Shantanu

Shantanu
Mahabharata character
Shantanu, a king of Hastinapura in the Mahabharata, saw a beautiful woman on the banks of the river Ganga
Information
Spouse(s)	Ganga and Satyavati
Children	Bhishma, Chitrangada and Vichitravirya

In the epic Mahabharata, Shantanu was a Kuru king of Hastinapura. He was a descendant of the Bharata race, of the lunar dynasty and great-grandfather of the Pandavas and Kauravas. He was the youngest son of King Pratipa of Hastinapura and had been born in the latter's old age. The eldest son Devapi had leprosy and gave up his inheritance to become a hermit. The middle son Bahlika (or Vahlika) abandoned his paternal kingdom and started living with his maternal uncle in Balkh and inherited the kingdom from him. Shantanu became the king of Hastinapura by default.

He is best known for being the father of Bhishma, one of the mightiest warriors of all time.

In his previous birth, Shantanu was a powerful king of the Ikshvaku dynasty named Mahabhisha. Mahabhisha possessed many virtuous qualities, and after performing a thousand Ashwamedha Yagnas (Horse Sacrifices) and a hundred Rajasuya Yagnas (to qualify as emperor), he had attained heaven after his death. Once he got an opportunity to visit the court of Brahma where all the Devas and Ganga were also present. While the celestials were worshipping Brahma, a wind blew and displaced Ganga's clothes revealing her body. Everybody present there bashfully bent their heads except Mahabhisha who kept on gazing at her body. Upon seeing this act, Brahma lost his temper and cursed him to be born as mortals and that Ganga will cause much emotional pain to him. Mahabhisha then requested Brahma to be born as the son of Kuru king Pratipa and his wish was granted by Brahma.

The Kuru king Pratipa was once meditating, in atonement for the crimes he had committed in seizing the throne of Hastinapur. At that time Ganga took the form of a beautiful woman, approached the king and sat on his right thigh. When he asked her what she wanted, Ganga requested him to become her husband. Pratipa however refused since he had taken a vow not to lust for anybody, and also that she had sat on his right thigh and according to traditions a man's right thigh was for his daughter or daughter-in-law while the left thigh was for his wife. He then proposed that she marry his son, to which she agreed.