Bhishma , the Son

Makan thanthaiku aatrum udhavi ivan thanthai
Ennotraan kol enum chol.
Thirukkural-70

To sire, what best requital can by grateful child be done?
To make men say, 'What merit gained the father such a son?'
(So to act) that it may be said "by what great penance did his father beget him," is the benefit which a son should render to his father.

Years rolled by…..

King Shanthanu , once while strolling by the River Yamuna felt a refreshing smell on the banks of the river. Tracing the source of the smell , he guided himself to a beautiful woman. Impressed by her beauty, King Shanthanu approached her and enquired about her family. She introduced herself to the King as the daughter of chieftan of local fishermen community. She was incharge of the ferry across River Yamuna.

Overwhelmed by her beauty and manners, the love smitten king went to meet her father, the chieftan to request her to be married of to him.

The chieftan upon realising that it’s the King who is asking for her daughter’s hand in marriage placed his condition so that his daughter could be married off to King Shanthanu.

“The child borne by his daughter should be the King of Hasthinapura.”

Torn between his love for the fisher woman and his son , crown prince Devavrithan (later to be known as Bheeshma) the King of Hasthinapura , Shanthanu was thrown into a dilemma.

Seeing his father in distress, Devavrithan could not make out what bothers his father. Neither his father revealed him his dilemma. Devavrithan talked to his father’s chariot driver and extracted all the finer details about his father’s failed mission.

Devavrithan made up his mind and went to meet the chieftan. He introduced himself to the chieftan and offered to give up his right to King Shanthanu’s throne. Further to dispel any future disputes involving his descendants , he also took a vow to never marry.

Henceforth Devavrithan was known as Bheeshma , one who took the terrible oath.

(painting credits: Raja ravi varma - Bheeshma's oath)

Bhishma is born

The mighty Himavant is ours -

there’s no equal anywhere on earth.

The generous Ganga is ours -

which other river can match her grace ?

The sacred Upanishads are ours -

what scriptures else to name with them ?

This sunny golden land is ours -

she’s peerless, let’s praise her !

Subramania Bharathi

   

King Shanthanu (Mahabhishek in previous incarnation) met Ganga Devi by the banks of river ganga. They both fell in love with each other. As King Shanthanu proposed to her, Ganga agreed to marry him provided the following conditions are met:

·        Neither you nor your people should ask me who I am.

·        Whatever I do, no one should scold me.

·        No one should talk to me in a manner which causes pain to me.

·        Th emoment any one of the conditions are breached, I would leave you immediately.

King Shanthanu agreed to her conditions and married her. They live happily ever after. Well , untill the first child was born!!

As soon as the first child was born, Ganga killed the child by drowning. Bound by his vow, King Shanthanu could not object to her action.

Similarly, she killed all seven children born to them.

But, King Shanthanu lost patience when she attempted to do the same with her eighth child.

He objected to her action and asked her the dreaded questions: “ Who are you? ” , Why are you killing all our children?”

Once the promise is breached, Ganga revealed her true identitty to her husband. She also explained to him that she became her wife as a consequence of Sage Vashista’s curse. As her role in helping the eight Vasus has ended, she is returning back to her origins. She also took her eighth son with her saying that she will rear him by providing him the best education and shall return him to his father as and when he wishes so.

As Ganga and their son left , king Shanthanu was deeply sad but accepted his fate and continued to maintain his celibacy and  ruled his kingdom  as a just ruler.

Years passed by.

One day , while he was strolling by the  banks of River Gnaga, he noticed a drop  in flow of river water. He soon found out that its due to a small child. The child was blocking the flow of River Ganga using his arrows.

Upon seeing this, King Shanthanu had an inkling that this child might be his own son. He requested his wife Ganga to appear before him so as to clear his doubts.

Soon Ganga Devi in all her resplendent  beauty appeared alongside her son. She  told  King Shanthanu “ This is your son. Devavridhan.  He is blessed with the finest education and he also is skilled in  all faculties of arts, science and politics. He is warrior of excellence. Take him with you. ”

King Shanthanu was pleased to get  back his son. He later crowned him as prince.

