Whence sprang two children that were twins (son and a daughter). A soldier in attendance upon the king Shantanu, wandering in the forest in hunting, saw them. Seeing the bow, arrows and the deer skin, he thought they might be the sons of a Brahmana proficient in the science of arms. He took up those children along with the bow and arrows and showed the king what he had found. The king was filled with pity to see the twins. He took them home saying, “Let them be my children."
तस्याथ मिथुनं जज्ञे गौतमस्य शरद्वतः। मृगयां चरतो राज्ञः शन्तनोस्तु यदृच्छया॥ कश्चित् सेनाचरोऽरण्ये मिथुनं तदपश्यत। धनुश्च सशरं दृष्ट्वा तथा कृष्णाजिनानि च॥ ज्ञात्वा द्विजस्य चापत्ये धनुर्वेदान्तगस्य ह। स राज्ञे दर्शयामास मिथुनं सशरं धनुः॥ स तदादाय मिथुनं राजा च कृपयान्वितः। आजगाम गृहानेव मम पुत्राविति ब्रुवन्॥