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 thee is this: the
son born of this maiden shall be installed by thee on thy throne and none
else shall thou make thy successor.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'O Bharata, when Santanu heard this, he felt no
inclination to grant such a boon, though the fire of desire sorely burnt
him within. The king with his heart afflicted by desire returned to
Hastinapura, thinking all the way of the fisherman's daughter. And having
returned home, the monarch passed his time in sorrowful meditation. One
day, Devavrata approaching his afflicted father said, 'All is prosperity
with thee; all chiefs obey thee; then how is it that thou grievest thus?
Absorbed in thy own thoughts, thou speakest not a word to me in reply.
Thou goest not out on horse-back now; thou lookest pale and emaciated,
having lost all animation. I wish to know the disease thou sufferest from,
so that I may endeavour to apply a remedy.' Thus addressed by his son,
Santanu answered, 'Thou sayest truly, O son, that I have become melancholy.
I will also tell thee why I am so. O thou of Bharata's line, thou art the
only scion of this our large race. Thou art 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 thee, O child of Ganga,
the result is that we become sonless.
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