01.094
Core-Pancharatra:Bhishma’s Vow, and the boon from Shantanu.
Vaiśampāyana said:
Thus was Śantanu, wise and honored by gods, kings, and sages, righteous in all the worlds, renowned as a speaker of truth.
Self-restraint, generosity, forgiveness, wisdom, modesty, fortitude, and supreme splendor were always present in the great-souled Śantanu, the best of men.
Thus, the virtuous and righteous king, skilled in dharma and wealth, became the protector of the Bharata lineage and of the virtuous.
With a neck like a conch, broad chest, and the gait of a proud elephant, he was firmly established in holding dharma above desire and wealth.
These virtues were present in Śantanu, the great-souled one, O best of the Bharatas; and no kṣatriya equaled him in righteousness.
Seeing him abiding firmly in his own dharma, the best among all knowers of righteousness, the kings anointed him, the lord of the earth, in supreme sovereignty.
Freed from sorrow, fear, and afflictions, and waking from pleasant dreams, the kings gathered around the protector of the Bhārata land.
Then, with the world protected by kings headed by Śantanu, the supremacy of the Brahmins prevailed through the disciplined conduct of all varṇas.
The Kṣatriyas served the Brahmins; the Vaiśyas were obedient to the Kṣatriyas; and the Śūdras, devoted to both Brahmins and Kṣatriyas, served the Vaiśyas.
Residing in the delightful Hastināpura, capital of the Kurus, he ruled the earth extending to the ocean.
He was like Indra, a knower of dharma, truthful, upright, endowed with supreme splendor through charity, righteousness, austerity, and discipline.
Free from passion and hatred, pleasing like the moon, brilliant like the sun, swift as the wind, like Yama in wrath, and like the earth in forbearance.
Under King Śantanu, the protector of the earth, the killing of animals, boars, deer, or birds did not occur without purpose, O king.
In a kingdom where dharma and the Brahmins were supreme, Śantanu ruled all beings equally with humility, free from lust and attachment.
Then, sacrificial rites for gods, sages, and ancestors were undertaken, and no living being was slain unrighteously.
To the miserable, the shelterless, and those born in lower species, he became as a father — the king of all living beings.
While that best of Kuru kings, the emperor of kings, reigned, speech was rooted in truth, and minds in charity and righteousness.
For sixteen, eight, four, and again eight more years, without desiring pleasure from women, he lived as a wanderer in the forest.
Such was his form, conduct, character, and fame — his son, born of Gaṅgā, was Devavrata by name, a divine Vasu in human form.
He was skilled in all weapons, above all kings and others — of immense strength, great courage, and might, a supreme chariot-warrior.
Once, having shot a deer and following the Gaṅgā river, King Śantanu beheld the Bhāgīrathī with diminished waters.
Seeing her, the best of men, Śantanu, pondered: “Why is this supreme river not flowing today as she did before?”
Then, as the great-minded one sought the cause, he saw a handsome and tall boy of graceful appearance.
He saw him wielding a divine weapon like the god Indra, having covered the entire Gaṅgā with sharp arrows and standing firm.
Seeing the river Gaṅgā covered with arrows nearby, the king became astonished, having witnessed a deed beyond human power.
Though Śantanu had once seen his son at birth, he did not at that moment recall it and was unable to recognize him as his own child.
Having seen his father, he deluded him with his illusion, and having bewildered him, he immediately vanished from that very spot.
Seeing that wondrous sight, King Śantanu, suspecting it was his son, said to Gaṅgā, “Show him to me, indeed.”
Gaṅgā then showed him, bearing a most excellent form, holding that adorned boy by his right hand.
Even though he had seen her before, Śantanu did not recognize her—so adorned with ornaments and clad in spotless garments.
Gaṅgā said:
O king, this is your eighth son, whom you once begot in me; O tiger among men, take him now to your home.
He has thoroughly studied the Vedas with their auxiliaries from Vasiṣṭha, is powerful, trained in weapons, a supreme archer, and equal to Indra in battle.
O Bhārata, he is ever honored by both gods and demons. Whatever science Uśanas knows, this one knows entirely as well.
Likewise, the son of Aṅgiras, worshiped by gods and demons, all the knowledge he possesses is fully established in your mighty-armed, great-souled son, in full and complete detail.
The invincible sage Jāmadagnya Rāma, renowned for his might—whatever divine weapon he knows, that too is established in your son.
O king, this heroic son of mine, a master archer and knower of royal dharma and artha, is given by me — O hero, take your son home.
Vaiśampāyana said:
Thus permitted by her, Śantanu took his radiant son, shining like the sun, and returned to his own city.
Returning to his city, glorious like the city of Indra and rich in all enjoyments, Śantanu considered himself truly fulfilled and anointed his son as crown prince among the Pauravas.
O bull among the Bharatas, the illustrious son of Śantanu brought joy to the Pauravas, to his father, and to the entire kingdom by his noble conduct.
Thus delighting in the company of his son, the mighty king spent four years in happiness, he of immeasurable valor.
Once, while roaming the forest near the Yamunā river, the king perceived an indescribably excellent fragrance.
Seeking the source of that scent, he wandered all around and then saw a maiden of the boatmen, divine in appearance.
Seeing the dark-eyed maiden, he asked, “Whose are you? Who are you, and what do you intend, O timid one?”
She replied, “I am the daughter of the boatman; I ferry the boat for righteous duty, by command of my great-souled father, the king of the boatmen. Blessings to you.”
Seeing her endowed with beauty, charm, and fragrance, and of divine appearance, Śantanu desired the boatman’s daughter.
He then went to her father and sought her hand, and further questioned him, prompted by his own concern.
The boatman king replied to the monarch, “This girl of fine beauty is to be given to a suitor from birth; yet know this, O king — there is a desire I hold in my heart.”
