Devavrata

By Jit Majumdar

dedicated to the gods; committed to the gods
the birth name of Bhīşma, the son of King Śāntanu and the grandfather of the Kauravas and Pāndavas and the patriarch of the Kuru family, who came to be known as “Bhīşma”, (the terrifying), after he took the extreme and formidable vow of renouncing the Kuru throne as the successor of Śāntanu and of lifelong celibacy so that only the sons of Satyavatī would have claim to the throne without any possible challenge (M. Bh.).

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