Story of Aṣṭavasu

Origin.

Gaṇadevatās are called Aṣṭavasus. They were born to Dharmadeva of his wife Vasu, daughter of Dakṣa. They are: Dhara, Dhruva, Soma, Ahar, Anila, Anala, Pratyūṣa and Prabhāsa. (Ślokas 17 and 18, Chapter 66, Ādi Parva, Mahābhārata). There is a version in certain purāṇas that the Aṣṭavasus are the sons of Kaśyapa.

Different purāṇas give different names to these Aṣṭavasus. According to Viṣṇu Purāṇa they are: Āpa, Dhruva, Soma, Dharma, Anila, Anala, Pratyūṣa and Prabhāsa. (Chapter 15 of Aṃśam 1). In Bhāgavata they are Droṇa, Prāṇa, Dhruva, Arka, Agni, Doṣa,

Vasu and Vibhāvasu. In Harivaṃśa they are: Akha, Dhara, Dhruva, Soma, Anila, Anala, Pratyūṣa and Prabhāsa. This only indicates that some of these have two or more names for them.

Curse of Vasiṣṭha.

Once the Aṣṭavasus were enjoying a picnic with their wives and they happened to go to the āśrama of Vasiṣṭha. One of the wives got enamoured over Nandinī, Vasiṣṭha’s beautiful cow and wanted it. The Vasu to please his wife took the cow by force and left the place. When the sage found his cow missing after some time he understood by his divine powers who stole the cow and so he cursed the Aṣṭavasus saying that all of them would be born on earth as men. The Aṣṭavasus were greatly worried and approached the sage apologising and craving for pardon. The sage relaxed the curse and declared that their life on earth would be only for a very short time maintaining that the particular Vasu who committed the theft would live for a long time as man. It was this Vasu, Āpa (Dyau) who was born as Bhīṣma.

Rebirth of Aṣṭavasus.

The Aṣṭa vasus were pondering over the curse and were thinking of how to bear it without hardship when Gaṅgādevī appeared before them and they then appealed to her: "Devī, if you become the queen on earth of some noble King we shall be born as your sons and you must throw us into the river as soon as we are born". Gaṅgādevī accepted their request. Once there was a King called Pratīpa in the Candra dynasty. One day when this ascetic King was worshipping Sūrya on the banks of the river Gaṅgā a beautiful damsel arose from the waters and sat on the right thigh of the King. Surprised the King told her thus, "Oh beautiful maiden, who are you? Do you realise what unrighteous thing you have done? I am not one who goes after women and it was a bit daring of you to have taken me as a beau. Please understand that the right thigh is intended for a daughter and daughter-inlaw. You can claim this right when you become the wife of my son." The beautiful girl was none other than Gaṅgādevī herself and she disappeared soon on receiving the rebuke.

Pratīpa got a son named Śantanu and Gaṅgādevī became the wife of Śantanu. (For more details about this see under Gaṅgā). When Gaṅgādevī became the wife of Śantanu she made a condition to be his queen. "Whether good or bad you should not obstruct any action of mine. You must never give me any opinion of yours on any matter. You must obey what I order. If at any time you break any of these promises I will leave you that instant."

It was while Gaṅgādevī was living on earth as the wife of Śantanu that the Aṣṭavasus were born to her. One after the other she threw into the river seven sons but when she was about to throw the eighth the King objected to it and Gaṅgā disappeared immediately. That son was Bhīṣma, who was none other than Dyau born on earth by the curse of Vasiṣṭha. All the others, released from the curse, went to heaven. (More details under Bhīṣma).

A missile to Bhīṣma.

When Bhīṣma had to fight against his guru, Paraśurāma, the Aṣṭavasus gave him the missile, Prasvāpā. (See Ambā) (Ślokas 11 to 13, Chapter 183, Udyoga Parva, Mahābhārata).

Sons of Aṣṭavasus.

The sons of Āpa, the first of the Vasus, are: Vaitaṇḍha, Śrama, Śānta and Dhvani. Kāla, the destroyer of all, is the son of Dhruva. Varcas is the son of Soma. Dharma got of his wife Manoharī five sons Draviṇa, Hutahavyavāha, Śiśira, Prāṇa and Varuṇa. Śivā was Anila’s wife and she got two sons, Manojava and Avijñātagati. Agni’s son Kumāra was born at Śarastamba. Kumāra got three brothers, Śākha, Viśākha and Naigameya. Kumāra is known as Kārttikeya because he was born of Kṛttikas. The sage, Devala is the son of Pratyūṣa. Devala got two sons of great intelligence and forbearance. Varastrī, sister of Bṛhaspati and a woman of great yogic powers and world-wide travels became the wife of Prabhāsa. She gave birth to the famous Viśvakarmaprajāpati. He was the inventor of a great many handicrafts and ornaments He became the consulting architect of the devas and ranked first in that art. The aeroplanes of the devas were designed by him. Men on earth depend on his art even now. That architect had four sons: Ajaikapāt, Ahirbudhnya, Tvaṣṭā and Rudra, the bold. The great ascetics, Viśvarūpa, Hara, Bahurūpa, Tryambaka, Aparājita, Vṛṣākapi, Śambhu, Kapardi, Raivata, Mṛgavyādha, Śarva and Kapāli were the sons of Tvaṣṭā. These are known as the twelve Rudras. Purāṇas say that there are a hundred Rudras like this. (Chapter 15, Aṃśa 1, Viṣṇu Purāṇa).