2.KING SANTHANU AND GANGA

King Mahabhishak belonged to the Ikshaku dynasty. He became very powerful, and he conducted a thousand Aswamedha sacrifices and a hundred Rajasuyas. He was given a special seat in Devaloka. But once he happened to see Goddess Ganga, and he silently requested her love. Brahmadeva found this behavior inappropriate and cursed the king to be born once again on earth.

So Mahabhishak had to return to earth as a newborn baby. This time he took birth in the Puru dynasty, as the son of King Prateep. When Santhanu became old enough to handle the administration, King Prateep abdicated and embraced sanyas.

There are eight divine souls called Ashtavasus. One day, all these Ashtavasus went for a picnic with their wives. On the way they saw the hermitage of saint Vasishta and the famous wish-granting cow, “Kamadhenu”. They wanted to take away the cow with them.

Dyov, one of the Ashtavasus, took the initiative. He took the cow with him. Later, when saint Vasishta came to know what had happened, he cursed the Ashtavasus to take birth as human beings on earth. Everyone, except Dyov could return to Devaloka in one year. Dyov had to remain on earth for a very long time.

All the eight devas became very sad. But they could do nothing. The words of the saint wouldn’t go in vain. Goddess Ganga agreed to come to earth as the wife of Santhanu and give birth to Ashtavasus. But there was one condition: She should go back to Devaloka after delivering eight children.

The Ashtavasus requested Ganga to throw them away into the river after giving birth on earth so that they could come back to Devaloka at the earliest.

Once, while hunting, Santhanu reached the Gangetic plain. There he saw a beautiful woman. The king wanted to know her name.

“I am Ganga Devi”, she replied.

“Would you come with me to my palace as my wife?” The King asked.

“Yes, I would; but on one condition. You shouldn’t stand against any of my wishes. Don’t say ‘no’ to me, under any circumstances. If you do, I will leave you right away.”

Santhanu agreed and they got married. When she delivered her first child she said, “Now, I am going to throw away this child into the river.”

Santhanu was shocked. But he couldn’t say ‘no’. That was the agreement to their marriage.

First, second, third…. Ganga threw away all the babies into the river. As her eighth child was born, Ganga was about to go to the river to throw away the baby. This time, as there was no other go, Santhanu pleaded: “Don’t throw away the child. Please spare this one at least.”

Ganga turned back. She handed the child over to Santhanu and said: “Alright. This one is for you. But as you stood against my desire, I have to leave. All the other seven children are back in Devaloka. This one is the eighth of the Ashtavasus. I’ll look after this boy in his childhood and give him back to you. Good-bye.”

And Ganga disappeared. The child was named Devavruta. He learned all Vedas and sastras from saint Vasishta, and martial arts from Parasurama. Later, Ganga Devi asked Devavruta to return to his father.

Santhanu was very happy when he got back his son. Devavruta was entitled as ‘Yuvaraja’.