Mahabharata: Ganga Drowns Her Seven Sons, the Vasus' Curse

Buddha's Stories: Self-Help, Mental Health and Psychology · Oct 31, 2026 · 5m

Why did Goddess Ganga drown her seven children in the Mahabharata?

King Shantanu once fell in love with Goddess Ganga, who agreed to marry him on one condition: he must never question her actions. After their marriage, Ganga gave birth to seven sons, but each time, she drowned the newborn in the river. Heartbroken, Shantanu remained silent until the birth of their eighth child.

The reason lay in a curse from their previous birth. The seven children were the eight Vasus, divine beings who had been cursed by Sage Vashistha to be born as humans. Ganga had promised to free them from the curse by…