Shantanu saw a beautiful woman on the banks of the river Ganges (Ganga) and asked her to marry him. She agreed but with one condition: that Shantanu would not ask any questions about her actions. She said that if he ever questioned her actions, he would never see her again.
A beautiful son was born soon after and the child was drowned by its mother in the water of the Ganges. Shantanu could not ask her the reason, because of his promise, lest she would leave him. One by one, seven sons were born to them and were drowned by Ganga. When Ganga was about to drown the eighth son, Shantanu, devastated, could not restrain himself and confronted her. 'What kind of enchanted person are you, who kills its child, the moment it is born'.
Ganga then said - I am the river Ganga. I was cursed to be born as a human and I had to bear the eight Vasus as my children. The Vasus had come to me and asked me to relive them of the curse, which is why I took the child when it was born and threw it in the waters.
The king wanted to know why the Vasus had been cursed.
Ganga said - Vashistha, son of Varuna, lived in the Himalayas. He was married to Surabhi, a daughter of Daksha. He had a cow called Kamadhenu. One day the eight Vasus came to visit Vashistha along with their wives. (As per Hindu mythology, the Vasus were demi Gods and lived in the court of Indra and then later in the court of Vishnu.). They roamed around in the hermitage of Vashistha.
One of the Vasus, Divya, had a wife who seeing the cow wanted it. She told her husband to get her the cow. Getting convinced by his wife's idea, the Vasu started pulling the cow, to take it along with him. With the help of the other Vasus, he stole the cow and took it home.
When Vashitha noticed his cow missing, he went into a trance and discovered that the Vasus had stolen his cow. He cursed the Vasus to be born as humans.
The Vasus went to Vashistha and pleaded with him. Relenting, Vashistha said while the seven who had assisted in the stealing would be born and would die the next day and be relieved, the Vasu who had performed the act of stealing would have to live long on earth.
They went to Ganga who agreed to drown them the moment they were born. The eighth child that was destined to live could not be drowned.
Ending her story Ganga said she would leave with the child. When the child had grown up, she would bring him over to his rightful place.
Saying this, Ganga vanished along with the new born child.
A beautiful son was born soon after and the child was drowned by its mother in the water of the Ganges. Shantanu could not ask her the reason, because of his promise, lest she would leave him. One by one, seven sons were born to them and were drowned by Ganga. When Ganga was about to drown the eighth son, Shantanu, devastated, could not restrain himself and confronted her. 'What kind of enchanted person are you, who kills its child, the moment it is born'.
Ganga then said - I am the river Ganga. I was cursed to be born as a human and I had to bear the eight Vasus as my children. The Vasus had come to me and asked me to relive them of the curse, which is why I took the child when it was born and threw it in the waters.
The king wanted to know why the Vasus had been cursed.
Ganga said - Vashistha, son of Varuna, lived in the Himalayas. He was married to Surabhi, a daughter of Daksha. He had a cow called Kamadhenu. One day the eight Vasus came to visit Vashistha along with their wives. (As per Hindu mythology, the Vasus were demi Gods and lived in the court of Indra and then later in the court of Vishnu.). They roamed around in the hermitage of Vashistha.
One of the Vasus, Divya, had a wife who seeing the cow wanted it. She told her husband to get her the cow. Getting convinced by his wife's idea, the Vasu started pulling the cow, to take it along with him. With the help of the other Vasus, he stole the cow and took it home.
When Vashitha noticed his cow missing, he went into a trance and discovered that the Vasus had stolen his cow. He cursed the Vasus to be born as humans.
The Vasus went to Vashistha and pleaded with him. Relenting, Vashistha said while the seven who had assisted in the stealing would be born and would die the next day and be relieved, the Vasu who had performed the act of stealing would have to live long on earth.
They went to Ganga who agreed to drown them the moment they were born. The eighth child that was destined to live could not be drowned.
Ending her story Ganga said she would leave with the child. When the child had grown up, she would bring him over to his rightful place.
Saying this, Ganga vanished along with the new born child.
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