Shloka 2
Satyavatī’s Disclosure and the Summoning of Vyāsa
Niyoga for Kuru Succession
(प्रजार्थिनी राजपुत्रं शान्तनुं पृथिवीपतिम् । प्रतीपवचनं चापि संस्मृत्यैव स्वयं नूप ।। कालो<5यमिति मत्वा सा वसूनां शापचोदिता ।) उवाच चैव राज्ञ: सा ह्वादयन्ती मनो गिरा । भविष्यामि महीपाल महिषी ते वशानुगा,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! राजा शान्तनुका मधुर मुसकानयुक्त मनोहर वचन सुनकर यशस्विनी गंगा उनकी एऐश्वर्य-वृद्धिके लिये उनके पास आयीं। तटपर विचरते हुए उन नृपश्रेष्ठको देखकर सती साध्वी गंगाको वसुओंको दिये हुए वचनका स्मरण हो आया। साथ ही राजा प्रतीपकी बात भी याद आ गयी। तब यही उपयुक्त समय है, ऐसा मानकर वसुओंको मिले हुए शापसे प्रेरित हो वे स्वयं संतानोत्पादनकी इच्छासे पृथ्वीपति महाराज शान्तनुके समीप चली आयीं और अपनी मधुर वाणीसे महाराजके मनको आनन्द प्रदान करती हुई बोलीं--'भूपाल! मैं आपकी महारानी बनूँगी एवं आपके अधीन रहूँगी
prajārthinī rājaputraṁ śāntanuṁ pṛthivīpatim | pratīpavacanaṁ cāpi saṁsmṛtyaiva svayaṁ nṛpa || kālo ’yam iti matvā sā vasūnāṁ śāpacoditā | uvāca caiva rājñaḥ sā hlādayantī mano girā | bhaviṣyāmi mahīpāla mahiṣī te vaśānugā ||
Vaiśampāyana disse: “Ó rei, lembrando as palavras de Pratīpa e impelida pela maldição que recaíra sobre os Vasus, ela—desejosa de descendência—pensou: ‘Este é o tempo certo’, e por vontade própria aproximou-se de Śāntanu, o príncipe real e senhor da terra. Então, deleitando o ânimo do rei com sua fala doce, disse: ‘Ó protetor do reino, serei tua rainha e obedecerei à tua vontade.’”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how personal choices in royal life are shaped by prior vows and cosmic consequences: remembrance of elders’ counsel (Pratīpa’s words) and the force of a curse (on the Vasus) converge to set events in motion, showing the Mahābhārata’s theme that dharma and fate intertwine in determining lineage and duty.
Gaṅgā, motivated by the Vasus’ curse and her intent to bear children, approaches King Śāntanu at the right moment, speaks pleasingly, and offers to become his queen, setting up their marriage and the subsequent birth-events central to the Kuru lineage.