Tale of Satyavati

Satyavati was a daughter of Vasu, belonged to Puru dynasty. He conquered Chedi kingdom with the blessings of his friend Indra. Since he had a habit of visiting higher planes with his crystal chariot, he was called as Uparichara.

Once the Kolahala mountain range gone insane over the neighboring river Suktimati out of lust and attacked. Suktimati sought Uparichara Vasu's help and was protected. But a boy and a girl had already born from the union of the mountain and river. Later the river gave its children to the king in gratitude for his protection. The girl was named as Girika, married Uparichara Vasu and the boy became the chief commander of Chedi kingdom. They lived happily for a time and planned for the birth of a child when the unexpected thing happened!

On a fine evening, Girika and Uparichara were dwelled in a relishing private space. His dead ancestors approached him at that moment and asked to drive away the wild beasts in the forest. The righteous king reluctantly decided and went to the forest to hunt.

He sensed a divine fragrance in the air while wandering in the forest and could not control his passionate desire on his beautiful wife. In that extreme state, he ejected but did not wish to waste his milt. He collected it in a leaf, stamped it with his ring, closed it with red Asoka leaves, chanted mantras for the birth of a child! He observed an eagle on the tree and requested to give it his dear wife. Eagle agreed and started flying towards the palace. But another eagle had assumed it was carrying a meat piece by mistake and attacked. In their fight, the leaf parcel evicted from the eagle's beak and fell into the Yamuna river below. There was a fish Adrika in the river, an angel transformed as fish due Lord Brahma's curse. She took it up and swallowed, became pregnant as a result. Then she was freed from the curse and her spirit left the body. A few days later Uparichara kingdom's fishermen caught that fish and surprisingly found a twin children on cutting it. They took the children to the king, he decided to bring up baby boy, named as Matsya on his own and gave the baby girl to the chief fishermen to raise. The girl was named as Satyavati. She was also called by the name Matsyagandhi, since the fishy smell was her body's natural fragrance.  She has grownup assisting her father in few works and helping people to cross the river.

Once Maharshi Parasara visited river Yamuna, fell in love with Satyavati at first glance. He recounted all the events of her past lives and future and expressed his desperate desire to her. Satyavati maintained her silence as sign of inclination and objected the presence of many sages on the opposite bank. Catching her intention immediately, the Sage created a dense fog which darkened the entire region. Before their union, Parasara booned satyavati that she would retain her virginity even after satisfying him and her body fragrance turn sweet, which could be felt from thousands of miles. So her name was changed from Matsyagandhi to Yojanagandhi. She gave birth to Vyasa Maharshi, who is described as “Parasaratmajam”! Vyasa was born in an island of Yamuna and hence called “Dwaipayana”. Intent on performing tapas, he took leave of his mother Satyavati and left her. He promised to visit his mother to help her in times of emergency.

Later, king Santanu fell in love with Satyavati and she married her on condition from her father that her children should be the heirs to the throne. Then she gave birth to Chitrangada and Vichitravirya. Chitrangada was killed by a Gandharva soon after he came to the throne. Her second son Vichitravirya, though married the two daughters of Kasi Raja, Ambika and Ambalika, died childless. 

Satyavati asked her son Vyasa then to prevent the extinction of the dynasty as she remembered the promise of her son Vyasa. Obedient son Vyasa accepted his mother's request and contributed himself to create progeny and perpetuate the Kuru Vamsa facing extinction! Thus were born three sons Dhritarashtra, Pandu and Vidura, seeds for the Mahabharatha and the horrible Kurukshetra War!