Hastinapur Express - Palace Tragedy, Infant Prince Dead Shortly After Birth

New Born Price Doesn't Survive First Day


Tragedy struck the royal palace today when the infant prince born to King Shantanu and Queen Ganga died suddenly, less than a day after he was born. The royal baby did not even make it to his name giving. The lights across the kingdom are dim tonight as the people mourn the loss of the royal heir.

"This is a great tragedy for the royal family and the entire kingdom," said the royal Guru. "It is even more essential now for the King to produce a legitimate heir to the throne."

King Shantanu and Lady Ganga were married just over a year ago, and the entire kingdom was eagerly anticipating the birth of a heir. At the time of the Queen's pregnancy the King had declared a week long holiday for the citizens of Hastinapur, and had given a royal banquet that was open to all within Hastinapur's borders, be they citizens or guests. Gifts and congratulations for the royals had poured in from distant kingdoms, as had offers of marriage from kings great and small.

The King and Queen were unavailable for comment, and the royal staff refused to divulge any details concerning the tragedy. The Prime Minister released a royal statement thanking the people for their condolences and requesting that the privacy of the royal family be respected as they recover from this grievous loss.

Hastinapur Express - King Shantanu To Marry River Goddess Lady Ganga

Riverside meeting leads to nuptial celebrations


The royal town crier today announced the upcoming marriage of His Royal Highness King Shantanu to the river goddess Lady Ganga. The celebration promises to be the social event of the era. The king was taking his morning chariot ride, when he espied the Lady Ganga tending to the fauna on the banks of her namesake river, the Ganga.

"The chemistry was instantaneous," said the King's charioteer. "It was as if they knew each other from beyond the mortal realm."

The Lady Ganga is widely believed to be the daughter of the Creator Brahma himself, and most astrologers have predicted great happiness and prosperity for the kingdom. A few astrologers, however, are troubled by the portents they have seen in skies.

"The alignment of the stars and planets indicates the potential of significant upheaval for our kingdom, that could last not just through our lifetimes, but over the next 3 or 4 generations," claimed one of the doomsayers. Fortunately the naysayers are few, and largely ignored as cracks and charlatans.

"His Majesty has already won great renown on the battlefield and greatly increased the security of our borders," stated the Royal Guru. "It is past time that he take a wife and produce an heir. There are few women in the three realms as illustrious as the Lady Ganga, and their union will surely produce a most worthy heir."

Devlok Times - Renowned Sage Curses Ashtavasus To Life In Mortal Realm

Ashtavasus' prank to steal divine cow backfires

Renowned sage Vasishta, in a fit of temper, has reportedly cursed the Ashtavasus, also known as the Eight Vasus, to a lifetime in the mortal realm, after learning they stole his divine cow as a prank. Upon further reflection after his temper was cooled by the Vasus' remorseful pleading, the sage has agreed to soften the effects of the curse.

The sage agreed to allow seven of the Vasus to die shortly after they were born, so that their souls would quickly return to the divine realm. However, the chief prankster, a Vasu named Prabhasa, would be subject to a long and difficult mortal life. Because he stole the cow at the instigation of his wife, he would remain a lifelong bachelor as a mortal. Also, as he was the leader of the Vasus, and had convinced them to participate in the prank, he would be born to a king, but deprived of his rightful kingship in the mortal realm. Additionally, as he was the oldest Vasu, he would be the youngest in the mortal realm. However, his mortal shell would amass great glory and honor, and be long remembered in the mortal realm's history.

The Vasus have approached Lady Ganga, daughter of the Creator Brahma, to hasten the fulfillment of their curse. The Lady Ganga and her paramour Mahabhisha have also been cursed to a life in the mortal realm by her father, and the Vasus have approached her to request that she be their mother during her time in the mortal realm serving as a river goddess. As their mother, she would free the first seven shortly after their birth by drowning them in her divine waters, thus fulfilling the Sage's curse. Prabhasa would go on to live a difficult but glorious life, before shedding the mortal coil and returning to the divine realm.

Devlok Times - Creator Curses Daughter And Admirer To Life Of Separation In Mortal Realm

Unabashed Admiration Leads To Expulsion From Godly Realm

The Creator Brahma today cursed his daughter Lady Ganga, and her admirer Mahabhisha, to a life of separation in the mortal realm. Mahabhisha was in attendance at the court of his friend Lord Indra, as was Lady Ganga, who was there with her father to see a classical dance performance. The two quickly became enamored of each other but were wary of the Creator discovering their dalliance.

During one of the performances a gust of wind blew away Lady Ganga's shawl, exposing her bosom. All the present gods and deities immediately averted their gazes, but Mahabhisha and Lady Ganga were too occupied gazing into each others eyes to realize what had happened, and were thus observed by the Creator. The irked Creator cursed the two lovers to a life in the mortal realm; Mahabhisha as a king, and Ganga as a river goddess. The two would meet, fall in love, marry, and then go through a painful separation involving a bitter custody battle over their son, per the fate ordained for them by the Creator. The exact era and dates when the curse will go into effect is currently unknown.