One day, King Shantanu was out hunting near the banks of the river Ganga. He saw a lovely doe-eyed damsel and fell in love with her beauty. King Shantanu introduced himself as the king of Hastinapur and She introduced herself as Ganga in return. Being a victim of her beauty King Shantanu asked Ganga to become his Queen and save Hastinapur. Ganga happily agreed and posed a condition. King Shantanu agreed and he was told not to question her for her acts. She warned him if he failed to do so then she will leave him forever after giving him his answer. After marriage King drowned in the fathomless depths of her eyes and neglected the kingdom. The king was busy with the affairs of his heart but countrymen waited for their King to come out of his ecstasy.
The day has arrived, Ganga gave birth to a son but soon after the birth she drowned it into the river. Shantanu tongue was tied to utter a word. Similarly Ganga killed seven of her own sons born of Shantanu. King broke his oath and questioned Ganga at the eighth time. Then Ganga explained Shantanu that she was living on the earth because of her father, Brahma's curse. In past birth, Shantanu was King Mahabhishak who visited Indralok for celestial damsels dance and was mesmerized by the beauty of Ganga, who was present there along with her father. Both lost in each other. Watching this duo Lord Brahma cursed them to be reborn on earth for transgressing the bounds of propriety. As Shantanu broke his oath Ganga was released from curse. Ganga further added that seven sons whom she drowned were Vasus and was cursed by Sage Vasishta to be reborn on earth. Ganga released seven Vasus from their curse except the eighth one. She named the eighth child as Devavrata. She left Shantanu with eighth child with promise of returning his eighth child at the right time in future. King Shantanu was in despair from the depart of Ganga and longed for the torment to end.
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