If you seek this girl from me as a lawful wife, O faultless one, and are truthful, then make me a promise by truth itself.
With a vow, I would give you this maiden, O king — for surely there will never be a suitor equal to you.
Śantanu said:
Hearing your condition, O boatman, I cannot yet decide; if it is to be given, I shall give, but I cannot grant what should never be given by any means.
The boatman said:
Whoever is born of her shall be king, O lord of earth. After you, no one else but he shall be anointed ruler.
Vaiśampāyana said:
Śantanu did not wish to grant that boon to the boatman, O Bhārata, even though he was tormented intensely by desire arising from his body.
Though constantly thinking of the boatman’s daughter, the king returned in sorrow to Hastināpura, his mind overwhelmed by grief.
Then one day, seeing Śantanu grieving and deep in meditation, his son Devavrata approached and spoke to his father.
All is well with you, and all kings obey you — so why, O sorrowful one, do you grieve here constantly? Why do you remain silent like one in deep meditation, O king?
Thus addressed by his son, Śantanu replied, “Indeed, I am absorbed in meditation exactly as you have said.”
You alone are the only progeny in our great lineage, O Bhārata. Because of the impermanence of mortals, I grieve, dear son.
If some misfortune were to befall you, O Gāṅgeya, our lineage would cease. Without doubt, you alone are a son superior to a hundred others.
Nor am I willing to take a wife again in vain. I seek only the preservation of lineage. Blessings to you. The dharma-teachers say: “To have no child, or only one, is itself a misfortune.”
The Agnihotra, the three Vedas, and all sacrifices along with their offerings — none of these equal even a sixteenth part of having a worthy child.
So it is among men and indeed among all beings — there is no doubt for me, O wise one, that progeny is supreme. This is the eternal threefold teaching of the Purāṇas and the noble ones.
And you are ever valiant, intolerant of dishonor, and ever armed, O Bhārata. Therefore, O sinless one, death for you exists only by weapon and not otherwise.
So I have fallen into doubt — how shall things be if you are lost? Thus, dear son, I have now fully told you the cause of my sorrow.
Then, having fully understood the cause, Devavrata, the one of great intellect, departed, deeply pondering over it.
Then, Devavrata swiftly approached his father's faithful old minister and asked him the cause of his father's sorrow.
To him — who asked properly, he revealed the condition of the chief of the Kurus regarding the maiden, O bull among the Bharatas.
Then Devavrata, accompanied by elder Kṣatriyas, approached the boatman-king and sought the maiden himself on behalf of his father.
The boatman, having honored him properly and according to custom, welcomed him and spoke to him as he sat in the royal assembly, O Bhārata.
You alone, O best of men, are a sufficient protector for Śantanu. As the best of sons among the noble, what word can I even speak to you?
Who, indeed, would desire and boast of such a marital alliance? Even Indra himself would feel remorse if he transgressed such a union.
O illustrious one, this offspring of the ferryman, Satyavatī, was born from the seed, equal to you in virtues.
Your father, dear one, has been praised many times and is deemed worthy among all kings to marry Satyavatī, O Bhārata.
Even the divine sage Asita, who earnestly sought Satyavatī, was formerly rejected by me, though he was the foremost among sages.
Because I am the girl’s father, I will say something, O Bharata’s best — rivalry among heirs here seems to me a great and sole fault.
He who has you as a rival — be he a Gandharva or an Asura — would never live happily, O scorcher of foes, if you were to grow angry.
This is the only fault herein; there is truly no other, O king. Know this well — blessings to you — in the matter of this giving and taking, O scorcher of foes.
O Bhārata, thus addressed, Devavrata—Gāṅgeya — replied fittingly, for the sake of his father, the ruler of earth.
Accept this as my firm resolve — it is truth, O best among the truthful. None born, nor ever to be born, would dare to utter such words.
So shall I do exactly as you have said. The son born of her shall indeed be our king.
Thus addressed, the boatman again replied to him, desiring to accomplish that difficult deed for the sake of the kingdom, O bull among the Bharatas.
You alone are a worthy protector for Śantanu of boundless glory, O righteous one, and also master and lord for giving away this maiden.
But hear this word and duty from me, O gentle one; I shall speak according to the conduct of maidens, O subduer of enemies.
What you have vowed in the presence of kings for the sake of Satyavatī, O devotee of truth and righteousness, is truly befitting of you alone.
There is no doubt at all, O mighty-armed one, about your vow. But there is great doubt in us concerning whether you might someday have offspring.
O king, understanding his intent, the one devoted to truth and righteousness, out of his desire to please his father, then consented.
Devavrata said:
O boatman king, hear this word of mine, O best of rulers; I say this in the hearing of all kings, for the sake of my father.
I have already renounced the kingdom, O lord of men. And now, even for the sake of progeny, I take this firm resolve.
From this day forth, O boatman, I shall observe celibacy. Even without sons, my heavenly worlds shall remain eternal.
Vaiśampāyana said:
Hearing that solemn vow, with hair bristling in joy, the righteous boatman said, “I give her to you.”
Then the gods, celestial nymphs, and sages in the sky showered flowers and declared, “This is Bhīṣma, One who is awe-inspiring or dreadful!”
Then, for his father’s sake, he said to the illustrious lady, “Mother, mount the chariot — let us go to our home.”
Having said this, Bhīṣma placed the radiant lady on the chariot, arrived at Hastinapura, and formally presented her to Śantanu.
The kings, both those assembled and those apart, praised his difficult deed and declared, “This is truly Bhīṣma!”
Seeing that difficult vow fulfilled by Bhīṣma, Śantanu, pleased, granted him the boon of death at will, of his own accord.
