Mahabharata: How The Great-Grandmother Of Pandavas Was Born From Semen Spilled Into A River | Lifestyle News

Last Updated:July 07, 2025, 13:05 IST

Satyavati was said to be born from semen that fell into a river – yes, in Mahabharata times, birth didn’t always happen through the womb. Her story marked the beginning of it all

The story of Satyavati, the great-grandmother of the Pandavas in the Mahabharata, is both fascinating and incredibly unique. Indeed, the epic tale of the Mahabharata begins with her. Without her, the entire course of events in the Mahabharata might have been different.

Satyavati was said to have been born from semen that accidentally fell into a river. You might wonder how this is even possible, but in the times of the Mahabharata, births were not always through the womb. Even more unusual was that her body had the odour of fish. Later, however, her scent transformed into an alluring fragrance that spread far and wide.

It was this same Satyavati who captivated King Shantanu of Hastinapur. Bhishma, his son, arranged the marriage and took a lifelong vow of celibacy – known as the Bhishma Pratigya. Satyavati was incredibly beautiful, and her birth story is one of the strangest in mythology. She was the daughter of a fish, yet her destiny was to be queen.

According to the Mahabharata, in the kingdom of Chedi ruled King Uparichara Vasu of the Puru dynasty, who was a friend of Indra and flew in the skies in a chariot. One day, while hunting near the Shuktimati river, he began thinking of his wife and became aroused. His semen was released and given to an eagle to be delivered to his wife. However, the eagle was attacked mid-air, and the semen fell into the river.

In that river lived an Apsara named Adrika, cursed to live as a fish. She accidentally consumed the semen and became pregnant. When a fisherman later caught a large fish, he discovered a boy and a girl inside her. The boy was adopted by the king and became a noble ruler. The girl, who smelled of fish, remained with the fisherman and was named Matsyagandha – that girl was Satyavati.

As she grew up, Satyavati’s beauty increased, but the odour of fish from her body remained. Later, Sage Parashar encountered her while she was rowing a boat on the Yamuna. He wished to have a child with her. When Satyavati hesitated, Parashar promised that she would retain her virginity and her body would emit a divine fragrance instead of the fishy smell. Satyavati gave birth to Veda Vyasa from this union, who grew up instantly and later composed the Mahabharata.

Years later, King Shantanu was enchanted by the divine fragrance of Satyavati and asked for her hand in marriage. Her father agreed on the condition that only her children would inherit the throne. Unable to make that promise, Shantanu returned dejected. Bhishma then approached the fisherman and vowed never to marry or claim the throne. Thus, Satyavati married King Shantanu.

She had two sons – Chitrangada and Vichitravirya. After their untimely deaths, Satyavati turned to her son Vyasa for Niyog – a Vedic practice to ensure the continuation of the lineage. Through this, Ambika and Ambalika gave birth to Dhritarashtra and Pandu, respectively.

Pandu fathered the Pandavas, and Dhritarashtra fathered the Kauravas. Their rivalry led to the great battle of the Mahabharata. But the tale of this epic truly begins with the extraordinary birth and life of Satyavati – a fisherwoman who became a queen and shaped the destiny of a dynasty.

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