And while seeking for a cause, the
illustrious monarch beheld that a youth of great comeliness, well-built
and amiable person, like Indra himself, had, by his keen celestial weapon,
checked the flow of the river. And the king, beholding this extraordinary
feat of the river Ganga having been checked in her course near where that
youth stood, became very much surprised. This youth was no other than
Santanu's son himself. But as Santanu 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 perception by his celestial powers of illusion and disappeared
in his very sight.
"King Santanu, 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 Santanu. And Santanu did not
recognise that beautiful female bedecked with ornaments and attired in
fine robes of white, although he had known her before. And Ganga said, 'O
tiger among men, that eighth son whom thou hadst some time before begat
upon me is this. Know that this excellent child is conversant with all
weapons, O monarch, take him now. I have reared him with care. And go home,
O tiger among men, taking him with thee.
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