Story of Shantanu - Ganga

Help To Guide You

About King Shantanu:

Shantanu was a Kuru king who ruled Hastinapura. He was a descendant of the King
Bharata, of the lunar dynasty and great-grandfather of the Kauravas and Pandavas.
He was the youngest son of Pratipa, King of Hastinapur and was born in the latter's
old age. Devapi, the eldest son of Pratipa, was suffering from leprosy. Hence, he
decided to become a hermit. The second son Bahlika abandoned his paternal
kingdom and started living with his maternal uncle in Balkh. He inherited the throne
from him. Thus, Shantanu became the king of Hastinapura by default.

King Shantanu

Legend of Shantanu - Ganga:

One day King Shantanu was hunting near the bank of Ganga. He saw the beautiful
Goddess Ganga. Shantanu fell in love with her. He approached her proposed her to
marry him and to be the Queen of Hastinapur. Ganga asked him to come on next
day. On the next day, King Shantanu again proposed Ganga. She agreed on a
condition that King will never Question her about her actions. Shantanu promised
her that he will never question her and will never ask her to give any explanation
about any of her action. Ganga also warned King that if he questions her, then she
will leave him. King Shantanu Married Ganga and the whole kingdom welcomed their
new Queen. A few months later, Ganga gave birth to her first son. On the next
morning, King Shantanu saw her going towards the river, with their son. King
followed her, and he was shocked to see that Ganga drowned their son. King was
bounded by his words that he will never Question her. But the same thing happened
when Ganga gave birth to her Second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and Seventh Son. King
was stuck with grief. The entire kingdom was talking about the stubbornness of
Ganga.

Shantanu meets Ganga

When Ganga gave birth to their eighth son, king Shantanu decided to follow her to
stop her from drowning the child. King did the same and asked her for the reason to
drown their children. Ganga reminded King of his promises. Being a Father, he can no
more see his sons drowning in front of his eyes. Ganga revealed a story from her
past. She was the daughter of Lord Brahma, and she is protecting their children from
a curse. Ganga and Shantanu both were suffering from the curse. Ganga told
Shantanu that he was king Mahabhishan in his last birth who was a friend of Indra.
One day Mahabheshan came to Swarg. Ganga was also present there with his father,
Brahma. Mahabhishan was looking at Ganga. A soft breeze blown off the cloth from
Ganga’s shoulder everyone in the court put their eyes on the floor except
Mahabhishan. Lord Brahma enraged at this, and he cursed them to take birth on the
earth. Their sons were also cursed by sage Vashisth. Ganga had promised them to
give birth, and she will drown them to release them from the curse. As King Shantanu
questioned Ganga, she was freed from the curse. She took the eighth son with her
and promised to return him to the king at the right time. The eighth son was named
Devavrat.

Shantanu saves his son from drowning

Sixteen years were passed away, and King Shantanu was waiting for his son. One day
Ganga came with their son Devavrat as she promised. The king hugged his son
Devavrat. Ganga told the king that Devavrat had learned Vedas from sage Vashisth,
war rules from Parshuram and politics from sage Bhraspati because she knew that
Hastinapur needs a deserving Prince and Devavrat is capable of it. Ganga convinced
Devavrat to go with his father as she was bound to her duty.
There are eight gods, known as Vasus (called "Aṣṭa-vasu", 'Eight Vasus'), who represents
different aspects of nature.

These elements are:

 Prithvi (Dharā)
 Agni (Anala)
 Vāyu (Anila)
 Jal (Āpa)
 Surya (Āditya)
  Aakasha (Prabhāsa)
 Chandramas (Soma)
 Nakstrani(Dhruva)
The Vasus are attendant deities of Indra, and later Vishnu.

Once upon a time, these 8 Vasus were traveling through a forest on a vacation with their
wives when they came across Vasishta Muni’s ashram. Outside the ashram, they saw
“Nandini”, Vasishta’s divine cow.

The wive of Prabhāsa was so much absorbed by the beauty of the cow, that she
requested and urged her husband to bring the cow for her.

Prabhasa tried convincing his wife that, they are devas. They do not have any use for
cows or cow’s milk. Even though it is Nandini, whose milk gives everlasting life, Devas do
not need it as they are already enjoying immortality on account of being Devas.

He continued, most importantly, Sage Vasishta is very fond of Nandini and it would be
improper on their part to violate his integrity.

Despite many attempts by Prabhasa, his wife did not yield. She made imploring requests
and finally succeeded in melting Prabhasa ‘s heart. He agreed and thus, the 8 Vasus took
Nandini and her calf by force and disappeared before Vasishta returned to the Ashram.

When Vasishta returned, he found that his Nandini missing. He, through his divine vision,
saw all that had happened. He became terribly angry and cursed the 8 Vasus to be born
as Mortal Men in this world.

When the 8 Vasus came to know of this curse, they ran to Vasishta and fell at his feet
asking for his forgiveness. Vasishta had cooled down by that time and he said that the
curse cannot be taken back. However, the effect of the curse can be reduced.

He advised them to request goddess Ganga to be their mother on earth and ask her to
relieve them of their birth as soon as they are born so that the vasus may return to the
heavens without long years of suffering.

He said, “I can grant this reduction in effect to 7 of you who supported Prabhasa in his
act of stealing. Since Prabhasa was the one who actually stole the cow, the curse will
remain in full effect for him and he will have to live his full lifetime on earth like a man.
However, he will live a great life and be regarded as one of the best souls to have ever
walked the earth”. Saying this, Vasishta went back into meditation.

Relieved to hear this, the Vasus approached goddess Ganga and requested her to be
their mother on earth and throw them into the river as soon as they are born. Ganga
agreed and came to earth and became Shantanu’s wife to carry out this task.

This is why Ganga sacrificed 7 of her sons into the river and left the last one, who later
came to be known as Bhishma.