Chapter 5 - Bhishma and the sons of Satyavati

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Shantanu was shocked! He could not believe that his son....his Devavratha....had given up his right to the throne so easily....Just to keep him happy....

On one side Shantanu was overwhelmed...Satyavati was his...That is what he had wanted...On the other hand, Shantanu was filled with guilt...Devavratha...his son had given up everything for him! Devavratha was now Bhishma... His son would never become a father, because of him...

Even now Bhishma did not look like he had sacrificed everything in life for his father. He looked regal and powerful. It was clear to Shantanu that Bhishma would never be tempted to break his vow ….ever. He would keep his vow till the last day he was alive.

Shantanu embraced his son with love and affection. He looked at Bhishma and said, 'Son! I do not know whether I am even the right person to bless you!' Bhishma shook his head to speak when Shantanu held up his hands, 'No! Please let me finish! I, Shantanu bless you that you can choose the manner and the time of your death...You will die only when you want to die and in the manner that you wish to die...'

Bhishma nodded his head and fell at his father's feet. Satyavati watched the whole scene from behind. She had no doubt in her mind about Bhishma. Bhishma was the pillar on which her family leaned on....Though Bhishma would never rule the throne, without him, the kingdom would be nothing...

The people in the kingdom of Hastinapur were however very unhappy....Most of them wanted to be ruled by Bhishma....Besides deep down they always felt that Satyavati was only a fisherwoman and not a queen....However as time went by, the people realized that though Bhishma would never rule them, he was the real power behind the throne....He made the decisions in the name of the King. Soon the people also realized Satyavati's true potential and she also won the people's respect....

Shantanu and Satyavati had two sons – Chitrangada and Vichitraviryan. Bhishma loved and adored his two brothers and in turn the two of them worshiped the ground on which Bhishma walked. Shantanu was too old to look after his two sons. Bhishma with the help of Satyavati, raised his two brothers as his sons. Bhishma raised Chitrangada to be the king after his father. Under Satyavati's request, Bhishma even crowned him as the crown prince when Shantanu was alive.

Chitrangada was a good warrior and he learnt the art of administering the kingdom and diplomacy from his brother. Shantanu passed away a few years later and Chitrangada was crowned as the King of Hastinapur. Chitrangada however heavily relied on his elder brother and the real management of the kingdom was in Bhishma's hands.

Chitrangada fought many wars and was a brilliant warrior. He expanded the kingdom and defeated all the nearby kings. One day, Bhishma wanted to go to the outskirts of the kingdom to look into the affairs of the people there, of the newly acquired kingdoms. Chitrangada made arrangements for his brother's departure. Bhishma left the very next day.

As Chitrangada was going to attend court, he heard a loud roar outside the palace walls! He ran outside and saw a huge Gandharva standing there! The Gandharva looked handsome and ferocious at the same time. The Gandharva now spoke angrily, 'Who is it that has my name?'

Chitrangada looked angrily at the Gandharva, 'Stop scaring my people, Gandharva! Tell me who you are and then we will see...'

The Gandharva opened his mouth to speak in a melodious voice, 'I am Chitrangada, the King of the Gandharvas!'

Without missing a step, Chitrangad pulled out his sword. 'I am King Chitrangada, the Kuru King of Hastinapur! What do you want?'

The Gandharva with wide angry eyes pulled out his sword, 'There cannot be two kings with the name Chitrangada! I am the only true king. You are nothing but a weak pathetic human, whereas I am a Gandharva! You have made me very angry by keeping my name for yourself! Get ready to meet your death for that...'

Chitrangada, the Kuru King said, 'I do not want my good soldiers to be killed for such a silly battle. I will meet your challenge one on one....' The Gandharva nodded his head contemptuously.

Both of them had a fierce battle in the banks of the river Hiranyavati. Gandharva were heavenly musicians. However they were physically very powerful and strong. They were also masters of military tactics. Though Chitrangada, the Kuru prince was a brilliant strategist, he could not keep up with the superior strength of the gandharva.

Much to the dismay of the whole kingdom, Chitrangada, the Kuru King was killed by the Gandharva. The whole kingdom watched in horror as Chitrangada breathed his last! The Gandharva disappeared from there laughing like a maniac....

Bhishma returned a few days later and listened as an inconsolable Satyavati told him everything, 'The...Gandharva killed my son Bhishma! He killed your brother in cold blood...' She broke out in sobs as Bhishma heard the whole story. Bhishma was broken hearted. He could not believe that his brother....a brother whom he had loved like his own son was no more....a gandharva had come and just taken away his brother....

Bhishma sat down clutching his head. Satyavati looked at Bhishma and said, 'Bhishma! The throne of Hastinapur cannot be without a King...'

Bhishma looked at Satyvati and realized that despite her upbringing as a fisherwoman, Satyavati was made up of sterner stuff...She was born to be a queen...She was someone who could plan ahead and set her own grief aside...Bhishma slowly nodded his head.

Chitrangada did not have any children...So as per the laws of those days, the younger brother Vichitraviryan had the right to rule the kingdom...

Both Bhishma and Satyavati chose an auspicious day and crowned Vichitraviryan, the younger son as the King...Bhishma pulled himself together and once again started teaching Vichitraviryan the ways of the King...Under the request of Satyavati, Bheeshma ruled the vast Kingdom as a representative of the young Vichitraviryan.

Under his brother's guidance, Vichitraviryan learnt the ways of administering the kingdom and became a good diplomat and learnt the art of warfare....

Chapter 4 - Devavratha becomes Bhishma

On reaching the kingdom, Shantanu studied his son. Over the days it became clear to Shantanu that Devavratha was extremely intelligent. His knowledge of the state warfare was something that even the experienced Shantanu himself did not have. Shantanu also found that Devavratha was very serious and never talked much. Devavratha was more of a doer than a talker. 

