King Shantanu lived happily for many years. Then one day he was drawn to the banks of the Yamuna by a sweet fragrance. It came from Satyavati, the beautiful daughter of the Chief Fisherman, because of a boon from a sage. Shantanu wanted to marry her. The Chief Fisherman agreed, but on the condition that her son would succeed Shantanu as King. How could Shantanu ignore the claim of Devavrata, who was his eldest son? He returned sadly to the palace. Devavrata asked him what had made him so sad. But the King would not say why he was unhappy. Devavrata realised something must have happened when his father went out. So he found out the truth from the Chief Fisherman. And there he took a vow to remain unmarried all his life, and that Satyavati’s son would be the next King. The heavens showered flowers on him and named him ‘Bhishma’.
The Fisherman’s Daughter
