Story of Śāntanu

 vaiśampāyana said:

sa rājā śāntanurdhīmān devarājarṣisatkṛtaḥ
dharmātmā sarvalokeṣu satyavāgiti viśrutaḥ

Vaiśampāyana said: King Śāntanu, adored by celestials and royal sages, was famous in all the worlds as being virtuous minded and truthful.

damo dānaṁ kṣamā buddhirhrīrdhṛtisteja uttamam
nityānyāsan mahāsattve śāntanau puruṣarṣabhe

Self control, liberality, forgiveness, intelligence, modesty, patience and superior energy ever dwelt in that best of men, Śāntanu.

evaṁ sa guṇasampanno dharmārthakuśalo nṛpaḥ
āsīa bharatavaṁśasya goptā sarvajanasya ca

That king was edued with such accomplishments. He was learned in both Dharma and Artha. He was both protector of Bharata race and all the people.

kambugrīvaḥ pṛthuvyaṁso mattavāraṇavikramaḥ
anvitaḥ paripūrṇāryaiḥ sarvairnṛpatilakṣaṇaiḥ

His neck was like conchshell, his shoulder was broad, he was as powerful as mad elephant. All auspicious signs of royalty dwelt in his person and they considered that to be their best abode.

tasya kīrtimato vṛttamavekṣeyabsatataṁ narāḥ
dharma eva paraḥ kāmādarthācceti vyavasthitāḥ

People, seeing the virtuous acts of that king of great achievements, came to know that virtue was superior to pleasure and profit.

etānyāsan mahāsattve śāntanau puruṣarṣabhe
na cāsya sadṛśaḥ kaścid dharmataḥ pārthivo ̍ bhavat

These accomplishments were all in that best of men, Śāntanu and no other king was equal to him in virtue.

vartamānaṁ hi dharmeṣu sarvadharmabhṛtāṁ varam
taṁ mahīṣā mahīpālaṁ rājarājye ̍ bhyaṣecayan

All kings of Earth, seeing him devoted to all kinds of virtues, installed him as the king of kings.

vītaśokabhayābādhāḥ sukhasvapnanibodhanāḥ
patiṁ bhārata goptāraṁ samapadyanta bhūmipāḥ

All kings were free from misery, fear and anxiety of all kinds during the reign of that lord - protector of Bharata race. They all slept in peace and rose in peace after happy dreams.

tena kīrtimatā śiṣṭāḥ śakrapratipatejasā
yajñadānakriyānakriyāśīlāḥ samapadyanta bhūmipāḥ

All kings became virtuous and devoted to liberality and religious acts and sacrifices from great example set by that king of wonderful achievements - Śāntanu, who was like Indra himself.

śāntanupramukhairgupte loke nṛpatibhistadā
niyamāt sarvavarṇānāṁ dharmottaramavartata

When Earth was ruled by Śāntanu and other kings like him, religious merit of every order greatly increased.

brahma paryacarat kṣatraṁ viśaḥ kṣatramanuvratāḥ
brahmakṣatrānuraktāśca śūdrāḥ paryacaran viśaḥ

Brāhmaṇas were served by Kṣatriyas, Kṣatriyas were served by Vaiśyas, Śūdras, adoring both Brāhmaṇas and Kṣatriyas, served Vaiśyas.

sa hāstinapure ramye kurūṇāṁ puṭabhedane
vasan sāgaraparyantāmanvaśāsad vasundharām

Śāntanu lived in Hāstinapura, beautiful capital of Kurus. He ruled over whole Earth bounded by the sea.

sa devarājasadṛśo dharmajñaḥ satyavāgṛjuḥ
dānadharmatapoyogācchriyā paramayā yutaḥ

He was truthful and virtuous like Indra and from his liberality, virtue and asceticism he acquired great fortune.

arāgadveṣasaṁyuktaḥ somavat priyadarśanaḥ
tejasā sūryakalpo ̍ bhūd vāyuvegasamo jave
antakapratimaḥ kope kṣamayā pṛthivīsamaḥ

He wa sfree from anger and malice. He was as handsome as Soma himself. He was as effulgent as the sun and as courageous as Vāyu. He was like Yama in anger and like Earth in patience.

vadhaḥ paśuvarāhāṇāṁ tathaiva mṛgapakṣiṇām
śāntanau pṛthivīpāle nāvartata tathā nṛpa

O king! When Śāntanu ruled Earth, no deer, bears, birds or other animals were needlessly killed.

brahmadharmottare rājye śāntanurvinayātmavān
samaṁ śaśāsa bhūtāni kāmarāgavivarjitaḥ

Virtue and kindness regned in the kingdom of Śāntanu, who himself was full of mercy and free from anger. He equally protected all creatures.

devarṣipitṛyajārthamārabhyanta tadā kriyāḥ
na cādharmeṇa keṣāṁcit prāṇināmabhavad vadhaḥ

Sacrifices in honour of celestials, Ṛṣis, Pitṛs, were performed but no creature was sinfully deprived of its life.

asukhānāmanāthānāṁ tiryagyoniṣu vartatām
sa eva rājā sarveṣāṁ bhūtānāmabhavat pitā

That king became a father of those who were miserable, of those who had no protectors, nay even of birds and beasts, all the creatures.

tasmin kurupatiśreṣṭhe rājarājeśvare sati
śritā vāgabhavat satyaṁ dānadharmāśritaṁ manaḥ

During the reign of that best of Kuru kings, Śāntanu ̍ s speech was mixed with truth and mind was devoted to liberality and virtue.

sa samaḥ ṣoḍaśāṣṭau ca catasro ̍ ṣṭau tathāparāḥ
ratimaprāpnuvan strīṣu babhūva vanagocaraḥ

Having enjoyed companionship of women 36 years, he retired into a forest.