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 Sri 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 raptures produced instant
horripilation. With steadfast gaze he seemed to be drinking her charms,
but repeated draughts failed to quench his thirst. The damsel also
beholding 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, 'O 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!'"
SECTION XCVIII
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"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.
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