Once, King Shantanu of Hastinapur hunted near the river Ganga's banks. There, he saw a beautiful woman, none other than the river goddess Ganga. Shantanu fell in love with her at first sight and approached her, asking for her hand in marriage.
Ganga agreed to marry Shantanu on the condition that he would never question her actions, no matter what they were. Shantanu, in awe of her divine beauty, agreed to the condition, and their union was celebrated with a grand ceremony that echoed the union of a mortal king and a celestial goddess.
After their marriage, Ganga gave birth to a son. But to Shantanu's horror, she immediately drowned the child in the river. She did the same thing with the next six children she bore, all part of a divine plan to free the Vasus from their curse, a plan that was beyond mortal comprehension.
Shantanu was devastated by the loss of his children and did not understand why Ganga was killing them.
When Ganga was about to drown their eighth child in the river, Shantanu stopped her and asked her to spare the baby's life. Ganga agreed but told him that he had broken his promise, and she would have to leave him and take the child with her.
Ganga also revealed that the children, the seven boys, were gods known as Vasus. They mistakenly stole a cow, angering the sage Vashishta and leading to their curse. As a punishment, they were cursed to be born on earth as humans. Their mother, Ganga, was simply returning them to their divine form.
The child, later known as Bhishma, rose above his tragic beginnings to become a brave and virtuous warrior. His story inspires, showing that one can rise to greatness even in adversity. Bhishma's life is a testament to resilience and determination, encouraging us to overcome challenges.
Happy Reading!