Most of us are familiar with the story of the Mahabharatha and how the great sage Vyasa was born. Satyavati was the mother of Vyasa maharshi and he was also called as ‘ Badarayana and Krisha Dwaipayana. In the “Amsavatarana parva” of the Adi parva of the Mahabharatha, sage Vaisampayana narrates to Janamejaya the story of the origin of Kuru clan and the birth of the Pandavas and the Kauravas. Incidentally he traces the astonishing story of the origin of Satyavati and how from being “Matsya Gandhi” she became “Yojana Gandhi” miraculously! She was the daughter of a great king called Uparichara Vasu who ruled the country righteously. He was a friend of Indra, king of Devas and greatly respected. On one occasion, river Sukthimati presented two children, a male and a female to the king! The king made the boy the chief of his army and married the girl Girika whom he loved very dearly. They lived happily for a time and planned for the birth of a child when the unexpected thing happened!
The Pitrus approached Uparichara Vasu and wanted him to drive away the wild beasts from the forest! The King was in a dilemma. Should he stay with his dear wife or obey the mandate of the Pitrus? The righteous king decided on the latter and unwillingly went to hunt the wild beasts! But all his thoughts were on his beautiful wife! The Sylvan surroundings of the forest and the ambience heightened his romantic feelings and he could not control his eroticism. In that state
of extreme sensation he ejected! He didn't wish his semen to be wasted, collected it in a leaf, stamped it with his ring, closed it with red Asoka leaves, chanted mantras for the birth of child! He called an eagle and directed it to take the leaf and give it his dear darling wife Girika! On its way the eagle was attacked by another hawk! In their tussle, the leaf dislodged itself from the beak and fell into the waters of the Yamuna below! One Apsarasa (Divine damsel) Adrika by name, cursed by the creator Brahma, was moving about as a fish in Yamuna waters! She took it up and soon the fish was caught! Strangely, on cutting it, they found a man and woman to their shock and amazement! They took them to the king Uparichara Vasu when he adopted the man and he later became Matsyaraja! The Apsarasa was released of the curse and left for heaven!
The woman was given away to a fisherman to be adopted as his daughter! She was as good as gold and as gentle as lamb. She was called Satyavati and as she lived with the fisherman,she came to be called Matsyagandhi-one with the smell of fish! She helped her father in odd work and ferrying people across the river! The renowned Sage Parasara happened to come on his travel and spotted Satyavati and instantly fell in love with her and her bewitching beauty! “ “Beauty provoketh thieves sooner than gold”. In spite of his spirituality, the great sage could not contain himself and wanted to wed her! Sage Parasara recounted to her the events of her previous birth and the future events also! Satyavati was wonderstruck. Exhibiting her inclination to satisfy Sage Parasara, Satyavati blushed crimson and objected to the presence of many sages on the opposite bank! Catching her intention immediately, the Sage created dense fog which darkened the entire region.
Discreet and wise Satyavati felt that she would lose her virginity if she satisfied the Maharishi! How can she go home and face her father after losing it! She appealed to the sage to consider this aspect properly. The Maharshi replied that she would retain her virginity even after satisfying his desire! It was possible for great Maharshis to grant such boons as they had extraordinary yogic and spiritual powers! She requested that her name should be changed. Thus her name associated with fish-- Matsya Gandhi became “Yojana Gandhi" whose sweet fragrance could be felt from thousands of miles! Satyavati, there upon, satisfied Sage Parasara and 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 him on condition that her children should be the heirs to the throne. It was then that Devavrata, (Bhishma) King Shantanu's’ first son through Ganga, took a vow that he would never marry to facilitate her children becoming kings! Because of that supreme self sacrifice and severe lifetime vow, Devavrata came to be called “Bhishma”! Satyavati’s life was not smooth! He first son, Chitrangada was killed by a Gandharva soon after he came to throne! Her second son Vichitravirya, though he married the
two daughters of Kasi Raja, Ambika and Ambalika, died childless! Satyavati was in a dilemma and didn't know how to prevent the extinction of the dynasty or clan. She remembered the promise of her son Vyasa and summoned him to solve the problem! She directed Vyasa to create progeny and perpetuate the Kuru Vamsa facing extinction! Thus were born three sons Dhritarashtra, Pandu and Vidura! Through Vyasa’s grace Gandhari gave birth to a hundred children who were the Kauravas. The seeds for the Mahabharatha and the terrible Kurukshetra War were sown so early!!!
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