#shantanu

This woman is a true enigma lying within the pages of this great epic. Elevated and identified with arguably the most-worshipped river in India, she is a woman who shines in her own right within the narrative, despite having no discernible family lineage.

According to the analysis of Dr. Bhaduri, her true story has been wrapped up in myth after myth, ranging from the encounter of the goddess Ganga and the ancient King Mahabheesha, to maybe even the Vasus' curse.

Shantanu himself probably sees her near the riverbanks, and she, too, maybe notices him. This would be before Shantanu even becomes king.

To judge the old king Pratipa's reaction, however, Ganga throws herself dramatically at the king himself to see if he would approve of her being with Shantanu.

Pratipa says to her: na cha-asavarnang kalyani dharmam tadhvi vratam cha me [i cannot marry outside my caste, as per the dharmic norms].

Now, if the lady was indeed a goddess, no sane human would ever address her as 'asavarna', since, though technically a correct descriptor, this word would most definitely be taken as an insult in that society. The use of this one word itself shatters the elaborate house of cards erected by the poet and reveals a more human form of the goddess.

However, despite turning her down for himself (probably as per Ganga's plan), Pratipa gives his blessings for her to approach Shantanu, who is, arguably, delighted.

Here, too, there is a caveat, since Shantanu and Ganga, for the years that they are together, never go to Hastinapura. Instead, they live in a hunting mansion in Gangadwara (Haridwar) where Ganga is described as a vilasini, working incessantly to keep Shantanu enamoured with her [now, why would a goddess need to do that? Urvashi, Tapati or even Devayani never did this!].

Given the drama that happens behind the scenes before Shantanu is officially crowned as the king, it is no surprise that he wasn't too eager to take a woman with no known family history back with him to the capital!

It makes one wonder what Ganga's life was like before she met the kings, that she felt it more humane to drown her first seven children than to raise them without their father's acknowledgement? Obviously, given that Shantanu never really took her 'home', Ganga probably assumed he wouldn't take responsibility for her children either.

This area is murky, since there could be a host of explanations why Ganga would not just talk to her man instead of taking such drastic measures. However, then you see how she throws herself at the old king earlier, and you wonder under what conditions she might have grown up, to have become so closed off and decisive.

Later, of course, Shantanu saves the eighth child and Ganga leaves with him, but not before she exacts a public acknowledgement from Shantanu about the child's parentage.

For the next sixteen or so years, Ganga goes from teacher to teacher, using probably Shantanu's public acceptance of her child Devavrata, to enrol him in the best schools, under Vashishtha, Vrihaspati and Parashurama, to build him up to be a worthy successor of the line that he was born in.

After nearly two decades, Shantanu runs into the young Devavrata in the forest by the river [what was he even doing, still away from his court? Did he miss Ganga that much?], who calls his mother. Interestingly, Shantanu is unable to recognise her until she introduces herself and her son [yet another hint that she was not a goddess, just a really fantastically interesting woman].

After so many years, finally, after having solved his feud with Devapi, Shantanu is able to take his first son back home to Hastinapura.

Ganga, however, declines to follow him, maybe choosing not to go to the capital now, as his ex-mistress, where she was not accepted as a queen all those years back.

She briefly turns up only to curse Amba when she realizes that the latter is actively plotting to get rid of her son.

In breaking his promise to Ganga, Shantanu allows Bhishma to live. The price of saving his son was losing his wife. But she didn't leave him without hope altogether. It is both a triumph (finally choosing life) and a defeat of sorts. He did the right thing in breaking his vow.

Meanwhile, you have Bhishma, who in keeping his oath, allows his father to live happily with Satyavati. He does everything right by the "rules" of dharma. It's glorious and he is honored for it. But in that same act, he sets into motion everything that breaks the dynasty. When he refuses to break his vow to father children on Ambika/Ambalika (that whole sequence angers me for no reason but more on that later), he further dooms the very dynasty he swore to protect.

A broken oath in the face of changing circumstances: that was what Shantanu managed to do, and Bhishma could not.

Hello sweet people of Hastinapur, it’s murder time.

100 times a therapist was needed.

Wdym a happy women? They don’t exist.

Illusion 101 (It’s all Krishna)

He gets a curse, you get a curse, EVERYONE GETS A CURSE. 

Abhimanyu and the up-pandavs didn’t deserve this.

Things people pretend aren't gay. 

Nothing means anything, we are all going to die. *jazz music background*

Kauravs get their ass handed to them.

Putra moh: intensifies

There is no heterosexual explanation for this.

Someone is responsible for this but not Shantanu.

