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This is the story of the Ashta Vasus, eight celestial beings cursed to be born as mortals on Earth due to a mistake they made. It unfolds a tale of redemption, sacrifice, and the birth of Bhishma, one of the greatest heroes in Mahabharata.
Characters in the story:
Ashta Vasus: The Ashta Vasus are a group of eight elemental gods in Hinduism that represent aspects of nature and cosmic phenomena.
Ganga: Ganga is a goddess in Hindu philosophy who is personified as the divine embodiment of the Ganges river, which is considered sacred in Hinduism. She is believed to have descended from heaven to earth to purify and bless the world with her holy waters.
Rishi Vasishtha: Rishi Vashishtha is a revered sage in Hindu philosophy, known for his deep knowledge of the Vedas and his role as a guru to many legendary figures, including Lord Rama.
Bhishma: Bhishma is a revered warrior in the Indian epic, Mahabharata, who is known for his oath of celibacy and unwavering loyalty to his kingdom.
A long time ago, there were eight divine beings called the Ashta Vasus. These gods, who were very powerful, each represented something important in nature:
Dhara: Representing the Earth.
Anila: Representing the Wind.
Apas: Representing Water.
Anala: Representing Fire.
Pratyusha: Representing the Dawn.
Prabhasa: Representing the Sky or Light.
Soma: Representing the Moon.
Drona: Representing the Rain or the vessel containing life-giving energy.
They lived happily in the heavens, free from any problems.
One day, while enjoying their celestial lives, the Vasus and their wives visited the ashram of the wise and powerful Sage Vashistha. The sage owned a magical cow named Nandini, who could grant any wish and was very precious to him.
As they admired the ashram, one of the Vasus, Prabhasa, noticed that his wife was fascinated by Nandini. She insisted that they should take the cow for themselves. At first, Prabhasa hesitated, but eventually, he and the other Vasus decided to steal Nandini to please her.
When Sage Vashistha returned to his ashram and found that Nandini was gone, he was furious. Using his divine powers, he immediately learned what had happened and cursed all eight Vasus.
“You dared to steal what was not yours!” he thundered. “For this, you will all lose your divine status and be born as humans on Earth, where you will suffer the pains of mortal life.”
The Vasus were horrified. They begged Vashistha to forgive them, explaining that they had made a mistake under the influence of Prabhasa. Seeing their genuine remorse, the sage softened his curse, but only a little.
“Seven of you will be freed from this curse shortly after your birth,” Vashistha said. “But Prabhasa, who was the leader in this act, will suffer the longest. He will live a full human life, filled with challenges and responsibilities.”
With heavy hearts, the Vasus accepted their fate.
To fulfill the curse, the Vasus were born on Earth as the children of the river goddess Ganga and a great king named Shantanu. Ganga had agreed to marry Shantanu on one condition: he would never question her actions, no matter how strange they seemed.
In time, Ganga gave birth to the Vasus one by one. But as soon as a child was born, she would take the baby to the river and drown it. Though this act might seem cruel, Ganga was actually freeing the Vasus from their curse, sending them back to their divine home in the heavens.
King Shantanu was heartbroken every time Ganga drowned a child, but he kept silent because of his promise.
Finally, when their eighth child was born, Shantanu couldn’t bear it anymore. As Ganga prepared to take the baby to the river, he stopped her.
“Why are you doing this?” he cried. “How can you kill our children?”
Ganga turned to him with sadness in her eyes. “You have broken your promise, Shantanu,” she said. “But I will answer your question. These children are the Ashta Vasus, cursed by Sage Vashistha to be born as humans. By drowning them, I am freeing them from their curse. However, this eighth child is different. He is Prabhasa, the one who led the theft. His curse is to live a long and difficult life on Earth. I will spare him, but now I must leave you.”
With these words, Ganga disappeared, taking the child with her. She raised him in the heavens and later returned him to Shantanu as a young boy named Devavrata.
Devavrata grew up to become one of the greatest warriors and wisest men of his time. He earned the name Bhishma, meaning “one who takes a terrible vow,” after he pledged never to marry so his father could remarry. Bhishma’s life was filled with hardships, but he remained steadfast in his duty and loyalty.
Though he suffered greatly, Bhishma’s story is remembered as one of sacrifice, strength, and devotion to dharma (righteousness). The curse of the Vasus had been fulfilled, but through Bhishma, their legacy continued, teaching humanity the importance of actions and their consequences.
And so, the story of the Ashta Vasus reminds us that even gods must face the results of their deeds and that forgiveness, sacrifice, and responsibility are the highest virtues.
