Podcast
Questions and Answers
Which king was Devvrata's father?
Which king was Devvrata's father?
- Dhritarashtra
- Chitrangadha
- Shantanu (correct)
- Pandava
Who were the two sons of Satyavati from King Shantanu?
Who were the two sons of Satyavati from King Shantanu?
- Chitrangadha and Vichitravirya (correct)
- Chitrangadha and Dhritarashtra
- Dhritarashtra and Vichitravirya
- Vichitravirya and Pandu
Who was pledged to be a lifelong bachelor?
Who was pledged to be a lifelong bachelor?
- Pandu
- Bhishma (correct)
- Dhritarashtra
- Shantanu
Who did Vichitravirya's queens include?
Who did Vichitravirya's queens include?
Who were the sons of Ambalika?
Who were the sons of Ambalika?
Which of the following is NOT a reason Bhishma took a vow of celibacy?
Which of the following is NOT a reason Bhishma took a vow of celibacy?
Who continued the Kuru dynasty after Shantanu?
Who continued the Kuru dynasty after Shantanu?
What was Bhishma's original name?
What was Bhishma's original name?
Which two characters' sons were Dhritarashtra and Pandu respectively?
Which two characters' sons were Dhritarashtra and Pandu respectively?
What united the Kauravas and Pandavas?
What united the Kauravas and Pandavas?
What was the name of the beautiful young woman King Shantanu saw near the Yamuna river?
What was the name of the beautiful young woman King Shantanu saw near the Yamuna river?
Who was Satyavati's father?
Who was Satyavati's father?
What condition did Satyavati's father set for King Shantanu to marry Satyavati?
What condition did Satyavati's father set for King Shantanu to marry Satyavati?
What did Devavrata ask King Shantanu that revealed his distress?
What did Devavrata ask King Shantanu that revealed his distress?
Who did Devavrata speak to in order to uncover King Shantanu's distress?
Who did Devavrata speak to in order to uncover King Shantanu's distress?
Where did the significant conversation between King Shantanu and Satyavati's father take place?
Where did the significant conversation between King Shantanu and Satyavati's father take place?
What compelling argument did Devavrata present to Satyavati's father to agree to the marriage?
What compelling argument did Devavrata present to Satyavati's father to agree to the marriage?
How did Devavrata gather information about the conditions set by Satyavati's father?
How did Devavrata gather information about the conditions set by Satyavati's father?
What was the result of King Shantanu's encounter with Satyavati?
What was the result of King Shantanu's encounter with Satyavati?
What eventually impressed Satyavati's father about Devavrata’s promise?
What eventually impressed Satyavati's father about Devavrata’s promise?
What was the sorrow that gnawed at King Shantanu after meeting Satyavati?
What was the sorrow that gnawed at King Shantanu after meeting Satyavati?
Study Notes
भीष्म-प्रतिज्ञा
- King Shantanu was overjoyed to have a tejasvi putra (brilliant son) and made him the Rajkumar (prince).
- After four years, Shantanu went to the Yamuna riverbank and met a beautiful woman named Satyavati, who was a fisherman's daughter.
- Shantanu fell in love with Satyavati, but her father, Kevat Raj, demanded a promise that Satyavati's son would inherit the throne of Hastinapura.
- Shantanu refused to make this promise, as he wanted his own son, Devavrat, to inherit the throne.
Devavrat's Vow
- Devavrat learned about the promise his father was asked to make and decided to intervene.
- He met Kevat Raj and promised that he would not ascend to the throne, and instead, Satyavati's son would become the king after Shantanu.
- Kevat Raj was not satisfied with this promise and asked Devavrat to take a vow of celibacy, which Devavrat agreed to.
Consequences of the Vow
- Devavrat's vow led to him being known as Bhishma, and he became the guardian of the Kuru dynasty.
- Shantanu married Satyavati, and they had two sons, Chitrangad and Vichitravirya, but both of them died young.
- Vichitravirya's two wives, Ambika and Ambalika, had sons named Dhritarashtra and Pandu, respectively.
The Kuru Dynasty
- The Kuru dynasty was led by Shantanu, then Vichitravirya, and later by the sons of Dhritarashtra (Kauravas) and Pandu (Pandavas).
- Bhishma remained the respected elder of the dynasty, guiding it through its ups and downs until the end of the Mahabharata war.
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Description
This quiz is about the story of Bhishma, a character from the ancient Indian epic, the Mahabharata. It covers his early life and his encounters with King Shantanu and Satyavati.
