6."Bhishma: The Lineage of Sacrifice and Legacy"
"In life's journey, we meet people who leave lasting marks on our hearts, like stars guiding us through the night. Others pass through like gentle breezes, leaving subtle ripples in our lives, even if we don't always remember their names."
In the dense forest, a chariot moved forward with fast speed towards Hastinapur. In the chariot, two men stood, engaged in conversation. "You know, son, one of the greatest warriors of Aryavart (Bharatvarsh) lives in Hastinapur," said the middle-aged man to a child who looked about five years old.Yes, this is Avalok and his father, King Bhismaka. They are on their way to Hastinapur for a meeting between neighboring kingdoms.
"Who is that great warrior, father?" Avalok ask
"He is Ganga Putra Bhishma, a great warrior and man. He can even go toe to toe with Prabhu Parashurama, the sixth avatar of Lord Vishnu. But he is human in the end; sometimes we humans make decisions, some of them are good and some of them are bad, affecting not just us but sometimes others too," he sighed. Out of curiosity, Avalok asked him, "What is the story of this great warrior, father?" After hearing what Avalok asked, King Bhismaka thought for a minute and asked the charioteer, "Charioteer, how much time will it take to reach the Ashram?" "One more hour, Maharaj," the charioteer replied. Upon hearing this, King Bhismaka looked at Avalok and said, "The story of Ganga Putra, huh? Of course, I can tell you. I think this story is useful for you; you can learn something from it." "Yes," Avalok said. After that, King Bhismaka started to tell the story
"This story begins with King Shantanu, the father of Bhishma and the grandfather of Dhritarashtra and Pandu. Every morning, King Shantanu takes a stroll by the river Ganga, its waters like the veins of the kingdom. One fine morning, as Shantanu walked along, he spotted a sight that stopped him in his tracks - Ganga herself, looking like a vision straight out of a fairy tale. Dressed in clothes that shimmered like the stars, she had an air about her that was pure magic.
Captivated by her beauty, Shantanu couldn't help but approach her, his heart pounding with every step. With all the charm he could muster, he asked her if she'd marry him, wanting nothing more than to spend eternity by her side. With each word, Shantanu poured his heart out, offering her his love and devotion. He wasn't just a king then, he was a man head over heels in love, willing to do anything for a shot at a love that went beyond this world.
With a gentle smile, Ganga accepted Shantanu's proposal amidst the joyous celebrations. Ganga reminded Shantanu of the condition she had set - that he must never question her actions, no matter how mysterious or unfathomable they may seem. Blinded by love and entranced by the beauty of his celestial bride, Shantanu readily agreed to the condition, his heart overflowing with trust and admiration for Ganga.
As time passed in the kingdom of Hastinapura, King Shantanu and Queen Ganga welcomed the arrival of their children. Each time, the joy of parenthood was overshadowed by Ganga's mysterious actions. She would swiftly take the newborns away, disappearing into the depths of the river Ganga, leaving Shantanu heartbroken and confused.
This pattern repeated with the birth of each child—seven sons in total. Shantanu, though grief-stricken, remained faithful to his promise to never question Ganga's actions, even as he struggled to understand why she took their children away.
However, when their eighth child, a son named Devavrata, was born, Ganga's intentions became clear. She entrusted the upbringing of the child to Shantanu, assuring him that Devavrata would bring honor to their family and kingdom. Then, Ganga left the kingdom.
When Devavrata became older, driven by a thirst for knowledge and a desire to become the greatest warrior of his time, he set out on a quest to find Parashurama and become his disciple. After a long and arduous journey, he finally reached the ashram (hermitage) of Parashurama, nestled amidst the serene beauty of the forest.
Approaching the sage with humility and reverence, Devavrata expressed his earnest desire to learn from him and become a master of warfare. Impressed by the young prince's sincerity and determination, Parashurama agreed to take him under his wing as his student.
Under the guidance of Parashurama, Devavrata embarked on a rigorous training regimen, honing his skills in combat, strategy, and spiritual discipline. Day after day, he immersed himself in the teachings of his guru, mastering the art of archery, swordsmanship, and hand-to-hand combat with unmatched dedication and perseverance. After his training, he returned to his kingdom at that time King Shantanu found himself Drawn to a woman named Satyavati, who hailed from a humble background as the daughter of a fisherman named Dasharaja, King Shantanu faced a dilemma. Dasharaja had one condition for their marriage: he wanted Satyavati's future children to inherit the throne, which would bypass Devavrata's claim as Shantanu's son.
Deeply loyal to his father and kingdom, Devavrata made a remarkable decision to honor his father's wishes. He vowed to renounce his right to the throne and live a life of celibacy, ensuring that any children born to Satyavati would ascend the throne without question.
Impressed by Devavrata's selfless sacrifice, King Shantanu granted him a special boon: the ability to choose the time of his own death. In recognition of his extraordinary vow, Shantanu bestowed upon him the name Bhishma, meaning "terrible oath."
After this event, Satyavati and Shantanu married and gave birth to a son named Chitrāngada. He succeeded his father as the king of Hastinapur, but his reign was brief. Chitrāngada was known for his valor and prowess in battle, but he died in a fight with a Gandharva named Chitrāngada, after whom he was named.
Satyavati also had another son named Vyasa. He was born to Satyavati through the sage Parashara before her marriage to King Shantanu. (A/N: Please refrain from entertaining inappropriate thoughts regarding how she could have a son before marriage. There is a story behind this, and if you want, I can provide more details, but let's avoid any inappropriate assumptions.) Vyasa, also known as Vedavyasa, is a great sage. Now, returning to Chitrangada, he had only one son named Vichitravirya. Vichitravirya eventually became the king of Hastinapur after his father's death. He married Ambika and Ambalika, the daughters of the King of Kashi, but he died childless. To continue the lineage, Satyavati requested her son Vyasa to father children with the widows of Vichitravirya through a practice known as Niyoga. As a result, Ambika and Ambalika gave birth to Dhritarashtra and Pandu."
(A/N: Again, let's avoid inappropriate assumptions about Niyoga. If you want, I can provide more details about it.)
As King Bhismaka recounted this tale, Avalok suddenly asked, "But father, I also heard there is another sister of Ambika and Ambalika. What about her?"
"Ah, her," King Bhismaka began, about to continue, when the charioteer suddenly interrupted, "Maharaj, we have reached the ashram," bringing the chariot to a stop.
After descending from the chariot, King Bhismaka and Avalok stood on the ground. Avalok then inquired, "Whose ashram is this, father?"
"This is the Ashram of Maharishi Bharadwaja. We are now near the riverbank of Triveni Sangam. We are going to rest here for some time, and after that, we will continue our journey to Hastinapur," King Bhismaka replied.
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