Satyavati and Sage Vyasa

Satyavati had a story of her own. She grew up in a fisherman's home, and her body carried the smell of fish, so people called her 'Matsyagandha'. She ferried people across the Yamuna. One day the great sage Parashara sat in her boat. By the sage's blessing, her smell turned into a sweet fragrance that spread far and wide.

Sage Parashara and Satyavati had a son, born on an island in the Yamuna. He was dark in complexion, so he was named Krishna Dvaipayana, the dark sage born on an island. The child grew up the moment he was born and set off for the forest to do penance. As he left he told his mother, 'Mother, whenever you need me, just think of me. I will come.'

This child became the great sage Ved Vyas, who divided the Vedas into four and who composed the Mahabharat itself. So the author of the Mahabharat is also a part of its story.

Shantanu and Satyavati had two sons, Chitrangada and Vichitravirya. After Shantanu passed away, Chitrangada became king, but he was killed in a fight with a gandharva. Vichitravirya was still a boy. Keeping his vow, Bhishma placed Vichitravirya on the throne and ran the kingdom as his guardian.

Bhishma could easily have made himself king; the army and the people were with him. But he never looked at the throne. He stood behind it and protected the Kuru family. Now the question was Vichitravirya's marriage, and here a new story began.