Devavratha loved his father and made sure his father was always happy. Father and son were so close. They talked about everything under the sun. Shantanu discussed all the matters of the state and everything else he felt like talking. In Devavratha he found a perfect listener…calm and balanced…

Much to Shantanu’s happiness the people of Hastinapur accepted Devavratha very easily. In him the people found the perfect prince, who would eventually rule them. On an auspicious day, Shantanu crowned Devavratha the crown prince of Hastinapur. The people rejoiced. The kingdom flourished and people were looking forward to glorious years being ruled by Devavratha. 

Shantanu also found that after Devavratha had come to him, he did not miss Ganga as much as before. True, her thoughts sometimes bothered him. But on the whole he felt more complete and mature. He did not feel the pangs of loneliness the way he used to feel before. His heartache was healing – slowly.

Shantanu still visited the jungles – now with more vigour than ever. After appointing Devavratha as the crown prince, Shantanu slowly let Devavratha take over the administration of the kingdom. Devavratha was a natural diplomat and the kingdom prospered well. 

Four years went by.

As Shantanu was galloping through the jungles, he smiled. He heard the flow of the Ganga from the far side of the forest. But of late, he did not feel the urge to visit the river. He asked his charioteer to turn and drive in another direction. The king rode for the long time, thinking happily about the latest achievements of Devavratha. 

The king was so lost in his thoughts that he did not notice that he was the on the banks of a river – another river – it was the Yamuna. Looking at the flowing calm river, Shantanu was still thinking, when a fragrance hit him from somewhere….’Hit him’ was the right word for it. After Shantanu inhaled the fragrance, Shantanu found the fragrance so enchanting that he was not able to think of anything else. The fragrance was so…inviting and alluring… Shantanu asked his charioteer to stop. He got down and looked around…

There, Shantanu blinked….

Sitting on a boat in the river was a beautiful…’beautiful’ hardly did justice to the woman…she was enchanting…. Shantanu studied the rugged dark dress of the woman which was flowing in the wind, her hair waving to the tunes of the wind and the way she sat on the boat with her feet playing in the water, an oar in her hand…. Shantanu for the second time in his life felt his mind go numb again. He slowly walked towards the woman wondering whether she was real or a figment of his imagination….

As Shantanu walked closer he actually expected the woman to disappear. She had this beauty which was unreal…Just looking at her made Shantanu’s head go dizzy. Shantanu inhaled deeply and found that the fragrance he had smelt when he had first come here was coming from the woman.  

The closer Shantanu went, the more hopelessly he felt in love with the woman. He felt that he had to marry the woman…and that without her he would be incomplete….

Shantanu shook his head trying to clear her thoughts. The woman had heard his footsteps and turned to look at him. When the woman saw him, Shantanu felt himself become blank again. 

‘Wh…who areyou?’ He found that he was mixing up all the words.

The woman laughed. Shantanu heard her tinkling laugh and found himself getting embarrassed. She however replied to him, ‘I am Satyavati! I am the daughter of the chief fisherman…’ She said pointing to her right. 

It was only after she pointed, Shantanu noticed small settlements on the right of the river. Satyavati was pointing to what was the biggest house among those small huts. 

Shantanu looked at her, ‘What are you doing here?’

Satyavati did not miss the longing in the king’s eyes. She smiled at him, ‘I ferry people across the river…’ She said pointing at her oar.

As she spoke a whiff of wind whipped up and the king found that the fragrance from her body was overwhelming him…Shantanu looked at her once more and promised himself that he would marry this woman no matter what….

Shantanu felt his heart flutter as he spoke to her again, ‘I am the king of Hastinapur!’ Satyavati nodded her head. She had seen all the royal markings on the man…. Shantanu cleared his throat and spoke again, ‘I want to marry you…are you willing to marry me?’

Satyavati blushed and Shantanu did not need an answer to that question. Satyavati however spoke, ‘You will have to speak with my father, your majesty!’ 

Shantanu nodded to her and looked at the hut again…He walked towards the fisherman’s hut, thoughts swirling in his mind…How could such a woman be the daughter of a fisherman? She looks like a woman from the heavens….how could she live here?

The king’s suspicions were correct. However he was not to know the story of Satyavati’s birth. 

[Satyavati was the adopted daughter of the fisherman. She was actually the daughter of the King Vasu and Adrika – a lady from the heavens. Adrika had been cursed to become a fish. A fisherman caught Adrika as a fish. After the fish was dead, Adrika went back to heaven. Inside the body of the fish were a baby boy and a baby girl. The fisherman who found the fish took the children to the king Vasu. King Vasu is said to have taken the boy and asked the fisherman to keep the girl as a gift from him. The fisherman raised the girl as his own. Because the girl was found inside the fish, she always smelt of fish so she was called Matsya Gandhi [‘One smelling of fish’] Exactly how Matsya Gandhi began to have such a sweet fragrance is another story and narrated in another part of the Mahabharatha…]

Shantanu was still thinking as he entered the hut of the fisherman…The fisherman should be glad I am going to marry his daughter…Just for a minute Shantanu felt pangs of guilt…Would Devavratha be angry with him, because he had taken another woman as his wife….But then Shantanu shook his head. Devavratha was very mature and much more grown up than his twenty years. Devavratha would surely understand…. 

Shantanu entered the hut, Satyavati’s fragrance still lingering in the hut…Shantanu was surprised. He was so far away from Satyavati, but he could still smell her….How was that possible….

Inside, a rough fisherman with sly eyes and a crooked smile greeted him, ‘Welcome your majesty! I am grateful, that the great king of the land has set foot on my humble hut….This is indeed a privilege…I must be….’

