MAHABHARAT

Shatanu maharaj

1.Wife - Ganga 2.Wife -

Satyavati

Bhishma
(Devavrata)
Chitrangana vichitravirya

Mahamahim
Bhishma on his
chariot

Bhishma on
the bed of
arrows.
 Start of Mahabharatam
It is the story from dwapara yug (3000BC) Shantanu Maharaj of Hastinapur married
goddess Ganga by accepting her condition that whatever she does he must not question
her for her mistakes. 1 year passed away and they had a boy child, Shatanu maharaj
was very happy to have a son but as soon as ganga gave birth her first child she went
and drowned away her 1st child in river Shatanu was calm has he remembered his
oath. In the same way ganga drowned her 7 sons as soon as they took birth but
Shatanu did not question her. But he felt very bad for his kids and stopped ganga from
drowning her 8th son. Then ganga said the kids are not humans but they are vasus who
are cursed by lord brahma. she promised the vasus that she will give birth to vasus
that and relive them from the curse. Then ganga says now I can’t relive the curse of
my 8th child because you have stopped me doing that as per the condition I will leave
you and take away the child and I bring him up hand over you after he is fully
prepared for king’s throne. With this she disappeared along with the child. After few
years ganga came back and handover him and disappeared but at that time Shatanu
was in love with Satyavati devi.
He requested satayavati’s father let him marry satayavati but he said he will
agree for this marriage for one condition that is you need to make satayavati’s
kids as your successors but not your 1st wife Son but he refused to make such
promise and came back to
hastinapur. Devavrata saw his father sad and interrogated from people and got
to know about the reason behind his father’s sadness then Devavrata went to
Dashraj (adoptive father of Satyavati) and led her daughter's hand for his
father, then he kept the condition in front of Devavrata. Devavrata promises
him that he sacrifice the throne of hastinapur. Then Dashraj said, 'you may not
take over the throne but your kids can take over the throne’. Then Devavrata
takes an oath in the front of ganga river that he will sacrifice the throne and
also that he will be always stay has bachelor forever. By seeing that Shatanu
gives him a boon of “Ichcha Mrityu” (control over his own death – he could
choose the time of his death, making him immortal till his chosen time of
death). For his bhishamna pratigya ('fierce oath‘) he is renamed as
BHISHMA.
Shantanu stops Ganga Painting depicting Devavrata taking his
from drowning their eighth presentation by Ganga of oath of being single for
child, who later was known her son Devavrata (the rest of his life, the
as Bhishma. future Bhishma) to his throne belongs to
father, Shantanu Satyavati’s children
and there generation
and He will protect
them
 Bhishma

1. DEVAVRATA is the 8th son of goddess GANGA and KURU KING

SHATHANU.
2. He is the one of the greatest archers and warrior of his time.
3. He is the student of lord Vishnu's sixth avatar lord PARASHURAMA.
4. He was blessed with a boon by his father that he could choose the time of his
death or he may remain immortal till he desires.
Hence, he got a name BHISHMA for his bhishamna pratigya ('fierce oath‘).
5.He is also called has Gangaputra(son of ganga), Gangadatta (granted by
Ganga),Shanta Nava (son of Shantanu.),Gauranga (the one with fair
body),Shvetaveera(a white warrior or the one who is heroic white and has all
weapons in white colour),Ashta Vasu(elemental gods (in previous
life)),Bharatavanshi ( descendant of Bharata)Pitamaha (Grandfather (also known
as Bhishma Pitamaha; called by Pandavas and Kauravas)).
6. He died on 10th day of KURUKSHETRA WAR in the hands of his favourite
ARJUN. And SHIKANDINI (‘AMBHA DEVI’).
 Satyavati

