King Shantanu
Namaskar Lord Sun.
Please ensure the well-being of my kingdom.
He walks back to his palace and sees a beautiful woman on
the banks of the Ganga. Her all-white attire and beautiful face attract him, and he walks to her.
King Shantanu
Oh, beautiful lady. What is your name?
Ganga
Your Royal Highness, King
of Hastinapur, King Shantanu. I am a human form of the river Ganga. You can
call me Ganga.
King Shantanu
Oh, dear, will you
marry me? I will keep you happy.
Ganga
I am honoured to
receive your marriage proposal.
King Shantanu removes his gold chain and puts it on Ganga’s
neck.
King Shantanu
Marry me?
Ganga
Your Royal Highness, I
will marry you. But I have one condition.
King Shantanu
Please tell me what
you want. I will give you anything you want, my dear.
Ganga
Your Royal Highness, you would not ask me any questions about my actions after our marriage. If you
ever ask any question, I will leave you.
King Shantanu
Yes, I won’t question
your actions. Now, my dear, please say yes.
Ganga smiles.
King Shantanu and Ganga at the meeting hall of the palace.
Ministers have occupied seats. And in the centre, the King and Queen are seated.
King Shantanu
Dear Ministers, meet
your Queen Ganga.
Ministers stand up and shower flowers on the King and Queen.
Ministers (in unison)
Hail to the King!
Hail to the Queen! Hail to the Hastinapur!
Ganga and King Shantanu smile.
King Shantanu is pacing up and down. He is anxious. The maid
enters the room.
Maid
Your Royal Highness, I
have good news for you.
King Shantanu
Yes!
He removes a gold chain and gives it to her.
Maid
Your Royal Highness,
Queen Ganga, has given birth to a son.
King Shantanu
Oh, Lord Sun. I
express my gratitude for all your happiness.
He claps. And a Minister appears.
Minister
Yes, Your Royal
Highness.
King Shantanu
Distribute sweets and
clothes to the poor and needy. Arrange a special lunch ceremony for relatives,
friends, royal ministers, and their families.
Minister
Yes, Your Royal
Highness.
King Shantanu holds the baby. He plays with him. He is
standing near the window.
King Shantanu
Look, son, this is
our kingdom. One day, you will rule it. I will make you the best king we ever
had.
Baby cries. King claps, and the maid appears.
King Shantanu
Take him to Queen
Ganga; I think he wants milk.
Maid takes him.
King Shantanu is enjoying the sunset view when he spots Ganga with the baby in her arms. He walks towards her and sees her drowning the
child.
King Shantanu
No, please, no.
King Shantanu cries. Ganga walks past him.
King Shantanu remembers…
King Shantanu
Oh, dear, will you
marry me? I will keep you happy.
Ganga
Your Royal Highness,
if you agree with one condition.
King Shantanu
Please tell me what
you want. I will give you anything you want, my dear.
Ganga
Your Royal Highness, you would not ask me any questions about my actions after marriage. If you
ever ask any question, I will leave you.
King Shantanu
Yes, I won’t question
your actions. Now, my dear, please say yes.
King Shantanu looks at her, devastated, but doesn’t ask her
anything.
One by one, seven sons were born and were drowned by Ganga.
Shantanu is devastated.
King Shantanu chants a mantra, pouring water from his hand into the river Ganga. He is praying to the Lord Sun.
King Shantanu
Namaskar Lord Sun.
Please ensure the well-being of my kingdom.
He starts crying.
King Shantanu
Please save my eighth child, my lord. I have already lost my
seven sons. Ganga must be arriving here, and she will kill my son. Please save
him.
Ganga comes to the riverside, holding the baby in her arms. King
Shantanu runs to her.
King Shantanu
You are a cruel
mother. I won’t allow you to drown my eighth son.
Ganga
Your Royal Highness,
I want to remind you about your promise
King Shantanu
I break my promise. A
cruel woman like you doesn’t deserve to be my wife. Why are you killing my son?
Answer me!
Ganga
Now that you have
broken your promise. I will tell you the reason. But you will have to pay a
heavy price for it.
King Shantanu
I confront you, wicked
woman. Answer me!
Ganga
Your royal highness, our
eight sons were Eight Vasus who were cursed by Vasishta to be born on earth as
mortal humans.
King Shantanu
So?
Ganga
Vasus pacified Vasishta, limited his curse, and told them that they would be freed from it within a year of their birth as humans. I killed our sons to free them from the curse, but this one.
Ganga looks at the baby.
Ganga
He will have to bear the curse of a long life and never have a wife or children.
King Shantanu
A cursed life for my
son. No!
Ganga
But the sage also blessed him that he would be virtuous, conversant with all the holy scriptures, and an obedient son to his father.
King Shantanu
It’s my fault! I wish
I had trusted you. And had not questioned your integrity.
King Shantanu cries. King Shantanu holds the child.
King Shantanu
I'm sorry. Because of me,
you will live a life full of pain. Forgive me, my son.
Ganga
Your Royal Highness,
it’s not your fault. It’s his karma.
King Shantanu
Son, I am naming you Devrath.
I will raise you like a warrior and prepare you to fight the challenges. Let’s take him to Sage Parshuram. We will ask him to be his teacher.
Ganga
Your Royal Highness, I will fulfil your wish.
King Shantanu
Why dear? Don’t tell me
you are taking away my son!
Ganga
Your royal highness,
allow me to take Devrath to heaven and train him properly for the King's throne
and status.
King Shantanu
Please, don’t leave
me. I am sorry for breaking my promise.
Ganga
Sorry, Your Royal Highness.
Ganga walks on top of the river streams and disappears along with the child. Shantanu cries, and in the background, sunsets.
Moral: Think before you make a promise.
Happy Reading!