Dharmyudh : The Rewritten Destiny

Origin Part 2 : Devvrath Bhism

This part starts with Maharaj Shantanu being crowned as King of Hastinapur.

King's favourite pastime was hunting, one day, when he was walking along the banks of river Ganga in search of a prey i.e a deer or a bison.

He saw a beautiful maiden sitting on a rock with her feet dipped in water. She was so beautiful that he fell in love with her at the very first sight.
After that, he used to go there regularly and they talked, laughed and slowly she too fell in love with him. And when Maharaj proposed her, she put forward a condition.

That no matter what happens, she should never be questioned for her actions and if he does, she will leave him forever.

Confused but happy, Maharaj Shantanu accepted the conditions and they got married.
Years passed as they lived happily together, but, for some reason, his wife behaved strangely for a woman. Each time a child was born to her, she drowned it.

Seeing each of his child getting killed one after the other, Maharaj fell in dilemma, but he dared not question his beloved wife, lest he'd lose her altogether.

However, when the eighth child was born, he couldn't contain his anger and asked her the reason for this cruel behaviour.

As the promise which laid the foundation for their marriage lay broken, woman appeared in her real form.

She told him that she is Goddess Ganga, narrating the story of eight Vasus who were cursed to be born as humans.
The seven sons she drowned were those Vasus whom she freed from their curse, but eighth son had to live upto the curse as Maharaj broke his promise.

This eighth son was named Gangeya, after his mother and Maharaj Shantanu named him Devvrath.
As per the conditions, she left him, taking the child with herself, promising to return him when Devvrath will be worthy to be the yuvraj.

But Maharaj Shantanu did not let his personal sorrow affect his duties as a king, and continued ruling wisely.

Skip to years later,
One pleasant day, tired after a long journey, Maharaj decided to take some rest near the banks of Ganges, when he observed that the flow of water was quiet subdued.

That's when he noticed a young warrior on the other side of water. He held a stong bow, shooting arrows with such perfection that he was able to deviate the flow of water.

Warrior's aura was divine, strikingly handsome, tall and muscular built.
There appeared Ganga, Maharaj's former wife and introduced the boy as the eighth son, Devvrath.

She told him that Devvrath is the mightiest Archer living in land of Aryavarth and has learnt all there is to know about the duties of a king.

Taking Devvrath along, Maharaj returned home joyfully.

Summoning an urgent meeting, and with all the kinsmen, brahmans, scholars present, he declared Devvrath, the yuvraj of Hastinapur.

Yuvraj soon earned never ending love and respect from people, who admired him for his calm nature, but also feared his wrath.

Maharaj were proud to have such a worthy and valiant son as his hier but still he felt lonely at times.
At such moments, he used to take long walks alone, along the banks of Yamuna.

On one such walk, he came across a beautiful fisherwoman, Satyavati.
With overwhelming loneliness and lack of love, Maharaj felt a desire to make Satyavati his own and take her to his palace.

He went to meet Satyavati's father, Dashraj, to ask for his daughter's hand in marriage.
Dashraj readily accepted the proposal but put foreward a condition.