' Ganga then said, 'Ye celestials,
that is exactly my wish which ye sinless ones have expressed. I shall,
indeed, do good to that Santanu. That is also your desire as just
expressed.' The Vasus then said, 'It behoveth thee to throw thy children
after birth, into the water, so that, O thou of three courses (celestial,
terrestrial, and subterranean) we may be rescued soon without having to
live on earth for any length of time.' Ganga then answered, 'I shall do
what ye desire. But in order that his intercourse with me may not be
entirely fruitless, provide ye that one son at least may live.' The Vasus
then replied, 'We shall each contribute an eighth part of our respective
energies. With the sum thereof, thou shall have one son according to thy
and his wishes. But this son shall not begat any children on earth.
Therefore, that son of thine endued with great energy, shall be
childless.'
"The Vasus, making this arrangement with Ganga, went away without waiting
to the place they liked.'"
SECTION XCVII
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said. 'There was a king of the name of Pratipa, who was kind
to all creatures. He spent many years in ascetic penances at the source of
the river Ganga. The accomplished and lovely Ganga, one day, assuming the
form of a beautiful female, and rising from the waters, made up to the
monarch. The celestial maiden, endued with ravishing beauty, approached
the royal sage engaged in ascetic austerities, and sat upon his right
thigh that was, for manly strength, a veritable Sala tree.
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