Kripa

Bhishma seeing the princes growing up, he chose Kripacharya as the person who would be able to teach the princes the art of using weapons.

Janmajeya wanted to know why a brahman like Kripacharya was adept at using weapons.

The sage continuing said :

The sage Gautama had a son called Sharadwan who born with Shara (arrow) in his hand.

When he went to the forests to meditate, such was the force that Indra tried looking for ways to stop his meditation. Indra sent a beautiful apsara to tempt the sage. The sage was distracted and the sight of such a beautiful woman made him lose control. As he was a great saint, he still managed to resist the temptation and controlled his desires. But his concentration was lost, and he dropped his bow and arrows. His semen fell on some weeds by the wayside, dividing the weeds into two - from which a boy and a girl were born. The sage left the forest for another place.

The king Shantanu happened to be in the forest and he saw the children there. He brought them over and took care of them. When the children were old enough, Sharadhwan appeared there one day. He blessed Shantanu for taking care of his children with love and named the boy Kripa and the girl Kripi. He taught his son the art of weaponry. Soon Kripa was an expert and kings and princes from far started coming to him to learn. At a very early age, he became known as Acharya.

Bhishma seeing Kripa diving his time between other external students and the Kuru princes, started thinking of getting a new teacher. He thought of Dronacharya and asked him to teach the princes.

Chitrangad and Vichitravirya

Soon after her wedding with Shantanu, Satyavati gave birth to a son who was named Chitrangad. After some time, she gave birth to another son who was named Vichitravirya.

Some time after, Shantanu passed away, leaving Bhishma, Satyavati and the young princes grieving.
Bhishma looked after the young princes as if they were his own sons. Chitrangad was crowned king. As he was very young, Bhishma acted as the king in place of Chitrangad.

Soon Chitrangad grew to become a handsome youth, skilled in archery. He once got into a fight with a gandharva, called Chitraratha. For years they fought each, in the battlefield of Kurukshetra. In that, Chitrangad was killed.

On his brother's death Vichitravirya was crowned king. People started thinking of his marriage. The king of Kashi had three daughters for whom he was holding a swayamvar.

Bhishma hearing this news, left for Kashi.The king of Kashi greeted him. 

Boon of Ichha Mrityu

Bhishma then approached Satyavati , bowing down before her with folded hands, asked her to accompany him and take her place in Hastinapur.
Climbing Bhishma's chariot, both reached Hastinapur.

All greeted them with the chants of Bhishma. Bhishma presented Satyavati to his father. Greatly pleased, Shantanu blessed his son with the boon of dying once when he wished to.

Shantanu meets Dasa's daughter

Few years after crowing Devavrata, Shantanu decided to go an a hunt. Roaming on the banks of river Yamuna, he smelt a wonderful smell. Wanting to know from where the perfume was coming, he tried to follow the smell, to see what was the origin of it.
He saw a beautiful woman sitting on a boat. The king was enamored.
He approached the woman and asked her who she was.
She said she was the daughter of Dasa and her father had told her to tend to the boat.
The king went where Dasa, chief of fishermen lived.

Dasa seeing the king coming folded his hands and asked why the king had graced his humble dwelling.

The king asked for his daughter's hand in wedding. Dasa said he would only one condition, if the son born of his daughter would be made king.

King thinking of his son Devavrata went back home. He spent sleepless nights and gave up food. He wanted the woman yet he did not want Devavrata to loose out of what was rightfully his.

Devavrata found out what had happened and he left to meet Dasa.

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.

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.