Bhishma was the son of the goddess Ganga and the great king Shantanu. But after swearing he would never rule, one of Shantanu’s other two sons would have to become king upon Shantanu’s deathbed. And so, after making Vichitravirya king, he planned to find him a wife (or wives as the case would be.) He set out to the city of king Benares, who had three daughters – Amba, Ambika, and Ambakika. They were all very beautiful. They announced that they wished to marry a brave warrior, so their Swayamvara was set to find the bravest knight. One of the daughters, the eldest Amba, was secretly betrothed to Shalwa. She was certain that Shalwa would win due to his faith and love for her. But Bhishma came to the city and, with all the kings around him, walked straight up to the girls. He said that he had seized the maidens, and anyone who wanted them should come and claim them from him. But for all the kings and princes that attacked him, he killed them all with his bow. This included horses, elephants, and a number of kings. Eventually, his enemies stopped coming, and Bhishma took the princesses back home to Hastinapura.
Image Information
The Oath for which Devavrata became known as Bhisha - wikimedia
No comments:
Post a Comment