Skandapurana 6.2.71.75.2

6.2.71.75.2

mānuṣaṃ vigrahaṃ kṛtvā śrīmaṃtaṃ varavarṇini ..
rājānaṃ ramayāmāsa yathā reme tathaiva ca .. 16 ..
sa rājā rati saktatvāduttamastrīguṇairhṛtaḥ ..
saṃvatsarānṛtūnmāsānna bubodha bahūngatān.. 17 ..
ramamāṇastayā sārddhaṃ yathākāmaṃ nareśvaraḥ ..
aṣṭāvajanayatputrāṃ stasyāmamaravarṇinaḥ .. 18 ..
jātaṃ jātaṃ ca sā putraṃ kṣipatyaṃbhasi muktaye ..
prīṇāmi tvāmahamiti gaṃgāsrotasi pāvane .. 19 ..
nāsya tattu priyaṃ rājñaḥ śaṃtanorhyabhavattadā ..
novāca kiṃcittāṃ devīṃ tyāgādbhīto mahīpatiḥ .. 5.2.71.20 ..
athaināmaṣṭame putre jāte prahasatīmiva ..
uvāca rājā duḥkhārttaḥ parīpsanputramātmanaḥ .. 21 ..
mā vadhīḥ kasya kāsīti kiṃ vidhvaṃsi sutāniti ..
putrahiṃsā mahatpāpaṃ mā prāpsīstiṣṭha garhite .. 22 ..
.. gaṃgovāca .. ..
putrakāmā na te hanmi putraṃ putravatāṃvara ..
jīrṇastu mama vāso'yaṃ yathā me samayaḥ kṛtaḥ .. 23 ..
ahaṃ gaṃgā jahnusutā maharṣigaṇasevitā ..
devakāryārthasiddhyarthamuṣitvāhaṃ tvayā saha .. 24 ..
ime'ṣṭau vasavo devā mahābhīmā mahaujasaḥ ..
vaśiṣṭhaśāpadoṣeṇa mānuṣatvamupāgatāḥ .. 25 ..
teṣāmānayitā nānyastvadṛte bhuvi vidyate ..
madvidhā mānuṣī dhātrī na caivāsti kadācana .. 26 ..
tasmāttajjananīhetormānuṣatvamupāgatā ..
svasti te'stu gamiṣyāmi putraṃ pāhi mahāvrata .. 27 ..
saivamuktvā tadā gaṅgā viṣṇumāyāvimohitā ..
ruroda mānuṣaṃ bhāvamāśritā tanumadhyamā .. 28 ..
aho bata mahatkaṣṭaṃ yadamī ghātitāḥ sutāḥ ..
mayā nṛśaṃsayā mohājjale kṣiptāstu bālakāḥ .. 29 ..
hā vatsā hā sutāḥ putrā hā tātāstanayāḥ kva vai ..

Having assumed a human form, radiant one, O lady of excellent complexion, / she brought delight to the king, and took delight in him as well. (16)
Attached to amorous pleasure and captivated by the excellent qualities of women, / the king did not notice the passing of many years, seasons, and months. (17)
Sporting with her at his pleasure, the ruler of men / begot upon her eight sons who possessed immortal complexion. (18)
As each son was born, she threw him into the water for his liberation, / saying, "I please you," into the purifying current of the Gaṅgā. (19)
That was not pleasing to King Śaṃtanu at all; / yet the lord of the earth said nothing to that goddess, terrified of abandonment. (20)
Then, as the eighth son was born and she seemed to smile, / the king, afflicted with grief and wishing to protect his son, said: (21)
"Do not kill him! Whose are you and who are you? Why do you destroy your sons? / Slaying a son is a great sin; do not incur it, stay, O blameworthy woman!" (22)
Gaṅgā said:
"O best of those who have sons, desiring a son as you do, I shall not kill your son. / But my stay here has come to an end, according to the agreement made by me. (23)
I am Gaṅgā, the daughter of Jahnu, attended by hosts of great seers; / I have dwelt with you for the sake of accomplishing the purpose of the gods. (24)
These are the eight Vasu gods, very terrible and of great splendour; / by the flaw of Vasiṣṭha's curse they entered into human state. (25)
Other than you, no bringer of them exists on the earth, / and a human mother such as I could never exist. (26)
Therefore, for the sake of being their mother, I have assumed human state. / May welfare be yours; I shall depart. Protect your son, O king of great vows!" (27)
Having spoken thus, Gaṅgā, deluded by the māyā of Viṣṇu, / wept, having resorted to human nature, that slender-waisted lady: (28)
"Oh, alas, what great misery that these sons were killed! / By me, cruel through delusion, the infants were cast into the water. (29)
Alas, my children! Alas, my sons! Where indeed are my dear boys?"