Shaantanu and Satyavatee-2

Now Shaantanu came to Hastinaapur with a new queen Satyavatee. Instead of living happily with Shaantanu, Satyvatee was somewhat sad because she was not able to reconcile with Bheeshm's such a great sacrifice. She always felt that her pleasures were lower in comparison to Bheeshm's great vow. Shaantanu tried to convince her that if all people thought like this then everybody's life became hell. But she always felt very bad that for her pleasures she made Bheeshm's life hell, and the truth was that only she was responsible for all that. 

Shaantanu said - "It is not because of you, but this is all the game of fate lines." Then he told the incident of Gangaa. He said - "Gangaa gave birth to seven sons and she drowned all of them in Gangaa River. When my eighth son was born, and she took him to flow in the river, I broke my promise and asked her as why she was doing so? Then she told me that in fact our all the eight sons were eight Vasu who had to take birth on Prithvi because of a Shaap. The seven Vasu got freed from that Shaap, but because I broke my promise, this eighth Vasu remained on Prithvi. She said - "It seems that his Shaap is not yet completed, otherwise why would you break your promise." So Satyavatee, in fact Bheeshm's fate line has already been in existence even before we met, and thus even if we didn't fall in love then also he had to live his life like that." But Satyavatee was not convinced at all.

Raaj Guru came in the court and found the place of Crown Prince empty. His anger was at the highest point, he asked Raajaa the reason of that. The Chief Minister said - "Mahaaraaj has given words for this to the new queen's father that Satyavatee's son will be the king of Hastinaapur." Raaj Guru said - "Who gave the right to Raajaa to give such a word." The Chief Minister said - "Mahaaraaj, who can give such right to Mahaaraaj? It is only he who can give such right to himself."

Raaj Guru said to Raajaa - "You have forgotten that you are only the representative, and you have no right to give such words. I wish to know that what fault Mahaaraaj found in Crown Prince Devavrat, that he thought to give another Crown Prince to Hastinaapur. And even if Devavrat had some kind of fault also, then what Mahaaraaj saw in that child who is  not yet come in the womb. The time..." Bheeshm said - "Don't talk about the time Raaj Guru, because time is only the witness. If you want to talk about, talk about only Karm, because Karm are only ours and only we are responsible for our Karm. Isn't it true?"

Raaj Guru - "Yes, perfect". Bheeshm said - "Then how can you make Raajaa responsible for my Karm? Mahaaraaj never gave any word to Daashraaj. Of course, if he had stopped me to keep my words then he would have been called to injustice. He fulfilled his duty to appoint me as a Crown prince. He even told Daashraaj that he had no right to change his decision. Raaj Guru, I myself gave this word to him, and by doing this I have fulfilled my duties because no sad king can keep his public happy."

Raaj Guru said - "But what is the guarantee that the prince born to Satyavatee will be worthy to be the Crown prince of Hastinaapur?" Bheeshm said - "You can know it better, but I can say only this much that whoever will sit on this throne, this Bheeshm will see his father's form in him and will serve him lifelong.

Another Vow of Bheeshm

But Shaantanu was also sad as well as worried with all those happenings. Time was passing and his heart was repenting for what he had done to his son and the kingdom. How come that he put the future of Hastinaapur on stake for his own pleasures? Bheeshm was very observant. His sadness was not hidden from him, so one day he asked his father - "Father, you seem to be very sad and worried. May I know the reason?"

Shaantanu said - "Putra, I am sad because neither I proved as a good king nor I proved to be a good father and destroyed both kingdom and the life of my son. What kind of father I am that for my own pleasures I threw your future in the darkness; and what kind of Raajaa I am who put Hastinaapur's future in the hands of an unborn child after snatching it from a worthy Crown Prince. And nobody knows whether he will be worthy of the throne or not." 

Bheeshm assured his father - "Father, You don't worry, I give you my words, that I will serve this throne lifelong, and until this is very well protected from all around, I will not leave this Mrityu Lok. Now be worry free and take care of the kingdom and the politics."

Raaj Guru was leaving Hastinaapur, so he came to see Raajaa, but Raajaa was so much lost in his worries that he was not talking to anybody, so he came to see Bheeshm. He said - "I wanted to see Raajaa, but he is lost in his thoughts so much that I could not get a chance to talk to him, that is why I came to see you." Bheeshm said politely - "You could have called me there." Raaj Guru said - "In which family a son like you is there, being the Guru of that family is very fortunate. Even great Devtaa are to come here, if I came here, that is not a big thing." He brought Kripaa with him to appoint as their Kul Guru in his absence.

Bheeshm asked Kripaa - "You had a sister also, where is she now?" Kripaa told him that she was married to Drone. Hearing the name of Drone Bheeshm got very happy, he said - "Oh, Then he has become our relation. If I got my childhood back then I would learn archery from him. I am proud of my life that I am living my life in his times." Kripaa said - "And this is our good fortune that we are living our lives in your times." Kul Guru said to Kripaa - "You are a Braahman, at least bless him." Kripaa said - "He doesn't need my blessings, he himself is a blessing in person."

Satyavatee also could not free herself from repentance. She was feeling her own pleasure much lighter than the injustice done to Bheeshm. She could never forget it that her pleasures were standing on the foundation of injustice done to Bheeshm.

Shaantanu tried to convince her - "I am at a greater fault than you, because instead of saying this that "I don't need my pleasures at this price" I started giving him Vardaan. That is why you don't worry about it so much." Satyavatee said - "But I can't forget it, Mahaaraaj. Let us go and request Bheeshm that he should take his vow back." Shaantanu said - "Then you didn't know your Bheeshm till now. There is a Bhakt (devotee) and Bhagavaan (God) like relationship between him and his vows. We remain worried, that is our punishment and as well as Praayashchit. We will have to accept our destiny." Satyavatee said - "Then this is only our punishment and this is only our Praayashchit."

Shaantanu's Children

Satyavatee gave birth to two children - Chitraangad and Vichitraveerya (see Chitraangad) in due time. But Raajaa got so much drowned in his worries that he couldn't come up and got ill. After some time he died leaving his children very young. When they became adult, Bheeshm appointed Chitraangad as the king of Hastinaapur, He could not rule forlong time. There was a Gandharv named Chitraangad who did not like that a mortal should bear the same name as his, so he challenged the mortal Chitraangad for a fight to prove the worth of his name. Both fought in Kurukshetra field for long. At last the mortal Chitraangad was killed. Then Bheeshm coronated Vichitraveerya on the throne. This time the ceremony was celebrated with much pomp and show.