Vaishampayana said: -
1. Having heard these soft and sweet words of the smiling king, that faultless maiden remembered the promise she had made to the Vasus.
2. She spoke to the king, sending a thrill of pleasure; (she said), “O protector of the world, I shall become your wife and obey your commands.
3. But O king, you must not interfere in any of my acts, whether they be agreeable or disagreeable to you. You most not also speak to me in harsh words.
4. O king, so long you will act in the way I ask you to do, I shall live with you. But I shall certainly leave you as soon as you interfere with me or use harsh words towards me.”
5. The best of the Bharata race, the king said, “Be it so.” Thereupon, the maiden was exceedingly glad to get that excellent king for her husband.
6. King Shantanu also was exceedingly pleased to get her for his wife. He fully enjoyed her sweet company. Adhering to his promise, he refrained from asking her anything.
7. The lord of the world, king Shantanu, became very much pleased with her beauty, conduct, magnanimity and attention to comforts.
8. That celestial lady, Ganga of the three courses, assuming a human form of exceeding beauty and excellent feature,
9. Lived happily as the wife of Shantanu, having as the fruit of her virtues, obtained that best of kings, as effulgent as the king of the celestials.
10. She pleased the king with her attractiveness and love, with her affection and wits, her music and dance and king was exceedingly pleased with her.
11. The king was so much sunk in the beauty of his wife, that months, seasons and years rolled away without his being conscious of them.
12. When the king was thus enjoying himself with his wife, eight sons were born to him. They were all like the celestial.
13. O descendant of the Bharata race, as soon as they were bom, they were one after the other thrown into the river by Ganga, who said, when she threw them into the stream. “This is done for your good.”
14. The king Shantanu could not be pleased with such conduct, but he did not speak a word to her for the fear of losing her.
15. When the eighth son was born and when Ganga was smiling (before she threw it into the river), the king, desiring to protect his son, said in sorrow,
16. “Do not kill it. Who are you? To whom do you belong? Why do you kill your own sons? Murderess of your sons, you are earning great sins by your improper acts.”
Ganga said: -
17. As you desire for a son, I shall not kill this child. You have become the foremost of fathers. But there must be an end of my stay with you according to our agreement.
18. I am Ganga, the daughter of Jahnu, worshipped by all great Rishis, I have so long lived with your for accomplishing the purpose of the celestials.
19. These sons were the eight celestials, the illustrious and greatly effulgent Vasus. They had to assume human form in consequence of the curse of Vasistha.
20. There is none on earth who desires to be their progenitor. There is none among human females like me who may be their mother.
21. Therefore, I assumed the human form, to become their mother. You have acquired great regions of celestial bliss by becoming the progenitor of the eight Vasus.
22. My agreement with the celestials Vasus was that I should free them from their human birth as soon as each would be born.
23. Thus have I freed them from the curse of the illustrious Rishi Apava (Vasistha.) Be blessed, I leave you now. Rear this child of rigid vows.
24. I promised to the Vasus to live with you so long (as I have lived). Let this child of mine be known by the name of Gangadatta.
Thus ends the ninty eighth chapter, the birth of Bhishma, in the Sambhava of the Adi Parva.