‘Cut the flattery!’ Shantanu said angrily. Somehow he did not like the fisherman or the way he talked…

The fisherman stopped talking immediately. But his eyes were glinting. He looked at the king waiting for the king to talk. The king felt uncomfortable and then took a deep breath, breathing in the fragrance of Satyavati, ‘Is that your daughter, who ferries people across the Yamuna?’ 

‘I brought up Yojana Gandhi…’ The fisherman said nodding his head. Yojana was a unit measuring distances and Gandhi meant fragrance…Satyavati’s fragrance could be smelt for a yojana? Shantanu again wondered how it was possible…Now was not the time to worry about that…

Shantanu looked at the fisherman, ‘As you know I am the king of Hastinapur! I wish to marry your daughter…’

The fisherman pretended to look like he was surprised, ‘I am so happy, my Lord! You are willing to bless this humble…’

‘Are you willing to let your daughter marry me or not?’ Shantanu asked sharply. He was in no mood to listen to the fisherman. 

The fisherman pretended to look sad and shook his head, ‘My Lord! I have but a small condition…you see I had her horoscope made when she was young…She..Satyavati…According to her horoscope is going to be the mother of kings…I wish that to come true…’

Shantanu stared at the fisherman like he was mad. He felt like he was sharply dragged back to earth from the heavens by the words of the man. ‘So what do you want?’ Shantanu’s voice came out like a whisper. 

‘I want you to promise that Satyavati’s child should be the ruler of Hastinapur after you…’ 

Each word hit Shantanu with a force of a missile. His knees went knobbly and he felt giddy. Shantanu felt like he would swoon to the ground for even listening to the fisherman’s talk….How could the fisherman even impose such a condition…if he agreed to it, his Devavratha would never become a king…Devavratha the one who had learnt politics from Sage Brihaspati…One who was destined to make Hastinapur the greatest kingdom on earth…What the fisherman was asking was inhuman…he would never agree to it…NO! 

Shantanu looked at the fisherman and said haughtily trying to hide his desperation, ‘Look! Ask for anything else – money, jewels…anything….but not this…this is wrong….’ He almost cried out aloud when he said the last words.

But the fisherman was adamant. ‘No, your majesty! This is the only wish I have…If you grant me the wish, Satyavati is yours!’

Shantanu did not even bother replying to the fisherman. Without even as a second glance he walked out of the hut. 

The fisherman saw the retreating back of the king and did not try stopping him. 

Shantanu never knew when he was inside the chariot and when it had started. He was looking lamely around at everything and nothing. His mind was numb. He was cursing himself….How could he be so foolish…How could he have fallen in love with Satyavati…How dare that silly fisherman impose such a condition…His head told him that accepting to such a condition was foolishness….but his heart….that was all together another matter….His heart was in no condition to even listen to his head… He felt he had to marry Satyavati, otherwise he would always feel incomplete….

Shantanu stared blankly and wondered when he had left the forests and entered the kingdom of Hastinapur. As he entered the kingdom, he saw Devavratha come and greet him. Devavratha looked smiling, energetic and regal…. Looking at him, Shantanu felt inadequate. He tried not to think…but the the words came to his mind…If Devavratha was not there, he could have married Satyavati now….NO! 

Shantanu felt angry at himself even thinking like this… At his age he was thinking about marrying another woman, when right now he should be bothered more about getting his son married…Shantanu took a deep breath trying to remember what a wonderful son he had in Devavratha…I have to forget Satyavathi…But then Shantanu suddenly remembered the heavenly fragrance when he had been near Satyavati…

Shantanu angrily shook his head confused and angry. But try as he might Shantanu could not forget Satyavati. Without even being aware of it, Shantanu started hating Devavratha. Devavratha started talking something, when Shantanu held up his hands, ‘I am tired Devavratha…I do not want to talk with you…’ Shantanu said the words angrily without realizing that he had spoken angrily. Shantanu saw Devavratha look at him quietly a little bewildered…

Curtly Shantanu entered his room and banged the door shut. 

Devavratha watched his father a little hurt and a little puzzled. His father had never spoken to him like this…His father had gone to the jungles countless number of times… after each trip, his father looked happy and complete. Devavratha had guessed that his father loved being in the forests surrounded by wild animals…But today his father had looked at him angrily…Devavratha did not even know what it was that he had done wrong….Whatever it was he would wait for his father to tell him….Devavratha took a deep breath stared at the closed door for some time and then left for his own room. Devavratha tossed and turned in the bed wondering what might have happened to his father….

Shantanu was also not able to sleep. Though he had told his son that he was feeling tired, the image of Satyavati and the fisherman’s words kept him awake for almost the entire night. It was almost dawn before he could fall asleep…

The next few days were very difficult between the father and son. Every time Devavratha tried talking to his father, Shantanu would pretend to be interested in something else or ignore his son. In the evenings, Shantanu would retire to his bed very early so that he did not have to face Devavratha….

Finally Devavratha could take it no more. He went to his father’s charioteer, the man who had driven Shantanu to the forests… 

The charioteer bowed to Devavratha, ‘My prince!’ The charioteer looked at the determined angry face of the young prince and knew what was coming. He remained silent and waited for the prince to speak.

‘My father is behaving very strangely since the day he has come back from the forests…’ Devavratha said looking at the charioteer studying his face closely. ‘Before he went there, he loved me and told me everything….now it looks as if he hates me and does not want me here…’ Devavratha’s said the words unemotionally. But his heart felt like it was going to break into a million pieces when he was speaking. ‘What happened in the forests?’

The charioteer licked his lips and hesitated. 

