Devavrata — Part 02

Rakesh Mahanthi
Sep 9, 2018 · 7 min read

After his wife and son had left him, King Shantanu went to his palace, feeling sad for losing them. Seven years went by and then one day the Goddess Ganga returned. Shantanu was walking on the river bank one evening, when a fearful storm arose. The sky grew dark and the winds howled and screeched around him. Shantanu was about to hurry away to take shelter, but that was when he saw a child. He was a little boy, a little naked boy, and he sat on the river bank all alone, laughing. He had a toy bow in one hand and a quiver of little golden arrows and he shot them into the river one by one, so that they made a dam in the stormy water. Shantanu heart went out to the child, and he hurried to protect him from danger.

At that moment, Ganga, the Goddess, appeared and the child ran to her and stood by her. Shantanu recognized her at once. She smiled at him and held out the boy, “This is your son, Shantanu”, she said. “This is Devavrata and I have brought him back as I promised. Take him. Love him and look after him well, for he is born to be great “.

She handed the boy over to Shantanu and then once again, she disappeared. But this time, he was not alone. He had his son by his side. Looking at his son after a long time, the joy of Shantanu had no bounds. Shantanu had grieved long years for the wife he had lost. But his heart rejoiced in getting back his noble son. He took him to the palace and gave him the best education. Devavrata was a very quick learner. He had such thirst for knowledge, that he ended up learning all possible forms of art. He mastered every science and every skill very early and became learned in all sacred writings. There was no one in the world who could send a surer arrow than he, and none so learned in science of warfare. The fame of his courage spread far and wide, and there were many royal maidens who secretly prayed to have him as husband.

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It was no wonder that people of Hastinapura were happy with the selection of Devavrata as their prince. They knew that the future of Hastinapura will be safe in the hands of a wise and noble person like Devavrata.

But one day, not long after Devavrata had been chosen heir-apparent, it happened that King Shantanu met a young and beautiful fisher girl, with whom he fell instantly in love and whom he wished to marry. When he sent messengers to her father, asking him for his daughter’s hand in marriage, he found the shrewd old fisherman was not at all easy to persuade. He was not willing to give her daughter to an old king, who would die in the near future. His fatherly love resisted him to give her to the old king, as he could not afford to see his daughter as a widow. Shantanu begged the fisherman to give his daughter, in return he promised to give him lots of gold. At last the fisherman declared that he would allow the marriage only if Shantanu promised to make his daughter the principal Queen, and the son born to her his heir. Having said this the fisherman refused to budge from his stand, though Shantanu tried to persuade him in many ways, promising him much money and rewards. “The throne is for my daughter and her descendants”, said the old man stubbornly, “I cannot give her away for anything less”.

Shantanu was very troubled. He had not expected this. How could he make the foolish promise the old man had asked for ? How could he pass over Devavrata, who had been named heir-apparent and acclaimed by the people ? Shantanu knew that there was not another in the world as good as Devavrata or as worthy to be a king. So, greatly though Shantanu wanted to marry the fisher girl, Satyavathi, he decided that he could not make the promise her father demanded. He left the fisherman and returned to the palace. But he was sad, he could not forget her beautiful face. Poor Shantanu grew thin and pale, pining for her. He began to neglect his kingly duties, and no longer took joy in the hunt. The palace minstrels and jesters could bring him no happiness. He became thin as a shadow.

Prince Devavrata watched his father anxiously. He loved him deeply and could not bear to see him suffer. He questioned the king’s attendants and soon found out the reason for his father’s unhappiness. He immediately went to the fisherman and tried his best to persuade him.

The fisherman spoke frankly, “When your father dies, Devavrata”, he said, “Satyavathi will not be queen. Your father is old and has not many years to live. What will become of Satyavathi and her children after he dies ? No, No, Devavrata, I cannot allow my daughter to be sacrificed in this manner. The king may have her only if he can promise me that he will make her his first queen and that her children and children’s children will inherit the throne. Only then will I consent to this marriage”.

When Devavrata heard this, he exclaimed: “But surely the king could have easily granted you this request !”. The fisherman’s keen eyes searched the prince’s. “How could the king promise this, O Devavrata ?” he asked. “The throne is yours right. How can the king give away without your consent ?”. Then drawing closer to the young prince, the fisherman whispered, his eyes shining with greed: “But are you willing to agree to this, Devavrata? Are you willing to give up your throne for your father’s happiness?”

Devavrata answered scornfully: “Do you think I am attracted to such things as a throne? If it will make my father happy, O fisherman, I will gladly give it up”. The fisherman looked doubtful, and Devavrata swore to set his mind at rest: “O fisherman”, he said, holding up his right hand and speaking solemnly: “I , Prince Devavrata, give you my word of honour that Satyavathi’s children shall rule after Shantanu, and that I shall give up my claim to the royal throne”. But the fisherman was not satisfied.

“Prince Devavrata”, he said, “this is indeed a great and noble thing you have done. But surely it is not enough. You are mortal, and one day you too will die. After you will come your sons and your sons’ sons. Surely, Devavrata, they will not be bound by your word to me. Surely they will claim the throne which you have given up”.

Devavrata looked at him calmly. “O fisherman,” he said, “I give you word that I will never marry. Would this satisfy you?”. His eyes were clear as he spoke, and his voice was steady. “With me, shall my family end! And I shall have neither sons nor grandsons. You need not fear”.

In Devavrata’s young face his eyes shone with a wonderful light. He stood in front of the fisherman, tall and straight and true, and made this great promise, giving up his own happiness. He would never know the joy of having a wife and family to love. All his life, Devavrata should live alone. It was a great thing for a young man to promise for the sake of another.

So great indeed was this promise, so great was this sacrifice which Devavrata had made, that it is said that the heaven opened above and the gods cried out, “Bhishma!”, and showered flowers upon him. And that is how Bhishma, the pitamah of our story was born. For he was no mere Devavrata anymore, but a man whose wisdom and glory would be sung and honored by the whole world for ages to come, just as Rishi Vasistha promised.

Devavrata brought the fisher girl to Shantanu. Then before the king and before the people of the realm, he repeated the solemn oath he had taken upon the bank. When he repeated this great oath, his father embraced him. His father blessed him saying: “Live long my son. May you never know defeat, and may you be so strong that death itself shall not come to you, unless you wish it”.

So, it came about that Satyavathi, the fisher girl, was married to king Shantanu, and she bore him two sons, Chitrangada and Vichitraveerya. And after Shantanu, they each in turn came to the throne, and ruled the kingdom.

Edited by : Nivetha Balu

References :

  1. The Mahabharat, by Shanta Rameshwar Rao.
  2. The Jaya, by Devdutt Patnaik.
  3. Mahabharat by Kisari Mohan Ganguli

Pic Credits: Google

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