Vaishampayana said : Having been thus commanded by her (Ganga), Shantanu took his son, as effulgent as the sun and started for his own capital. Having reached the city which was like the City of Indra, the descendant of Puru (Shantanu) considered himself very fortunate and successful in his wishes. He then installed his accomplished and illustrious son as his heirapparent for the protection of the kingdom of the Kurus. O best of the Bharatas, the illustrious son soon pleased his father and all the members of his family. He pleased all the subjects of his kingdom by his conduct. The greatly powerful king lived happily with his son for four years. Once on a time, he went to a forest on the banks of the river, named Yamuna. When the kin was roaming there, he perceived a sweet scent coming from an unknown direction.
वैशम्पायन उवाच तयैवं समनुज्ञातः पुत्रमादाय शान्तनुः॥ भ्राजमानं यथादित्यमाययौ स्वपुरं प्रति। पौरवस्तु पुरीं गत्वा पुरन्दरपुरोपमाम्॥ सर्वकामसमृद्धार्थ मेने सोऽऽत्मानमात्मना। पौरवेषु ततः पुत्र राज्यार्थमभयप्रदम्॥ गुणवन्तं महात्मानं यौवराज्येऽभ्यषेचयत्। पौरवाञ्छान्तनोः पुत्रः पितरं च महायशाः॥ राष्ट्रं च रञ्जयामास वृत्तेन भरतर्षभ। स तथा सह पुत्रेण रममाणो महीपतिः॥ वर्तयामास वर्षाणि चत्वार्यमितविक्रमः। स कदाचित् वनं यातो यमुनामभितो नदीम्॥ महीपतिरनिर्देश्यमाजिघ्रद् गन्धमुत्तमम्। तस्य प्रभवमन्विच्छन् विचचार समन्ततः॥