‘Speak Now!’ Devavratha thundered. The charioteer quailed under Devavratha’s angry look and stammered out, ‘A…woman…he saw a woman, there…’

Devavratha looked at the charioteer and slowly nodded his head. He nodded his head asking the charioteer to continue. The charioteer told him everything, ‘…that silly fisherman was asking for his daughter’s children to become the ruler after him….’ The charioteer stopped talking looking at the prince. He was sure the prince was going to start shouting at him for bringing such bad news. 

The charioteer was stunned, but not because Devavratha shouted at him…but because Devavratha was laughing…. ‘My father…’ he said laughing, ‘could not marry the woman, because of that…’ Devavratha shook his head. He reached a decision and looked at that charioteer, ‘Take me to the fisherman now!’

The charioteer looked at the prince. The prince now looked dangerous. It was as if he had made up his mind and was going to do something terrible. The charioteer shuddered, ‘My prince! Whatever you are going to do, please reconsid…..’

Devavratha gave the charioteer a look which just silenced him. The charioteer knew that no amount of talking was going to convince the prince. Haughtily Devavratha got on the chariot. ‘Drive me to the fisherman…’ The charioteer realizing that he had no choice drove the chariot.

Soon they reached the banks of the river Yamuna. Devavratha smelt the fragrance of Satyavati and looked at her. I now know why my father fell in love with this woman… Devavratha thought. He nodded her head at her and then looked at the tiny settlements.  

He walked straight to the largest hut as Satyavati followed him anxiously.

‘Is Satyavati your daughter?’ Devavratha asked the reclining fisherman, who was looking around the house idly.

The fisherman sat up and looked at the determined prince. Feeling a little nervous he swallowed and got up. He bowed to the prince and said, ‘Yes sir! I brought her up!’

‘Why did you not let my father marry her?’ Devavratha asked the fisherman coming directly to the point. 

The fisherman swallowed again. His heart was thumping painfully. He was briefly considering whether to say anything or not. But in the end, greed won out and the fisherman spoke. ‘My prince, I only asked that my daughter’s children should be the king after him…I want nothing at all for myself…Your father could not promise me that…so…’ The fisherman said defensively.

Devavratha looked at the fisherman contemptuously and spoke, ‘My father could not promise you that, because it was not his promise to give…He has already used that right and appointed me as the crown prince…so he cannot give you something that he has already given me…’

The fisherman was very afraid and did not know what to say. He just looked at Devavratha just praying that he would get out of this mess with his life…What if the prince suddenly got angry and killed him…The fisherman shook his head trying to clear his thoughts. 

Devavratha looked at Satyavati and then at the fisherman, ‘I, Devavratha, the son of Shantanu and Ganga promise to give up my throne in favour of the children born from Satyavati and my father!’

The declaration was met by silence. The only noise which could be heard was the loud ‘NOOOOOOO!’ of the charioteer, who was watching the whole scene from outside the house. The charioteer was opening his mouth like a fish but no sound was coming out of it. 

Devavratha looked at the charioteer and with an angry stare silenced him. As he was turning to look at the fisherman, he saw Satyavati’s face, which had tears in her eyes. She was shaking her head wordlessly, muttering to herself.

The fisherman could not believe that he had heard right….Surely this could not have been so easy…The fisherman felt like he was in seventh heaven, when suddenly a thought occurred to him. He vigorously shook his head, ‘No this will not do…this will not do at all…’

All the other three looked at the fisherman with blank expressions…The crown prince had just given up the throne….. what more could the man want….

Devavratha recovered first, ‘What is it? You doubt my word?’ Devavratha looked angrily at the fisherman.

The fisherman’s voice was hoarse. He was almost sure that what he was going to say was going to get him killed. ‘Prince! I know you have never gone back on your word and never will….it is something else….’

Devavratha was silent and waited for the man to continue. The fisherman licked his lips and spoke haltingly, ‘You will keep your word, but what about your children, the children you will have….’

Devavratha looked dangerously at the fisherman, his eyes narrowed, ‘What about them?’

‘They will fight with the children of Satyavati! You will train your children in warfare and they will definitely be better warriors than a fisherman’s grandchildren….they will fight and take the kingdom away from my grandchildren….Then what will I do?’ The fisherman said almost wailing.

Devavratha thought for a second, ‘I will train them not to go for the throne.’

The fisherman definitely shook his head, ‘No my prince, that is not something that you can control…I am sorry!’

Devavratha bent down and studied his feet for a full second and then looked at the fisherman. The fisherman almost recoiled when he saw Devavratha’s face. In the face was an expression he did not know…was it determination or was it power….

Devavratha’s proud haughty face studied the fisherman, ‘I know I cannot promise for my children….but I can promise you not to have any children…’

Satyavati gasped…looking at Devavratha shaking her head. 

The charioteer looked like someone had yanked the world from under his legs. 

The fisherman looked fearfully like he had done something terrible. ‘What do you mean, prince?’ He whispered.

‘I, Devavratha, promise that I will never look at any woman and never have any children of my own, in this life…’ 

The declaration was met with a shower of flowers from the heavens. The Devas rained flowers on Devavratha and a voice was heard from the heavens. ‘Devavratha has kept terrible vow! He will not break it, now or ever…For keeping the vow, he will be called as ‘Bhishma – the firm’.

The fisherman looked at the entire spectacle with an awe that he could not explain. Silently he handed over Satyavati’s hand to Bhishma. 

The charioteer fumbled with the horses many times as Bhishma and Satyavati got on the chariot not believing what he had just now seen…. 

Chapter 3 - Shantanu and Devavratha

King Shantanu sitting on the horse galloping slowly through the jungles again. Shantanu regularly visited the jungles...However now it was different. King Shantanu did not kill any of the animals...He had lost the will the hunt them...But he visited the jungles and observed all the animals...