Satayavati is the queen of hastinapur, 2nd wife of Shatanu Maharaj, mother

of Vyasa with Parashara; Chitrangada and Vichitravirya with Shantanu,
Step mother of Bhishma.
THE HISTORY OF SATYAWATI
Satyavati in her previous life was Achchhoda, daughter of the Pitrs
(ancestors) and cursed to be born on earth.[1] The Mahabharata,
Harivamsa and Devi Bhagavata Purana assert that Satyavati was the
daughter of a cursed apsara (celestial nymph) named Adrika. Adrika was
transformed by a curse into a fish, and lived in the Yamuna river. a Chedi
King, was on a hunting expedition when he had a nocturnal emission while
dreaming of his wife. Using an eagle, He sent his semen to his queen but
due to a fight mid-air with another eagle, the semen fell into the river and
was swallowed by the cursed Adrika-fish.[5] Consequently, the fish became
pregnant. Soon, A fisherman caught the pregnant fish and cut it open to
find two babies in the womb of the fish, one male and one female. The
fisherman presented the children to the king, who kept the male child. The
boy grew up to become King Matsya, the founder of the Matsya Kingdom.
The king gave the female child back to the fisherman, naming her Matsya-gandha
("She who smells like fish").
The fisherman raised the girl as his daughter and named her Kali ("the dark one")
because of her complexion. Over the course of time, Kali earned the name Satyavati
("truthful"). The fisherman was also a ferryman, ferrying people across the river in
his boat. Satyavati helped her father, the fisherman, in his job and grew up into a
beautiful maiden. One day when she was helping people to cross the river then a
sage Parashara saw Satyavati and said her future generations are going to make a
unfogettenable and unbelievable change so he went to Satyavati and requested her
to give birth to his child through virgo intacta. And said that she will stop smelling
like fish as soon as she give birth to his son . After the birth of vyasa Matsyagandha
was transformed into Yojanagandha ("she whose fragrance can be smelled
from across a yojana"). She now smelled of musk, and so was called Kasturi-
gandhi ("musk-fragrant"). As soon as she gave birth to child the child grew
up as a youth boy and promises her that when ever she need his help she just
need to chant his name from bottom of her heart then he will appear in front
of her he then left to do penance in the forest.
Satyavati is also called as Matsyagandha, Gandhavati and Yojanagandha
Satyavati and King Santanu gave birth to two sons named Chitrangada and Vichitravirya
After Santanu’s death Chitrangada took the responsibility of kingdom at the age of 12. and
lost his life during war .Meanwhile, Vichitravirya is addicted to alcohol and so unfit to
become a King. Satayavati requested bhishma to bring bride for Vichitravirya after
marriage he might become responsible towards his duties . As requested bhishma went to
svayamvar of three sisters named Amba, Ambika, Ambalika. As per the rules of svyamvar a
task is given by the bride to the partipating kings, princes the one who wins the heart of the
bride with his performance the bride take him as her husband. Princess Amba is in love
with a king so she told the task to him so that he can complete it and marry her. When
bhishma entered the grand palace hall where the svyamvar is taking place everyone is
shocked to see him. The king welcomed him with respect and humblness as the svyamvar
started princesses kept their task in front of the Sabha . Amba gave a sign to her love to
answer the the question before he could answer bhishma stood and completed all the three
tasks given by the princess . Amba was in shock as the way she wanted her love to complete
the task in the same way bhishma as done the task .by seeing bhishma’s action the king who
wanted to marry amba assumed that amba betrayed him so he stood to leave the hall . As
seeing this amba went to stop him but he didn’t and left. After he left amba confessed the
whole matter to the members in the hall. Bhishma freed her to go with her love and took
ambika and ambalika back to hastinapur.
A freed amba went to her love with a marriage proposal but he rejected her
and said that he’ll not marry because bhishma won her. A furious amba with
a pain of rejection of love and rejection of her father returned to hastinapur
and explained the soreness to all. So bhishma said even now she can become
wife of Vichitravirya. but she refuse to marry vichitravirya and ordered
bhishma to marry her as he won her . But he refused as he took a oath that
he will stay unmarried for his whole life but amba went into a argument with
bhishma and other members of Shaba.
 Satyvati with her 1st son(
Niyoga son) Krishna
Dvaipayana (ved vyasa)

Satyvati with her

husband King Shatanu
GANDHARI
Gandhari serving ved vyasa