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King Shantanu was walking by the banks of Ganges one day, his mind absorbed in thoughts of his wife Ganga and his son Devavrata, who was taken away by her with a promise to send him back at an appropriate time, after training him in the royal arts. Shantanu became curious to see that river swelled in one particular place, since the flow of water seemed to have been stopped abruptly. He walked up to the point where the water flow slowed down and stopped.

It was a young boy, who has acquired the finest of skills in archery, who was shooting his arrows across the river and constructing a barricade with his divine arrows, playfully. Shantanu was taken aback by this super-human feat. The handsome and lustrous boy disappeared from the place. The king could not recognise the boy as his own son, because he was taken away by Ganga when he was a baby and he had not seen him after that.

Ganga then appeared there, holding the boy in her hand and told him, ‘Here is your son, my dear king. He is the eighth son who survived and he is the one that we named Devavrata. He has been trained in the Vedas by sage Vasistha. He is unparalleled in archery. He is the equal of Indra in warfare.’ Shantanu, needless to say, was so happy and took him to the palace. Devavrata was made the Prince Regent soon.

Time went by. Shantanu was dull and disappointed one day and his countenance had lost its usual lustre. Devavrata could not ascertain the reason why his father appeared disappointed and worried. ‘I am worried about our lineage, dear son,’ said Shantanu. ‘You are my only son. Life is fraught with too many dangers. Many are the royal houses that had just one son whose line could not continue simply because of the premature death of that only son. It is necessary that our family is blessed with a few more children and that you have brothers who would support you.’

Devavrata understood that his father intended to marry and that it was only natural since the King remained alone and spent his days in loneliness after the departure of Ganga. He also understood that the king must have fallen in love with someone. He deduced that there must be some problem, which prevents the fruition of that love into conjugal happiness.

What problem a king could face! How is that this problem seems to be insurmountable, which is why the king appears disappointed! Devavrata could not get information on this. He approached the king’s charioteer and understood that the king had actually fallen in love with Satyavati, the foster-daughter of a fisherman-king. Satyavati was the daughter of King Vasu. How she became the foster-daughter of the fisherman is another story. Devavrata understood that the fisherman was ready to give Satyavati in marriage to Shantanu. It appeared that the fisherman insisted on certain conditions in order that the king could marry Satyavati. Shantanu had no heart to accept the demands of the fisherman.

Devavrata approached the foster-father of Satyavati and asked him the reason why he could not give his daughter in marriage to the king. ‘I desire, young prince,’ said the fisherman, ‘that the son born to Satyavati should become the successor of Shantanu.’ ‘Then let it be so. What is the problem,’ asked Devavrata. ‘You,’ replied the fisherman. ‘You are an unparalleled warrior and the eldest son. You have the natural right to become the king after Shantanu.’ Devavrata smiled. ‘I am a person who has been treading the path of truth, right from my childhood. I give my word to you today. I know that there is no other person in the world who would come forward to give you this word. Listen. I renounce all my claims to the throne. I will not dispute your grandson becoming the king. I haven’t gone back from my word and I will never, ever.’

‘But that doesn’t solve the problem,’ smiled the fisherman. ‘There is no guarantee that your children would be as good as you. They would naturally stake a claim tomorrow. That would come in the way of the progeny of Satyavati ruling the kingdom.’

Devavrata’s countenance dazzled with determination. ‘If that is the problem, let me make it very clear now. Here, listen to me everyone! I give my word now! I undertake a vow of celibacy from this moment. I will not marry until the day of my death. I will not beget children in any manner whatsoever. I will adhere to my word forever. Now, give your daughter in marriage to my father.’

The readiness with which Devavrata came forward to undertake such a vow at such a very young age, the ease with which he announced his determination and undertook the vow of celibacy, the manner in which he willingly paved the way for the happiness of his father by his supreme-sacrifice astounded the gathering. The sages and saints who were gathered around blessed Devavrata for his strength of character. ‘Bhishma! Bhishma!’ they cried aloud and rejoiced. The heavenly denizens showered flowers and echoed it.

Bhishma is the word that stands for (a person who has performed) astounding, amazing deeds, or one who has undertaking an impossible vow. That made him incomparable in determination. That brought joy in the life of his father. And that also brought the first of all complexities - in the nature of ‘had it not been this way’ - in the epic, which are to come.

Hari Krishnan
harikrishnan@vsnl.net