Besides the jungles always ended with the river...his river...Every time he saw the river, it brought back the memories, the beautiful memories...the life he had shared with her...His loneliness eased a little....

Shantanu had never seen Ganga even once after the day she had taken the baby and disappeared to the heavens. But he still came regularly to the river, in the hope that he would see her....Shantanu loved sitting beside the river listening to the swirling waters and the beautiful noise that the waters made as it dashed through the rocks. Listening to all this always made him peaceful...as long as he was sitting near the river he did not feel pain...

But as Shantanu neared the banks, it was very different today....The river was actually drying up..Shantanu glanced in surprise as he looked around and stopped for another heart stopping moment...

After Ganga had left him Shantanu had been an even better king than before. His kingdom flourished and people prospered and Shanttanu ruled them wisely and well. Shantanu ruled the kingdom with a single-minded devotion almost as if to drive away all the thoughts of the Ganga from his mind...Shantanu thought that now after sixteen years, even if he saw Ganga again, he would not feel the love that he felt for her at first...

He was sadly mistaken....

Shantanu saw the familiar beautifully radiant Ganga standing on the shores of the drying river. Shantanu's heart danced with joy. She had come back...Ganga had come back...Shantanu hurriedly got down from his horse and raced forward and saw the familiar beautiful, proud and majestic face looking at the river with amused eyes.

'Ganga!' He breathed. 'You are back!' Ganga looked at him and gave him a sad smile. 'I have told you before Shantanu, we will never meet again in this life time...please do not entertain such hopes...You will only be hurt some more...' Shantanu listened to her melodious voice and let out a deep breath...Seeing Ganga had been like a breath of fresh air...He felt alive again...

Shantanu shook his head hopelessly as he realized that no matter how much he waited for Ganga, she would never come back. Shantanu frowned...Then why was she back today...and what was with the river...why was it drying up...

Shantanu's eyes traveled a little further and...blinked....what he saw seemed to be impossible...but his eyes were telling him that it was actually there...A dam made up of arrows had stopped the river from flowing...The river water struggled behind the arrows to break free....

Finally pushing through the arrows the river broke the dam of arrows and flowed through....Riding on top of the river wave was a young boy! He walked on the river as if it was land....He jumped the wave and landed beside Ganga.

Shantanu was dazed as he saw a handsome boy gleefully look at Ganga, 'Mother! I stopped the river again today!' Only after he said this, the boy looked at Shantanu for the first time.

'Mother...?' He looked questioningly at Ganga. Looking at her smile, the boy's eyes lit up. Ganga laughed as she turned to the dazed Shantanu, 'Yes Shantanu! Meet your son Devavratha!' She said with pride and the father and the son saw each other for the first time....

Devavratha fell on his father's feet. Shantanu held the handsome boy in his arms. His hands trembled as he held his son, joy spreading throughout him....Shantanu hugged the boy and felt like he could never stop looking at that face....a face which the Gods themselves had sculpted....Shantanu looked at the intelligent proud face and felt a love like he had never felt before in his life...He knew that he would never feel the loneliness of life without Ganga...

Shantanu looked at the laughing face of Ganga as she spoke, 'He has learnt everything that the heir to the throne should know...' Shantanu looked questioningly at Ganga as she spoke, 'Sage Vasishta himself has taught Devavratha the Vedas. And do you know that Sage Brihaspati has taught him the art of diplomacy and politics?' Shantanu looked at pride at his son as Ganga continued, ruffling her son's hair, 'Parashurama himself has taught him archery...' Shantanu's eyes grew round with surprise. Parashurama hated all warriors....though he himself was a great warrior, he would never teach another warrior...then how did he teach Devavratha....' Ganga shook her head, 'I begged and begged him and finally Parashurama agreed to teach Devavratha archery...'

Ganga kept Devavratha's hands on Shantanu's hands. 'Shantanu, your son is sixteen today....Take him home...Be happy with him....'

Shantanu looked at Ganga and gave a thank you nod to her. He felt complete and peaceful with himself...Ganga vanished from there...Shantanu took back Devavratha to his palace a feeling of contentment spreading over him.

Chapter 2 - The marriage of King Shantanu

Afteer Hastee, the kingdom of Hastinapur passed from one son to another in the next generation.

One of the kings was King Kuru. The lineage after Kuru came to be known from his name.

[It is also believed that Kuru was actually an ascetic. He was chosen by the people to lead them as their king. By this move the democratic power to the people was restored to them. This was something that King Bharatha the first king had believed in and was probably what made King Kuru an important man in history and the reason why the people born after Kuru were called as Kuru Kings]

The story of the Mahabharatha starts with the Kuru King Shantanu. Shantanu was the son of King Prateep of Hastinapur. Shantanu ruled his people wisely and well. His people loved him. Shantanu spent most of his time  administering the kingdom.

The only pass-time that the king ever indulged in was hunting....

King Shantanu was riding his horse swiftly through the forest aiming for the deer.

Looking at the deer and keeping his arrow ready, he watched the deer silently. Shantanu could hear everything...the rustle of the leaves, the slight wind blowing, the sound of the flowing water from the nearby river....everything. However Shantanu's sole concentration was focused only on the deer.

Shantanu saw the deer relax and stand in the middle of the forest without making any move. Shantanu waited for the deer to relax some more...Quietly he pulled the bow back its string tensed.... The deer twitched and turned...Shantanu stopped. 

Finding nothing unusual, the deer resumed eating. Shantanu waited for a few more seconds, his heart thumping in his chest. Just when he felt the time was right, he let the arrow fly....

