Vasus

The eight Vasus came to the earth and saw Nandini, the divine cow belonging to the sage Vasistha. They stole her. When Vasistha returned and found the cow missing, he searched for her and used his divine sight to discover the theft. In anger, he cursed all eight Vasus to be born as men.

The Vasus regretted their deed. They returned the cow and begged the sage to forgive them. Vasistha said that his words could not be made false, but he reduced the punishment for seven of them. They would remain in a mother’s womb for nine months and die as soon as they were born. Their release would therefore come quickly.

The eighth Vasu had carried the greater blame. Vasistha ordered him to live a whole human life on earth. That life would be great, but it would be a mortal one. The Vasus then sought a mother who was not human. They asked Ganga to take human form and bear them as her sons.

Ganga agreed. She asked who would be their father. The Vasus named Shantanu, the future son of King Pratipa. Ganga went to earth and became Shantanu’s wife. She made him promise that he would never question or condemn her actions. If he broke that promise, she would leave him.

Ganga gave birth to a son after a year. She carried the child to the river and cast him into its waters. Shantanu was horrified, but he kept silent because of his promise. The same thing happened when six more sons were born. Each of those seven children died soon after birth, and the seven Vasus were released from the curse.

When the eighth son was born, Shantanu stopped Ganga from taking him. She explained the curse and revealed that she had become their mother to fulfil the Vasus’ request. She then left with the child. Ganga raised him and taught him sacred knowledge and warfare. Later, she returned him to Shantanu, and the boy became known as Bhishma.