his wife. And repairing unto her
father, the king solicited his consent to the proposed match. But the
chief of the fishermen replied to the monarch, saying, 'O king, as soon
as my daughter of superior complexion was born, it was of course,
understood that she should be bestowed upon a husband. But listen to the
desire I have cherished all along in my heart. O sinless one, thou art
truthful: if thou desirest to obtain this maiden as a gift from me, give,
me then this pledge. If, indeed, thou givest the pledge, I will of course
bestow my daughter upon thee for truly I can never obtain a husband for
her equal to thee.'

"Santanu, hearing this, replied, 'When I have heard of the pledge thou
askest, I shall then say whether I would be able to grant it. 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. Truly thou alone
art to me as a century of sons. I do not, therefore, desire to wed again.
I only desire and pray that prosperity may ever attend thee so that our
dynasty may be perpetuated. The wise say that he that hath one son ha