Devabrata grew into a remarkable individual, highly knowledgeable and skilled in warfare and the arts. His strength was so formidable that neighboring kingdoms feared him.
One day, during one of King Shantanu's routine visits to his kingdom, he caught the scent of a captivating fragrance. Following the scent, he came upon an incredibly beautiful girl in a boat. Intrigued, he approached her and asked, “Who are you?” She replied, “I am Satyavati, the daughter of a fisherman.”
Deeply enchanted, Shantanu made his way to the fisherman’s house. When the fisherman saw the king, he immediately stood up with respect and said, “My Salutations to the King. What brings you to my humble home, Your Majesty?” Shantanu, without hesitation, replied, “I wish to ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage.”
The fisherman said, “I’m honored that you wish to marry my daughter, but I cannot agree to this.” Surprised, the king asked, “What makes you say that?” The fisherman explained, “I want the child born from your union to become the King of Hastinapur. But your son, Devabrata, is the rightful heir, with all the qualities needed to be king.”
Shantanu was deeply attached to his son and had always envisioned him as the future king, so he returned to the palace, troubled by the fisherman’s words. In the days that followed, Shantanu’s sadness was evident, and Devabrata couldn’t help but notice. Concerned for his father, Devabrata asked the charioteer what was causing the king such distress. The charioteer, having witnessed everything at the fisherman’s home, revealed the whole situation to Devabrata.
Determined to bring peace to his father, Devabrata went to Satyavati’s father and said, “Please allow your daughter to marry my father.” The fisherman replied, “I can’t, because my grandsons will never have the chance to rule the kingdom.”
In response, Devabrata made a solemn vow, “I promise that I will never claim the throne and will ensure that one of your grandsons becomes the King of Hastinapur.” The fisherman, still hesitant, said, “You’ve given up the throne, but I cannot expect your sons to do the same.”
Without hesitation, Devabrata took a more severe oath, “I will never marry for the rest of my life and will dedicate myself to serving the King of Hastinapur forever.” This vow of celibacy was so powerful that the gods themselves showered flowers upon him from the heavens. From that moment on, both the gods and people began to call him “Bheeshma,” meaning one who has taken a Terrible Oath.
When Shantanu heard about his son’s terrible oath, he rushed to the spot immediately. He was overwhelmed with both sadness and pride for what his son had sacrificed. Moved by Bheeshma’s dedication, Shantanu granted him a boon: the power to choose the moment of his own death, ensuring that death would not come to him until he willed it.
Such is the greatness of Devabrata, whom I will refer to as "Bheeshma" in the chapters that follow.
Previous:- Chapter 1 : King Shantanu & Ganga
Next:- Chapter 3 : Sons of Shantanu
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