But this time Shantanu had met his match, the deer swiftly moved at the last time and the arrow missed it all together landing harmlessly in the tree near it. Shantanu narrowed his eyes and studied the movement of the deer leaping through the forest and once again spurred his horses deeper inside the forest towards the deer.

Shantanu listened to the galloping of his horses and continued the chase. He felt glad for the hundredth time that he had come alone for the hunt. Shantanu always came alone for the hunt. For him hunting was a passion...something that helped him come back to the wild and become one with nature. If he had brought his courtiers and ministers with him, the noise that they would have made would have scared away the prey and broken his oneness with nature more easier than anything else....

Shantanu had always been a quiet man...that was the reason he was named 'Shantanu'. He had always been a calm and peaceful man...or so Shantanu thought...

Shantanu chased the deer, but today the deer had proved faster than him. Shantanu had chased the deer all the way till the end of the forest, but today was the day of the deer.

Shantanu saw the end of the forest and from between the clearing of the forests saw the river Ganga flowing beautifully and majestically. Shantanu always felt an awe looking at the majestic Ganga which flowed like she was the Queen of the World with nothing to stop her...

Shantanu looked at the crystal clear water and got down from his horse. His robe rustling, he went towards the water. He gathered the fresh cool water in his hands and threw it on his face. He felt refreshed and ready to tackle the deer again. He turned as was about to get back to his horse, when he stopped....

Shantanu blinked....Standing before him was the most beautiful woman in the world. Looking at her, Shantanu felt like a man woken up from a dream...a man who felt the world suddenly inviting him with open arms. Shantanu looked at the woman's pure white dress with a slight bluish tinge....He stared at her like he had never seen a woman before in his life....

The woman looked exactly like the river behind him...calm passionate, majestic and powerful....It was as if the river goddess herself had come alive...

Shantanu hurried forward and almost stumbled on himself as he went near the woman. The woman paid no attention to him and studied the river as if it was talking to it...

'Wh...who are you?' Shantanu finally managed to ask the woman.

The woman looked at Shantanu with a peculiar expression. Shantanu could not define the expression....was it amusement or was it an expression of 'it has started...' Shantanu was not sure....But then Shantanu was not clear about many things...A whirr of images passed through his head and he felt joy...joy like he had never felt before...Like as if he had found something he had lost a long time ago...Shantanu shook his head...Looking at the woman somehow made his head jumbled and unclear.

The woman looked at him majestically and walked away without replying to him. Shantanu ran after her, 'Please...Please tell me who you are?' Shantanu almost begged her. 'I am Shantanu, the King of Hastinapur....' Talk something please...Shantanu was looking desperately at her.

The woman laughed looking at the nervous eyes of the king, 'Why do you want to know my name, king Shantanu?'

Shantanu blinked...it took him some time to realize that the woman had asked him a question and was waiting for an answer. 'Because...because...' Shantanu felt a little silly and little nervous, '..I want to marry you...'

The woman gave a tinkling laugh again and looked at the king straight in the eye, 'Well King Shantanu, I will marry you...' She said it so simply that Shantanu took a full minute to understand that the woman had actually said yes. He was about to hug the woman in joy when the woman held up her hands interrupting him with serious eyes. 'King Shantanu, I know you asked me a question when you met me first...you wanted to know my name and who I was....'

Shantanu nodded looking at the woman wondering what she was going to say. The woman said, 'That is what I will ask from you, before I marry you...A promise...You will never ask me who I am, or question anything I do...'

Shantanu looked at her in confusion as the woman said, 'Remember king, everything I do...I do it for a reason....you may not know it, but there is a reason for it...' The King looked at her and wondered why the woman would impose such a strange condition as the woman continued speaking, 'The minute you question me, I will leave you forever...never to return...'

Looking at the woman, King Shantanu found his thoughts getting confused again...Such an intelligent lady...Nothing that this woman can do would possibly be bad...She is so majestic...Shantanu believed that the woman was his soul mate and believed her implicitly. He nodded and spoke quietly, 'I promise you lady! I will never ask who you are or question anything you do...'

The woman smiled. Shantanu looked at the woman and looked at the river and smiled, 'My Lady! I cannot call you Lady, my whole life. I need to call you something.' The woman met Shantanu's amused eyes as they both started laughing.

'...Because I found you near the banks of the river Ganga...I will call you Ganga...' Shantanu looked at the woman. The woman was not smiling. It was as if Shantanu had spoke the truth...Had Shantanu said something wrong? Shantanu wondered...but of course he received no answer and he knew that he would not receive an answer...

Shantanu took Ganga back to the kingdom of Hastinapur. There he announced to his people, about their queen. The people rejoiced. The king married Ganga, on an auspicious day and the celebrations lasted for a week...

Shantanu was very happy after his marriage. Ganga was a perfect wife and a perfect queen...He looked after Shantanu very well...Ganga was a good queen and the people also adored her.

Soon Ganga was pregnant and Shantanu became even more happy....

When he heard that his wife had given birth of a healthy son, he almost burst with joy and ran to see his son...

He walked into his wife's chambers and to his surprise he found it empty...Surprised he turned to his servants, 'Where is the queen and my son?'

The servants looked nervously at the King. One came forward and spoke, 'Your Majesty! The queen...' The maid swallowed. King Shantanu suddenly afraid spoke sharply, 'Speak! What has happened?' The main looked at the King and spoke, 'The queen took the child with her and ordered us not to follow her...'

Where would Ganga go? Shantanu wondered. Some time later he saw Ganga come back, but there was no child with her...

Shantanu looked surprised and looked at Ganga, 'Where is my son, Ganga?'

Ganga looked at Shantanu and spoke sharply, 'Shantanu, you promised me that you will not ask me anything about what I do...You asked me this question, without understanding that...So I forgive you, but please not further questions...'

