The son of emperor, Pratipa was Shantanu. The son who was born for Shantanu and Ganga was Devavrata. As Ganga deserted Shantanu, Shantanu fell in love with a fisherwoman, Satyavati, And asked her father to marry his daughter to him. "Since your son, Devavrata would become your successor to your kingdom", "Wherein my daughter's children wouldn't be able to claim the throne", "Hence I reject your proposal", told Satyavati's father to Shantanu. Since that day, Shantanu became depressed. Due to his depression, he didn't care about his kingdom, people and even his son. Unable to bear the father's plight, Devavrata came to know the reason behind it. He felt that his father's happiness was all he wanted, He decided to get Satyavathi married to his father at any cost, So he went to Satyavati's father and told him, "You have rejected my father's proposal with the reason that I would claim the throne." "I ensure that I would neither become a king nor claim the throne in this life." Your daughter's chidren would rule the kingdom" said Devavrata Satyavati's father replied, "Even then, I wouldn't accept this matrimony", "Because now you might deny the throne, but why would your children do the same?" "Who would reject power? Later there would be disputes among them." "Hence I deny this matrimony." Unable to decide what to do, Devavrata took an oath. That oath shook both the earth and the sky. His oath had changed the course of India's future. His oath made Gods come down to earth. His oath even made Gods to disappear from the earth. That was the oath that made the Mahabharata as a great poem. That was the oath which led to Kurukshetra war. That oath was "I, Devavrata, do here solemnly promise and swear that," "I pledge to maintain lifelong celibacy", pledged Devavrata. As he took this terrible oath, he was called as Bhishma. From now on, we would address Devavrata as Bhishma. Mahabharata didn't just happen due to 2 or 3 reasons. At the end of Dwapara Yuga, a lot of incidents collectively led to the war of Kurukshetra. When you are listening to this story, You would be awe-struck realising that such a complex thing happened ages ago. Later, the marriage took place between Shantanu and Satyavati. In that happiness Shantanu told Bhishma, "Oh son! You have sacrificed your life for the sake of your father's happiness." "Whatever I do for you, it comparatively falls less." "But I'm granting you a boon." "Death would never come to you. You would die only when you wish for it." Hence, Bhishma wouldn't have death. Unless he wishes for it. Meanwhile, Satyavati became pregnant. She gave birth to two sons, Chitrangada and Vichitravirya. Chitrangada and Vichitravirya were born to Shantanu and Satyavati. It means that they were younger brothers of Bhishma. Chitrangada died while fighting a Gandharva who happened to have the same name as his. And Vichitravirya, he was the last heir left in the kingdom. But already, Vichitravirya was suffering from ill health. Despite that, they have done the coronation ceremony and made him the king. A fear started in Bhishma. He feared that if Vichitravirya dies due to ill health, Since there would be no successors to the throne, he decided to get his brother married. At the same time, he came to know that the king of Kashi kingdom announced Swayamvar for his daughters. If Vichitravirya was sent to the Swayamvar, he would lose due to his ill health. Then Bhishma thought that there was only one way to settle this, During Swayamvar, Bhishma barged in, He fought and abducted the 3 daughters of the king and took them to his kingdom. The names of the 3 daughters were Amba, Ambika and Ambalika. But amongst them, Amba was already in love with a prince, Salva, of another kingdom. When she told this to Bhishma, "I am not an unethical person to split the people who are in love." "Hence, I am awarding you freedom." "Marry your beloved and stay happy", he told her and allowed her to leave. He brought Ambika and Ambalika to his kingdom and married them to Vichitravirya. With immense happiness about her dream coming true, Her love being won and expecting that her life would be filled with joy, Amba went to Salva with full of hope. "We have no more hurdles." "We shall get married to succeed in our love." Amba told Salva. Then Salva replied, "Amba I am sorry to say that I cannot marry you." "After a man defeated your kingdom and abducted you," "I could neither accept you as my wife nor make you as a queen of this kingdom." "Even my ministers or my people wouldn't accept this." "When Bhishma had abducted you, you became his possession from that moment." "You could never be my woman. Forgive me." he told Amba and rejected her. Amba was dumbstruck It seemed to her like her tears were flowing like a river. Her hands were trembling. She stood like a statue and was staring at Salva but he didn't even look back at her. Her hopes were shattered. Unable to decide what to do she came back to Bhishma. "When you have won over my kingdom and abducted me from the assembly of Swayamvar," "From that moment, I became your possession cited Salva and rejected me." "Now, I am your woman, so marry me.", Amba told Bhishma. Then Bhishma replied, "Already Ambika and Ambalika were married to Vichitravirya." "Due to his deteriorating health condition, I cannot marry you to Vichitravirya." "But still, neither I can marry you nor have children with you due to my oath of