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Bhishma

Also called: Devavrata, Gangeya, Gangadatta

Devavrata, son of King Shantanu and the river Ganga, the eighth child and the only one she did not drown. Ganga explains that he is the Vasu Dyu, sentenced by Vasishtha to a long human life without wife or children. He is known as Bhishma after his vow.

Sources: The Mahabharata, tr. K. M. Ganguli (1883-96), sections read for the Vedic layer · see Bhishma's web

Relations 4

Bhishma child of

Ganga (God) · The Vasu Dyu steals Vasishtha's cow and is born as Bhishma
Ganga bears the eight Vasus to Shantanu and keeps the eighth alive.
Shantanu (King) · The Vasu Dyu steals Vasishtha's cow and is born as Bhishma
Shantanu is the father of Devavrata, later Bhishma.

Bhishma avatar of

Dyaus (God) · The Vasu Dyu steals Vasishtha's cow and is born as Bhishma
Bhishma is the Vasu Dyu born as a man (Adi 99); Adi 96 instead makes him an eighth part of each Vasu.

Bhishma taught by

Vasishtha (Sage) · The Vasu Dyu steals Vasishtha's cow and is born as Bhishma
Ganga says the boy studied the Vedas with Vasishtha.

Stories 1

The Vasu Dyu steals Vasishtha's cow and is born as Bhishma
From the epics · as the eighth son, Dyu born as a man · 3 tellings

Cited

The Mahabharata, tr. K. M. Ganguli (1883-96), sections read for the Vedic layer § adi.98-100 Primary text (translation)