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The Story of Ashtavakra Geeta

The Story of Ashtavakra Geeta

It is a story of Ashtavakra Geeta

Ashtavakra Geeta is considered one of the most important texts of Advaita Vedanta. Ashtavakra was bent at eight places and that’s how he got this name.


When teenager Ashtavakra was told by his friend Svetketu that his father was drowned in a river on orders of King Janaka, he asked why?

Svetketu answered that a learned Brahmin Vandin defeated his father in an argument and, that was the reason why Ashtavakra’s father was drowned. 


Hearing this Ashtavakra went to King Janak’s court and challenged Vandin for an argument to find out who was more knowledgeable? Nobody believed that Ashtavakra could win, but Ashtavakra defeated Vandin convincingly. King Janak then ordered that according to the conditions Vandin should be drowned.


Vandin informed all present that he was the son of Varun, god of water. Vandin also told all present that Varun needed learned Brahmins for a yagya. And, now that the yagya was finished all the Brahmins would return. Ashtavakra’s father also returned. Muni Ashtavakra has written a definitive text about Vedanta called Ashtavakra Geeta.

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Why is Bhishma Called Gangaputra?

Why is Bhishma called Ganga Putra_
Why is Bhishma called Ganga Putra_

Why is Bhishma called Gangaputra?

Bhishma was a Vasu in his earlier birth. There are eight Vasus in total. It is said that once the Vasus came across the cow Nandini who belonged to Rishi Vashishth. A Vasu named Prabhas stole the cow at the request of his wife. 


When Vashishth came to know of the theft, he cursed all the Vasus to take birth on the earth as human beings. The Vasus were devastated on hearing this. They requested Vashishth to reduce the curse.

Vashishth said that the seven Vasus would be killed immediately after taking birth, but Prabhas would have to live much longer on earth.
Bhishma was the Vasu Prabhas. After hearing the curse, the Vasus requested river Ganga to be their mother and kill the seven of them as soon as they were born. Ganga agreed. 


Once King Shantanu was roaming around the Ganga river when he saw an enchanting woman. He asked her to marry him. But the woman who was Ganga had a condition. She said she would stay with Shantanu till he never asked her any questions. 


Ganga started to kill her children as soon as they were born. King Shantanu kept quiet till the seven children were killed, but stopped Ganga when she wanted to kill the eighth child. On this, Ganga said that Shantanu had broken the condition of their marriage and she left. Before leaving she revealed to Shantanu the real story. 
Ganga brought up Devavrata and brought him back to Shantanu when he grew up. This is the reason why Bhishma is also called Gangaputra.

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The Story Behind The Name of Bhishma

The Story behind the name of Bhishma
The Story behind the name of Bhishma

It is a story of how Bhishma got his name

Bhishma was the son of King Shantanu. His real name was Devarata. He got the name Bhishma after he vowed not to sit on the throne of Hastinapur.


Once King Shantanu was traveling in his kingdom, he saw Satyavati, a fisherman’s daughter. King Shantanu asked the fisherman to let him marry Satyavati. But the fisherman said that he had a condition. He wanted that only the sons of Satyavati would become the kings of Hastinapur. King Shantanu was depressed hearing this. He returned to Hastinapur in a heartbroken state. When Devarata saw his father in this mood, he made inquiries and found out about the fisherman’s condition.


He went to the fisherman and vowed that he would not sit on the throne of Hastinapur. Hearing this, the fisherman asked what would happen if Devvrata’s sons claimed the kingdom? Hearing this, Devvrata vowed that he would never marry. 
Hearing such vows, the gods praised him and named him Bhishma.

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