Ganga curses Arjuna

Jana felt insulted. She decided to end her life. She went to the river Ganga. With folded hands she said - O River, Arjuna has killed my son and I am now going to kill myself. I want you to take my revenge.
Saying this, Jana entered the waters of Ganga and ended her life.
Seeing this, Ganga cursed Arjuna - A devoted woman has killed herself because of you. You killed my son Bhishma using cunning means. I curse you. You will die in the hands of your son.

When Krishna heard this, he smiled. Vyasa understood the meaning. Yudhistira asked Krishna - Why do you suddenly smile?
Krishna said - Arjuna has been cursed by Ganga to die in the hands of his son Babruvahana. Arjuna fought and killed Prabir. His mother ended her life in the waters of Ganga. Do not worry. When time comes, I will rescue Arjuna.

Bhagiratha gets Ganga

Bhagiratha went to the Himalayas and started severe austerities. The sages around were amazed to see his dedication. He started his meditation first living on fruits, then on leaves, then on air and finally gave up that too. He was reduced to only skin and bones.

Pleased Ganga came to him to give him a boon, With folded hands Bhagiratha said that his ancestors had been burnt by the sage Kapila and they would attain salvation only when they were touched by the waters of Ganga.

Ganga said she would come but who would be able to bear the force of her waters when she started her journey towards earth.

Bhagiratha then went and started praying to Shiva. Pleased, Shiva appeared before him. Listening to Bhagiratha, Shiva agreed to help him. He went to the Himalayas and asked the mountain range to release Ganga.

Ganga jumped on Shiva's head and from there she began flowing in three different directions. The river flowing towards heaven became known as Mandakini. The river flowing towards earth became Alaknanda and the one flowing to the nether world became known as Bhogvati.

Ganga then said to Bhagiratha - I have come to earth on your invite. Tell me in which direction should I flow. Where are your ancestors?

Bhagiratha started leading the way and Ganga started flowing behind him. She soon got lost in the Himalayan mountains. Ganga then thought of Airavata, the elephant. When the elephant came, Bhagiratha asked the elephant to create a way for Ganga. The elephant said he would be willing to do so if Ganga pleased him.

Bhagiratha, ashamed, told Ganga what Airavata had said. Ganga said to Bhagiratha - Go tell the elephant, if he can withstand my waves, I will please him.

Airavata then created a path with his tusks. Ganga gushed out and soon Airavata was fighting for his life. He appealed to Ganga to save him. Ganga slowed herself, and the elephant fled from there.

They soon reached the ashrama of the sage Jahnu. The sage seeing the river, drank it up. Not seeing the flowing river behind him, Bhagiratha appealed to the sage. The sage, released the river from his knee, by tearing open his flesh. From then on, Ganga became known as Jhanavi.

People were pleased to see Ganga flowing on earth. Flowing behind Bhagiratha, Ganga reached the ashrama of the sage Kapila.

Touched by the waters of Ganga, the sons of Sagara attained salvation and went towards Vaikuntha.

Flowing onwards, Ganga went into the ocean and the ocean was full again.

Arjuna meets Angarparna

Vyasa said, Drupada had setup a target that was very difficult to achieve. Arjuna was one who had the ability to hit the target and would win the hand of Draupadi. It was four days since the swayamvara had started and there was no point wasting time.

The Pandavas set forth and travelled north of Ekachakra. Walking for long, they reached the banks of river Jahnavi. A Gandharva was there along with hos wives, playing in the waters. Seeing the Pandavas coming, he wanted to know who they were and why they had disturbed him. He said his was name was Angarparna and he would kill them.
Arjuna said all had a right to bathe in the waters of the river. This river was part of the Ganges and they would have a dip in the river.
Angered, the Gandharva raised his bow. He shot an arrow towards Arjuna, which Arjuna cut off. Arjuna then asked the Gandharva to see if he could stand his arrow. He released an arrow which cut off the chariot of the Gandharva. Seeing this, the Gandhrava started fleeing. Arjuna ran after him, and caught him by the locks of his hair.
Seeing this, the Gandharva's wife went to Yudhistira and asked him to intervene and save her husband's life. Yudhistira asked Arjuna to leave the Gandharva. Arjuna did so.
Freed, the Gandharva said he had a knowledge of the rakshashis that he would give Arjuna. This was a mantra that had been given by Manu to Chandra. Chandra had given it to him.He said he would also give Arjuna a hundred horses which would never tire.
Arjuna said it was not correct for him to receive something from one whom he had defeated.
The Gandharva said he knew who they were. They were the descendants of Tapati, daughter of the Sun and he addressed Arjuna as Tapatya.

Arjuna wanted to know about Tapati. 

Devavrata meets Shantanu

The king was grief stricken when Ganga left him. He was inconsolable. Somehow he went about his daily duties.
One day, after many years, the king was strolling on the banks of the river Ganga. He saw the flow Ganga had been divided into six streams by arrows. The king saw sitting in the banks, a boy clad in armour with bows and arrows. Seeing the king approach, the boy vanished in the waters of Ganga.

Suddenly, taking a human form Ganga appeared there. She took the boy and prsented him to Shantanu. Take your son - this is the boy who was saved. His name is Devavrata. He has studied from the Gurus of the Gods and Shukra and has no equal in knowledge. Make him the crown prince.

Ganga vanished, and Shantanu brought Devavrata home.

The curse of the Vasus

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.

Shantanu

The sage continued:
There was a king called Mahibisha.  He possessed many virtuous qualities, and after performing a thousand Ashwamedha Yagnas  and a hundred Rajasuya Yagnas , he had attained heaven after his death. Once he got an opportunity to visit the court of Brahma where all the Devas and Ganga were also present. While the celestials were worshipping Brahma, a wind blew and displaced Ganga's clothes revealing her body. Everybody present there bashfully bent their heads except Mahabhisha who kept on gazing at her body. Ganga was flattered by this and she also desired Mahabhisha . Upon seeing this act, Brahma lost his temper and cursed him and Ganga to be born as mortals and that Ganga will cause much emotional pain to him. He also said that he will be only freed from this curse when he becomes angry upon Ganga's deeds. Mahabhisha then requested Brahma to be born as the son of Kuru king Pratipa and his wish was granted by Brahma.

The eight Vasus who had been cursed by the sage Vashistha to born as mortals on earth as a punishment for stealing his divine cow approached Ganga. They requested to be born as her  sons and also requested her to kill them. Ganga agreed upon the condition that at least one child might live. They accepted her condition and told her that they will all contribute an eighth part of their energies to that child and he will be remain childless for his whole life.

 The Kuru king Pratipa was once meditating. At that time Ganga took the form of a beautiful woman approached the king and sat on his right thigh. When he asked her what did she want, Ganga requested him to become her husband. Pratipa however refused since he had taken a vow not to lust for anybody and that she had sat on his right thigh and according to traditions a man's right thigh was for his daughter or daughter-in-law while the left thigh was for his wife.

He then proposed her for marrying his son to which she agreed. She also said that his son should never question her acts.

A child was born to Pratipa and his wife in their old age. He was named Shantanu because when he was born his father had controlled his passions by ascetic penances. When he grew up into youth, his father told him that if he meets a celestial damsel in secret who asks to marry him, he should agree and he should never question her acts. Pratipa then installed Shantanu as king of Hastinapura and retired into the woods to perform penances. Bahlika who was elder than Shantanu also gave permission to him for becoming the king of Hastinapura.