celibacy." "Hence, forgive me", told Bhishma. "You have attacked my kingdom, abducted me and isolated me from my parents. " "You have even made my beloved to reject me." "I have felt that at least you would be my last resort but even you have rejected me." "By ruining a woman's life, how could you and your kingdom prosper?" "How could it be happy?" "Similar to your pledge, I would also take an oath" "You might be celebrating that you wouldn't have death." "One day, I would become the reason for your death.", She pledged in front of Bhishma and left to the forest. Although Bhishma was sad about this, he stood silent because of his responsibilities and oath. Meanwhile, Vichitravirya's health was totally deteriorated and he died. Ambika and Ambalika became widows. And, neither there was a king nor a successor in the kingdom. The kingdom was tearing apart. The ministers were in a state of claiming the throne. If this goes on, it wouldn't take much time for the kingdom to collapse. Taking this situation to their advantage, There is a chance that the kings of the neighboring countries may invade us. To settle this situation there is only one way, an heir should be born. In order to make this happen, Satyavati summoned Bhishma. "Bhishma, you are aware of the current situation." "For our kingdom to bloom again, there is only one way." "You shall unite with your younger brother's wives, Ambika and Ambalika." "And contribute in giving the heirs", she asked Bhishma. Bhishma replied, "I am bound to my oath and I cannot do that." Satyavati said "I am the reason for your oath, hence I am asking you to break it." Then Bhishma replied, "Though you are the reason that I took the oath." "My real intention is to stick to my words." "If I break my oath, there is no respect in it." "This wouldn't be righteous.", told Bhishma and denied Satyavati's wish. Satyavati replied, "Then, there is only one way." "The situation has come for me to reveal a secret of mine." "Before marrying your father, I was in love with a man, Parashara." "And I had a son with him." "As he was born when I was unmarried," "Parashara took him and said that he would raise him." "Now he has grown up." "His name is Vyasa. Go get him." and sent Bhisma after him. This is the Mahabharata that was written by Vyasa. There are no poets in the world who can reach the level of Vyasa. Because there exists no greater story than Mahabharata in any language or any country. You need not question me how sure I am regarding my claim. I know even the Greek mythology and the Roman mythology. Zeus, Hades, Poseidon, Apollo, Artemis etc, I know their mythology too. I would discuss about them in the future. There is no need to hurry. Is it ok? Bhishma met Vyasa. But when they have met for the first time, they felt very happy. Because, when two great people face each other, An emotion that they have met a great person could be noticed in their eye contact. Bhishma took Vyasa to his kingdom. Seeing Vyasa, Satyavati felt so happy. She explained Vyasa about the situation. She asked him to unite with Ambika and Ambalika and have children. "Mother I am a lifelong bachelor", "But listening to mother's word is a righteous thing.", "I'll do whatever you say", he told his mother. If you would notice here, Bhishma believed that it was righteous to follow his words rather than his mother's. But Vyasa believed that it was righteous to follow his mother rather than his virtue. You decide what is righteous. Hence, everybody holds a truth in their point of view. We would judge people due to the effect of circumstances. That is a huge mistake. Hence, there exists good or bad only in circumstances, But not in humans. Vyasa told his mother, "Mother, I wouldn't unite with them physically but," "I would create a cosmic birth through my penance power so that they would be able to conceive." He has drawn two circles adjacent to each other. Vyasa sat inside one circle and made Ambika to sit inside another circle. When he was creating the cosmic birth through his penance power, Since he used to stay in forests, he looked scary with body full of hair. Ambika was scared of his form and closed her eyes. After completion of the process, Vyasa told Satyavati that, A blind child would be born as a result of an error caused by Ambica's act of closing her eyes. Thinking how a blind person would rule a kingdom, To have another child, she sent Ambalika to Vyasa. Satyavati had cautioned her not to close her eyes. But Ambalika couldn't stay normal watching Vyasa. She was trembling at the sight of his form. As she was trembling, Vyasa told that a child would be born with Parkinson's disease As Satyavati was still unsatisfied, Again, she had sent Ambalika to Vyasa and told her not to tremble. But due to fear Ambalika had sent a slave in her place. But that slave sat boldly with joy. "You give birth to my child with love", told Vyasa to the maid who was before him. And happily blessed her with pregnancy. The child who was born blind was Dhritarashtra. The child who was born with Parkinson's disease was Pandu. The child who was born to the maid was Vidura. What happened after that? How did Kunti make Gods to come down to the earth? Why do we think that pre-marital sex is a taboo? Why did a husband ask his wife to have children with the other man? Those things we shall discuss them in the next episode.
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