Devavrithan , son of Ganga Devi and King Mahabhishek (Shanthanu) was later known to be Bhishma, the powerful.

KARMA

fate

–verb (used with object)

to predetermine, as by the decree of fate; destine (used in the passive)

Also read : It is Written !

Ramayana documents the “Surya” dynasty. Mahabaratha is about the lunar dynasty.

Bhishma was born in Lunar dynasty to King Shantanu and Mother Ganga (Ganges) .

Bhishma’s birth to his parents was due to the actions of the father, mother and son in their previous incarnations.

As outlined below:

King Shantanu (King Mahabhishek in previous life) and Ganga Devi

Lord Brahma was holding court in his heavenly abode. Many Rishis and kings including King Mahabhishek were present in the court. As mother of all rivers, Ganga entered the court, her dress was slightly displaced due to a breeze. When rest of the audience in the court turned their heads away in respect , King Mhabhishek failed to do so.

Seeing this, Lord Brahma was furious enough to curse King Mahabhishek. “You will be born as a human being. The same Ganga whom you admired will become your wife . And when she acts in such a way to displease you during your human incarnation, you will be inclined to remove her from the status of a wife.

Thus the curse will cease to be applicable and you will be re occupy your status in heavens.”

Due to Brahma’s curse, King Mahabhishek was born to King Pradheepan as a human being. He was named Shanthanu. After Pradheepan’s period, Shantanu took up the reings of the kingdom. He ruled from Hastinapura.

Bhishma *Ashta Vasus (in previous incarnation)

The eight vasus (elemental dieties, representing the eight forces -fire, earth, wind etc..) along with their wives were enjoying themselves in the forest of ‘Meru’ when one of the wives spotted a beautiful cow. The cow belonged to sage Vashsihta and whoever drinks her milk will live as youths for long.

She wanted the cow for her and asked her husband Prabhasan to get it for her. Prabhasan, blinded by his wife’s pleading went to get the cow for her, ignoring the fact that Sage vashista was infamous for his fury and ferocity of his curses.

Prabhassan , accompanied by other seven vasus got hold of the cow ( nandhini) and its calf.

Later when sage Vashista returned to his ashram, and found his cow missing, he raged with anger. He found out about the vasus and their action. He cursed them with all his might. He cursed them all to be born as human beings!

Upon hearing about the curse of sage Vashisht, the eight Vasus came pleading to him. Vasishta was in no mood to listen to them. But with their persistent pleading he finally agreed to relax the terms of his curse.

Since the curse has already been made, it will be implemented. But as soon as they are born as human beings, their curse will be considered as completed and they can return back to their heavenly lives.

But Prabhasan who took lead in capturing the cow nandhini will live long as human being on earth. And as a retribution , he will never be interested in women duringhis tenure as a human being.

After managing to get the curse relaxed from its stricter terms, the Vasus happened to meet Ganaga who was returning from the court of Brahma on the way. Seeing their worried faces, she enquired about the reason and came to know of the whole story.

They also told her that they don’t want to be born to human being. If at all the ywould be born as human beings, they would prefer to be born to her.

Ganga finally agreed to their pleadings and agreed to be their mother. The Vasus also laid out the following preferences:

• They would prefer to have king Shanthanu as their father.
• As soon as they are born, the mother would throw them in the river thus enabling them to be relieved of their curses.

Ganga devi accepted their requests but she said she would prefer at least one child to be left to live on earth.

The Vasus suggested that each one of them would offer a quarter of their powers so that she can give brith to a child having the powers of all of them and that child would be left to live on earth. And the child would be a Brahmachari (Bachelor) , thus satisfying Vashista’s curse.

Through a complex intertwining maze of curses and remedies, the stage was set for the birth of Bhishma as son of Shantanu and River Ganga.