva of the Adi Parva.

Vaisampayana said, -- "The maiden then, hearing those soft and sweet words of the smiling monarch, and remembering her promise to the Vasus, addressed the king in reply. Of faultless feature, the damsel sending a thrill of pleasure into the heart by every word she uttered, said, 'O king. I shall become thy wife and obey thy commands 1 But, o monarch, thou must not interfere with me in anything I do, be it agreeable or disagreeable. Nor shalt thou ever address me unkindly. As long as thou shalt behave kindly I promise to live with thee. But I shall certainly leave thee the moment thou interferest with me or speakest to me an unkind word.' The king answered,'Be it so.' And thereupon

30