Shantanu wanted to shout...Where is my son? But he knew Ganga too well...Once she had decided to keep quiet, she would not talk...that was it...So fuming to himself Shantanu kept quiet...

The next day Shantanu saw Ganaga back to her cheerful self...It was like she was his Ganga...The one he had fallen in love with...But Shantanu was not at peace...Where was his son, what had Ganga done to him...But Shantanu was bound by his promise and suffered silently by not knowing what happened to his son and what had made his wife act like that...

Shantanu and Ganga had six more sons....However Shantanu never knew what happened to any of them....He suffered and he was very angry with Ganga.

Finally when Ganga was about to give birth to the eighth child, Shantanu followed Ganga, without her knowing it...

He saw Ganga go alone towards the river, Ganga...Shantanu saw wide eyed as he saw his wife go near the water.

With a yell, he brought out his sword and ran towards Ganga and shouted at her, 'What are you doing? Who are you? What are you going to do...' Shantanu looked too grief stricken to talk properly and fumbled.

Ganga looked at the child between her arms and then looked at Shantanu with tears in her eyes. 'You broke your promise, Shantanu...You and me will have to part...' She handed the baby back to Shantanu and spoke quietly, 'Before we part I will tell you everything you wanted to know about me and explain everything I have done...'

Shantanu looked at Ganga with the baby in his arms...Somewhere deep inside he felt like he had done something grievously wrong....but he could not identify exactly what it was that he done wrong...

Ganga vanished from there...In her place stood a Goddess, a glowing Goddess....who looked like she was flowing....Shantanu breathed...He thought back...

Because I found you near the banks of the river Ganga...I will call you Ganga....

Ganga...The thoughtful look on her face...Shantanu had actually guessed the truth she was Ganga, the river Goddess...

The Goddess Ganga spoke, 'In your previous birth, Shantanu, you were King Mahabhishek...' Shantanu felt something deep stir within himself when he heard Ganga's words...Mahabhishek...Yes...yes...He had done something wrong...Shantanu shook his head paying attention to what Ganga was saying.

'King Mahabhishek was a great King. In fact he was so great that though he was just a human, Indra frequently invited him to the heavens...It was when you were in heavens that we met...' Ganga said as Shantanu felt fragments of his memory coming back, 'We met for the first time and you were so...stunned on looking at me...' Ganga said a little shyly, 'You kept staring at me....'

Shantanu remembered all this slowly...He had been so much in love when he had looked at her for the first time...In fact that was exactly how he felt when he looked at her...in this life...

Ganga was saying something. 'That proved to be a problem...' Ganga said a little wistfully. 'Indra the King of the Devas became angry with you. He felt that he had invited you to the heavens because he felt you were worthy of it...' Ganga shook her head, 'After you kept on staring at me, Indra was disgusted with you, because he felt you were still swayed by your emotions...'

Shantanu remembered Indra's angry face as Ganga spoke, 'Indra cursed you to be born again as a human and experience love and separation...' Ganga looked around, 'This was the result...'

Shantanu shook his head unhappily, 'My sons! What about them?' He looked at the baby in his arms and hugged the child dearly, 'What about my children Ganga?' He shouted angrily.

Ganga smiled sadly, 'There in one more curse you have to know about Shantanu! Sage Vasishta had a cow Nandhini. Sage Vasishta loved Nandhini and her calf like he would love his own daughter. There are eight heavenly Devas called Vasus. The Vasus when they saw Nandini wanted to take Nandini for themselves. Egged on by his brother, the Vasu called Prabhhasa, stole the cow and the calf...' Images swam through Shantanu's head...Eight Vasus...his eight sons...He shook his head to clear it.

'Sage Vasishta was furious...he cursed the Vasus...' Shantanu shuddered. Ganga continued, 'He cursed the Vasus to be born as humans...The Vasus when they heard the curse, they were shaken. They ran to Vasishta and pleaded before him....They requested him to take back the case...'

Ganga shook her head and continued, 'But Sage Vasishta was too powerful a sage...Though he realized that the Vasus regretted their actions, he could not take back his words...He however lessened the curse. He said that seven of the Vasus, would go to heaven as soon as as they were born...But Vasu Prabhasa....' Ganga let out a deep breath, 'as he was the one who actually stole the cow...Vasishta said that he was to have a long and meritorious life as a human...As I was already coming to earth, the Vasus requested me to be their mother...' Ganga shrugged. 'The first seven sons were the first seven Vasus...They reached heavens as soon as they were born...'

Shantanu had tears in his eyes as he realized he had been wrong in doubting his wife...With sudden fear he asked her, 'Please...please...don't leave me...I asked you questions because I did not understand...please...' Shantanu said a little desperately.

Ganga shook her head sadly, 'I was hoping I could change the Vasu Prabhasa's destiny and make sure he also reached heaven as soon as he was born...But no...that was not to be...' Ganga looked at Shantanu with pained eyes, 'That will be the end of the road for us...We will not meet, not in this life...'

Shantanu suddenly panicked. He hurriedly handed over the baby to Ganga, 'Ganga! What about our son? You need to...to be there for the son...Please don't leave...'

Ganga smiled sadly, 'No Shantanu! Our son will never live with both his parents...' She said it with a finality that Shantanu was brokenhearted. Ganga looked at Shantanu and asked him hesitatingly, 'Shantanu! This son of ours, he is right now the heir to the whole of Hastinapur...! He is to have a long and difficult life..I was just wondering...'

Shantanu looked at Ganga numb with grief unable to understand what she was saying. Ganga spoke again, 'I was just thinking if I would take him with me and bring him up in the heavens...' Shantanu looked alarmed at Ganga, as Ganga said hurriedly, 'I will make sure he learns everything there is to learn and then I will send him back...to you..' Ganga looked hesitatingly at Shantanu.

