Introduction
Shantanu is the king of Hastinapura, the son of Pratipa. He married the river goddess Ganga, who bore Bhishma, and later married Satyavati.
This article primarily follows the Mahabharata. Where a well-known detail comes from a Puranic or later source, the article identifies it.
Family
- Father: Pratipa
- Wives: Ganga, Satyavati
- Siblings: Bahlika
- Sons: Bhishma, Chitrangada (son of Shantanu), Vichitravirya
Marriage to Ganga
Shantanu married Ganga on the condition that he would never question or stop her. She drowned each of their first seven sons at birth. When she was about to do the same to the eighth, Shantanu stopped her, and she left with the child. This child was Devavrata, who became Bhishma. She returned him to Shantanu after he had been educated by the great sages.
The story explains that the eight sons were the Vasus, who had been cursed to be born as humans. Ganga agreed to free seven of them at once.
Satyavati
Later, Shantanu fell in love with Satyavati, the daughter of the fisher chief. Her father agreed only if her children would inherit the throne. To make his father's wish possible, Devavrata gave up his claim and vowed never to marry. Shantanu gave him the boon of choosing the time of his own death.
Descendants
Shantanu and Satyavati had two sons, Chitrangada and Vichitravirya, who died young. The line then continued through Vyasa, Satyavati's son by Parashara.