Glimpses of The Devi Bhagavatam: 08. THE PRINCE WHO WAS NOBILITY INCARNATE

 

INDIAN MYTHOLOGY

Glimpses of The Devi Bhagavatam: 08. THE PRINCE WHO WAS NOBILITY INCARNATE

King Shatanu, now separated from his wife and son, passed his days in sorrow. He often walked up to the river and remembered the happy days when Ganga lived with him as his wife.

One day, he saw a handsome young lad shooting arrows with great skill, trying to stop the flow. Who could this boy be? the king wondered.

As soon as the boy saw the king, he ran away. The king went after him, but in vain. The boy just vanished.

Shantanu sat down on a rock and continued to look at Ganga. Soon the river changed its form and a woman familiar to the king stood before him.

The king asked her, “Who was that charming lad who ran away from my sight?”

“O King, he’s none other than your son–the last of the Vasus–destined to live a long life as a human being. It’s time he lived with you,” said Ganga with a smile. She then called out for the boy and introduced him to the king. The boy, Gangeya, followed the king. The boy was in due time proclaimed as the crown prince.

Gangeya grew up to be a brilliant youth. His nobility and courage charmed everybody. He was equally quick in learning the various religious rites, literature, and philosophy. What is more, Truthfulness was his greatest virtue.

A few years went by. The king was once alone in a forest. As he sat down under a tree, he saw a beautiful young lady. “Who are you? Why are you in the forest? Who is your father?” asked the king.

“I’m Satyavati, daughter of the chief of this forest– Dasaraj,” replied the lady.

“I’m Shantanu, of the dynasty of the Kurus,” said the king. The young lady greeted the king.

As they sat chatting, the king said, “A strong desire is overpowering me. Will you marry me?”

Satyavati blushed and said, “O King, my marriage depends on my father’s will.”

The king requested her to take him to her father. Dasaraj, who was a chieftain under the Kurus, was delighted to see the king. “My lord, I consider myself extremely lucky because you chose to visit my hut. Can I do anything for you?”

“I’d like to make your daughter my queen, with your permission,” said the king.

“I should be the happiest man if my daugther becomes your queen. But...” Dasaraj faltered.

“What makes you hesitate?” asked the king anxiously.

“My lord, your son born of her must succeed you to the throne,” said the chief.

The king’s face grew pale. How could he accept such a condition when he had a most brilliant successor in Gangeya? Without another word he walked back to his palace.

However sincerely the king tried to forget Satyavati, he could not. Prince Gangeya noticed the changes in his father’s condition.

“What’s worrying you, father? Are you anticipating any invasion?” he asked the king politely.

But Shantanu could not speak of his anguish to Gangeya. He parried the question.

But the prince did not leave it at that. From the king’s confidants he soon found out the cause of his sadness.

He walked into the forest and met Dasaraj. “Sir,” he said, “I beseech you, let the king marry your noble daughter.”

The chieftain said, “I’ve no objection to my daughter marrying the king. But it’s my dream to see my daughter’s son becoming king. When he has a worthy son like you, will he agree to my condition?”

“O Sir, I assure you that your daughter’s son would succeed my father. Here and now I take this vow: I shall never claim the throne!” said the prince in a solemn voice.

“Noble indeed are you, O Prince, but what about your sons? How can I feel sure that they won’t put forth their claim?” asked the forest chief.

The prince’s face glowed with determination. He announced, “In the name of Truth, I declare that I shall never marry.”

Dasaraj was satisfied. On Gangeya’s orders arrangements for the king’s wedding with Satyavati were made forthwith.

Gangeya, because of his stern vow, was thereafter called Bhishma–the one unshakable in his path of Truth.

Satyavati gave birth to two sons, Chitrangada and Vichitravirya. Unfortunately, neither of them lived long. Vichitravirya’s first son, Dhritarashtra, was blind from birth. Hence Bhishma made his second son, Pandu, ascend the throne.

Pandu had two wives, Kunti and Madri. Kunti gave birth to three sons and Madri two. These five princes, Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva, became famous as the Pandavas.

Dhritarastra, too, had two wives. Gandhari gave birth to a hundred sons. Of the second wife was born one son.

Kunti, while a young girl, had beget a child through her worship of Surya–the Sun God. She floated the infant son in the river. He was later rescued by a charioteer. The boy grew up and became famous as Karna.

Pandu, under some circumstances, had to live in the forest along with his two queens and five sons. When he died, Madri sacrificed herself in his funeral pyre. Kunti returned to the palace with the five young Pandava princes.