Shantanu was too brokenhearted. In a single day, he had found and lost both his wife and son...But deep down he realized the intelligence in her words...His son would receive a better upbringing in the heavens, then on the earth....Shantanu nodded his head. He watched as Ganga held the baby in her hand and disappeared to the heavens. Shantanu stood in the spot watching..waiting...waiting for a miracle...But deep down Shantanu realized that it was not to be...He knew that Ganga was gone, forever...She would not come back...Shantanu's life with Ganga was over...

Chapter 1 - Emperor Bharat chooses his successor

King Bharatha looked around wondering what to do…

He was in the main court hall…the mighty throne which was in the middle of the court room usually looked like it was made for him…While sitting on it…or while going towards it, he had never even felt the slightest doubt that he would be the best person to sit on it and take good care of his people…But now, for the first time in his life, Bharatha felt like the throne was questioning him, mocking him….What would he do?

Bharatha stayed far away from the throne looking at it…He thought back to his father King Dushyant and his mother Shakuntala. Bharatha could still remember how proud his parents had been when they had crowned him… He remembered the confidence with which they had announced him to be the crown prince…His parents had never even doubted that he would rule the people well…

Bharatha had got married and he had children of his own…Nine sons….Bharatha sighed. He never thought that his children would themselves be the reason for his worry…

Emperor Bharatha had realized that he was getting old…As was custom, his first son would take the throne…Bharatha had to just crown his first son as the Crown prince….But that was what was worrying Bharatha….

Bharatha talked with all his sons and had extensive talks with his son’s teachers and his own ministers….Bharatha realized with sudden clarity that none of his sons…not one of them was fit to rule….Bharatha wondered whether he would just crown his first born as the Crown prince and let it go…But Bharatha realized that that would be a crime…a crime for which he would never forgive himself…He was the ruler of his people….he was their father and guide….By being a ruler, it was not sufficient if he had ruled well during his time…It was his duty to make sure his people were happy even after he was gone….That was his duty, his karma….

Bharatha remembered the messages which his gurus had taught him...When Bharatha was young, he had been brave enough to open the mouth of the jungle lions to count their teeth…nothing scared him….Even when he had been the king, he had ruled that way…fearlessly…he had followed the path of righteousness no matter what…

Bharatha had been an excellent warrior. His father, no doubt had been a great warrior…But Bharatha had really made the kingdom huge….Now he had a kingdom spreading right from the Himalayas to even after the Vindhyas….He had cherished his kingdom…looked after it well…like he would look after his own child…The kingdom had prospered and people were happy and very well off…

And suddenly Bharatha realized that he had no one who would look after his beloved kingdom and his people after him…Not his sons…Bharatha thought wryly….Leaving the kingdom to his sons would destroy the kingdom….His sons were not fit to rule….Bharatha had to find someone else…

As Bharatha was thinking, he had a sudden image of a young boy…A local boy…a boy who could not be called royal by any stretch of imagination…But a boy who was brave and strong….A boy who could follow the path of the king no matter what…Bharatha slowly nodded to himself….The boy was perfect….

So in the next day in the open court, King Bharat once again sat majestically in his throne. He looked regal and knew he had made the right choice….He looked at his nine sons, each wondering whether they would be crowned the king…Bharatha felt a trace of regret looking at them…But he knew that the path of the king was not selfish one…He had to do what was right for the kingdom, not his family….

The whole court and the kingdom waited eagerly for the king. King Bharat spoke, ‘I, Bharat, son of Dushyant and Shakuntala, hereby crown, Bhumanyu as my successor….’ The whole court looked surprised and astonished…It was virtually unheard that a common man could be crowned as the king…especially when the king himself had so many sons of his own….

Bharatha’s son looked stricken and broken hearted…How could their father do it to them? He was choosing a commoner over them…what sort of a father was he…

Meanwhile a stunned young boy looked self-consciously as everybody looked at him with envy, pride, anger…He was bewildered…He did not know why the king would choose him over his own sons.

‘Bhumanyu!’ King Bharat called out, ‘Come forward!’

Bhumanyu swallowed and steadily walked forward. Bharat got down from the throne and led Bhumanyu with him.

Bharatha whispered to Bhumanyu, ‘You are the only one person, I found worthy of this throne…I do not think I will do justice to this throne, if I made any of my sons as the king…I am impressed with you bravery and your capability to stand up to anyone to do what it right….If anyone does, you have the right to sit here….’

Bhumanyu looked at King Bharatha as he spoke with pride, ‘But sir! Your own children…How could you…’

King Bharatha smiled, ‘I am a king first….I am also a father….Just because my sons wish to be the kings, I cannot place them on this mighty throne….This throne and the kingdom deserves someone who love it and look after it…like a father and guide…You are the only person I know who can do that….’

Bhumanyu looked at King Bharatha who had spoken with such simplicity that he was moved….He looked at the king, too full for words and nodded his head. He prayed that he would be at least half the ruler that Bharatha hoped he would be...

King Bharatha then turned to his people. He raised Bhumanyu hands in the air, ‘Long live the crown prince – Bhumanyu….’

For a minute everyone looked stunned. But then Bharatha had ruled the people for long…They trusted him implicitly. The voice rang out as one, ‘Long live the crown prince Bhumanyu..'

True to King Bharatha's hopes, Bhumanyu ruled the people very well.

His son was Suhotra, who ruled the kingdom after him. After Suhotra, the kingdom was ruled by his son Hastee...

Hastee founded the kingdom of Hastinapur. The place where the great story of Mahabharatha started....