HINDU ENCYCLOPEDIA

सनातन धर्म भूमिका

Meaning of "santanu"

Word

Santanu

Sanskrit

In General

Father of Bhishma, son of king Pratipa and a prominent king of lunar dynasty. He was the second son of Pratipa. His elder brother Devapi renounced the world at a early age and became an ascetic; his younger brother was Balhika and his mother Sunanda.

He was a very truthful and genuine ruler; he conducted thousand Asvamedhas and hundred Rajasuyas.

Purana

Santhanu was rebirth of King Mahabhiseka who was cursed by Brahma in Svarga to be born again on earth as he passionately looked at Gangadevi and she in her turn returned the glanceas an acceptance of love. Accordingly both of them were born as mortals. When Santanu grew up into a young man, one day he went for a hunt in the Gangavalley and there he met Gangadevi. He fell in love with her at first sight and courted her. Garigadevi agreed to become his wife on condition that he should not say anything to displease her and if he violated that condition she would leave him. The king accepted the condition and Gangadevi became his wife.

Seven sons were born to Gangadevi one after another and she through them to river Gange. When she was about to through the seventh newborn baby to river, Santanu objected; as the condition set by the beautiful lady before marriage was violated by the husband she left the husband Santhanu with the newborn. The child called Devavrita was later returned to Santhanu when he grown up. Devavrita later came be known as Bhishma.

Santanu later married Sathyavati, a fisher women and to them were born Chitrangatha and Vichitravirya

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