When I met Satyavati, I felt that bliss again which I thought was drowned into the river as my first wife- Ganga left me forever and returned to her aboard. It was miserable then, to live without her. It was me anyways who questioned her, the only condition she put forth for marriage was to not question or restrain her on her acts. But how could I not? She drowned my 7 children into the river, I controlled myself then but just couldn’t hold upon it anymore. And so I stopped her when she was drowning the 8th son, and she left me.
After years of sorrow and despair without my wife, while strolling on the banks of river Ganga, I met this handsome boy, decked with celestial weapons, checking onto the flow of the river with his bow. This boy was non other than my son, Devratt. Ganga had build him up, that great son who was taught the knowledge of scriptures by Vashistha himself and the art of warfare by no one but Parshuram, the avatar of lord Vishnu.
Devratt has been everything for me since then, my hope and my strength. I cannot do this to him. No, I must not.
I could feel the scent of her body. That sweet fragrance that captivated my mind at first sight, Satyavati. Love and bliss rushed through my body as I saw her, held her. Now I sit here, without her. Heartbroken once again. Her father would agree to our marriage only if I promise to make our son as the heir of the kingdom instead of Devratt.
How could I? He deserves to be the king of this great kingdom of Hastinapur, he has the skills, the intellect, the personality and the birth right, and if I deny him of this, I would cast a curse upon his life as well as mine. He deserves to be the heir, and as a father, I must forget about Satyavati. The duty as a father restrains me from accepting the conditions put forth by her father. I’ll miss her, I’ll miss the moment when I felt the love for her, ohh how beautiful is she. I’ll miss the feeling I felt again of togetherness.
Devratt, my son I sacrifice all of it for you. My happiness and my love. Tears roll down my cheeks as I think about the life I live. I feel grateful for everything I got, but the curse of a lonely life still lures upon me. It was Ganga then, and Satyavati now. I have delt with this situation before and I can live again. I know this sacrifice of mine would fuel up Devratt’s reign and he would be the greatest.
I feel the fragrance again. Satyavati’s beautiful scent. Only this time it’s real. I know it. She is here. I turn around and see her. Tears of gratitude and love are held in my eyes. My eyes try to look around and I spot Devratt, standing a feet behind Satyavati. What? How? I wonder with a loss of speech.
“Shantanu, your son is great I must say!” cried Satyavati. I look at Devratt who moves forward. I rise up and look into his eyes, I know this look, He is proud, he has sacrificed. I have known him for years and this look for sacrificing something is blazing in his eyes.
“Devratt, what is it? Satyavati, whh–ho-how are you here?”
“Devratt sacrificed his throne. He promised my father of reserving the throne for our son. He also took an oath of lifelong brahmacharya(celibacy). He sacificed his life for our happiness Shantanu. for your happiness.” wept Satyavati.
I burst into tears, my son sacrificed his life for me.
“Son, You are my true strength and this sacrifice of yours has made you the greatest in the worlds, and so shall you be called Bhishma with the terrible vow you have taken today for the happiness of your father, you sacrificed your own life. Why did you? You must have not done this son. “
“father please don’t cry. I have done all of this because of the respect and love I hold for you. Let me instead devote my life in the greater good of humanity and the Kuru race.”
“Oh son, with so much you do for me, I grant you a boon. You have the power to die when you want to. You have control over the time of your death. Live long son, I feel sorry that you have lost so much because of me but I know that the generations to come would be blessed to have you, Bhishma.”
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