The Tale of Shantanu and Ganga: A Mythical Love Story

The Divine Marriage of King Shantanu and Ganga

King Shantanu was fond of hunting. He beheld a pretty woman on the Ganga riverbank during one hunting trip. It was love at first sight, and Shantanu immediately proposed marriage to her. She agreed, with two stipulations: First, he would never interfere in her actions or question her intentions behind them. Second, he would never say anything harsh to her. King Shantanu agreed to both stipulations, and the two got married. The woman was none other than the goddess Ganga in human form.

The Seven Drowned Princes 

When Ganga first became pregnant, Shantanu was euphoric. But as soon as the baby was born, she took him to the riverbank and drowned him. Shantanu couldn't believe his eyes but refrained from opening his mouth due to his wife's pre-marital stipulations. Ganga became pregnant again. Shantanu hoped history wouldn't repeat itself, but it did, and his wife drowned their second son in the river. Five more sons of Shantanu and Ganga met watery deaths as infants at the hands of their young mother.

Ganga's Revelation: The Broken Vow

After her eighth child was born, Ganga was about to drown the baby in the river when Shantanu pleaded, "Wait, why are you killing your own children? Are you a woman or a demoness?"

Ganga placed the child she was about to drown in her lap and replied, "You have broken my stipulations, so I must leave you now. But I will answer your questions before I go. I am neither woman nor demoness; I am the goddess Ganga. I chose you as my husband and the father of my children."

The Vasus' Curse and Devavrat's Destiny

"Now, I will tell you why I murdered my children," Ganga continued. "Eight Vasus stole Rishi Vashishth's cows, and so the rishi cursed them to be born as humans on Earth. The Vasus begged me to become their mother and ensure they do not experience worldly sorrows. I have already relieved seven of them from mortal life. Now, I will not kill my eighth son; he is destined to live in this world. Name him Devavrat. He will be with me until he masters every skill and craft, and then I will return him to you." Before Shantanu could say anything, Ganga and their eighth son vanished.

The Return of Devavrat

Years later, King Shantanu was out hunting again and reached the Ganga riverbank. There, he saw a handsome young boy playing. He wanted to speak to the boy, but before that, the boy disappeared. Shantanu wondered aloud if he would ever see the boy again. Just then, a beautiful woman appeared with the boy. The woman was his ex-wife, the goddess Ganga, who told Shantanu the boy was their son, Devavrat. She entrusted the boy to the king's care and disappeared; Shantanu never saw her again.