Krishna uwu

The episode starts off with Devavrat calling his mama to do a prakat and witness his oath. She doesn’t do a prakat, the skies are still all red-red, obviously this oath thing is not a good idea. (Sidenote: Neither elements of nature, nor characters in the actual epic are half the drama queens they’re portrayed as in this show) But no one cares, because plot. And the oath proceeds. Devavrat swears on his mother’s divinity, her purity and his father’s trust that he won’t be Hastina’s King, he’ll be its servant all his life. (Also. Mata Satyavati? That soon? Whoa. Dedication) Shantanu makes his horrified entry in the middle of his oath, which is one long oath. Anyway. Devavrat swears that he’ll give the Kingdom over to Satyavati’s kids, and for the sake of their future, he will abstain from marriage, from family and be a brahmachari all his life. For some reason, Satyavati is gaping like a fish. I dunno why. She’s gotten all she’s asked for, right? I see. She wasn’t expecting to. BTW, she’s looking rather horrified, too. Maybe she’s regretting it already… All this takes place to the music of ‘Dharme cha arthe cha kaame che moksha cha…” Should I assume it’s adharm? Probably. The waters of the Ganga begin boiling and shooting out like geysers. It is making clearer by the moment. Not a good idea. But what is done is done. Shantanu, idiot that he is, yells his son’s name after he’s done swearing the oath. He runs up to his son and goes “What have you done?” while Devavrat, quite coolly, goes ‘Pranipat, Pitashree.’ You gotta admire the man here, really, you got to. Apparently, Shantanu still wants to drown in self-pity, because he’s like “How could you take such a terrible oath (Bhishm pratigya)? You’ve forgotten that a gift too large is no pleasure, but punishment…” Dude. If you want to look for ways to remain wallowing in self-pity, everyone! Take lessons from Shantanu. I mean, what does it take for this guy to be happy? Devavrat, all Mr. Dutiful son, goes “No, no, dad, don’t say that! I haven’t given you any boons, just made sure the Kingdom of our ancestors remains afloat. I just pressed the delete button on all future problems!” Oh, dear. My beautiful summer child. You have no idea how horrendously you’re wrong. He continues in the same vein. “This is my duty as the crown prince.” Shantanu gleefully accepts it, saying, “Many people grant wishes, but few have the courage to accept it as duty.” He then asks for a chance to return the favor. Devavrat, who is a paragon of perfection here (which he is not in canon, so #canon fail 3, I guess) asks for the boon not to die until Hastinapur is ruled by Dharma and Samarth (talent) both. (In that vein, the King he dies for doesn’t have Samarth, afaik. He just uses his brothers’ Samarth for his purposes. But maybe I’m biased. Or maybe it counts anyway.) Cue the precap scene. He gets iccha mrityu and is also christened with the name Bhishm. Cue dramatic “Bhishm Bhishm Bhishm” music, followed by slow Bhishm theme.

We cut to a map. Quite a beautiful one. And focus on Panchal. We reach Panchal, where there is a crowd clamoring for the King to punish someone. Who could it freaking possibly be? Oh, shit. Shit. He’s Hastina’s Prince, Prince Vichitraveerya. (BTW, what kinda name is that?) Also, canon fail #4, I think. Vichitraveerya wasn’t ever this debauched in canon, afaik. Correct me if y’all remember something like that, okay?  Also, this guy gets a swell intro for someone who’s about to be punished, flogged, I guess. That guy, for his part, is watching the proceedings with a super creepy smile. He’s accused of drunk entry into Panchal and the crime of setting farms ablaze, which is a more serious crime than manslaughter, apparently. So he’s sentenced to death. Oh, yeah. He appears quite unconcerned, stating that his elder brother will come to his rescue. And then he goes on and spits on the Panchal King’s face. Bravado. The punishment begins. And…an arrow cuts through Mr. Drunk Trespasser’s bonds. Bhishm theme! Bhishm makes a dramatic entrance. A trading of words occurs, to the theme of ‘Your Prince messed up bad, we were just taking advantage of the situation.” Bhishm comes with a legit badass line, “Raavan thought he was taking advantage of the situation when he set fire on Hanuman’s tail. Do not set fire to Bhishm’s hear.” Dude. Badass. Referring to yourself in third person a la “Danger knows full well that Caesar is more dangerous than he,” type, much? Whoa. “Stop me if you can.” Mr. Panchal King yells “Attack!” An arrow flies, Bhishm stops it in his hands, breaking the arrow. Behind him, the Hastinapur Army streams in from the gates. Mr. Panchal King tries to kill him by sleuth when he’s picking up his useless Prince. This guy smoothly disarms him and slaps him in the face for good measure. Mr. Panchal King, pissed, gives a shraap. “Bhishm! You will pay for what you did. The cause of your death will be born here in Panchal!” Bhishm just gives a look as he leaves.

Camera focuses on psycho Princess #1, psycho lady #2. Amba. I dunno why, for some reason, this adaptation is showing too many women as psychotic. Canon fail #5. Neither Amba nor Satyavati are this psychotic.  Then follows a cringey love scene b/w Amba and Shalva. Before which the maiden sets fires to fields, and probably to her men also. Scene change. Camera pans to pathetic Vichitraveerya, who’s getting a lecture on the ills of alcoholism and the strength expected in a Crown Prince. He’s pleading for mercy as Bhishm easily manhandles him all over an arena, finally falling at his mama’s feet. Psycho mama fusses over her stupid kiddo. She scolds Bhishm for disciplining her son who had after all, only humiliated an enemy. Canon note: Was Panchal really Hastina’s enemy back then? Dunno. Bhishm is like “He’s a crown Prince. He cannot be weak.” Right, bro. Psycho mum: “You are his strength.” Followed by “A King’s body is like a golden chalice.” Bhishm nods. “But for the chalice to attain respect, it should be at the pinnacle of a temple. I only wish for Vichitraveerya to be like father, his name to be taken with respect in the people’s voice.” Rational, really. But psycho mama is having none of that, as she clutches her drunk and staggering kid close. And..skip. Because Krishna Gyaan. Wait, let’s at least know the theme of the lecture, yes? It’s about the duty of parents. Alright. Skip again. Precap: The Kashi Princesses are having a Swayamvar. Psycho princess is making eyes at Shalva. On the other side, Satyavati is asking Bhishma to bring the 3 princesses of Kashi to Hastina as brides for her drunk kid.