Week 9 Story: Diary: River flows in Me

Diary: River flows in Me

March 3rd, 5565BC

Dear Diary, 

Today another group of pilgrims came. They were dispersing the ashes of their loved ones in my river. My heart is heavy and full all at the same time for those who lose loved ones before the proper time. I blessed them for paying their respects to their loved ones so that they may reach moksha.

- Ganga
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March 12th, 5565BC

Dear Diary, 

Today I was blessing travelers and animals as they came to my river to rest and drink when up in the sky I saw eight vasus' crying and flailing about. They came to me and said, "We have been cursed oh goddess, one year from today when the sun rises we will be born one by one as humans to live out humans' lives with no recollection of our divinity." Their story shocked me so I agreed to help. I told them that I would have them and upon their birth, I shall destroy their human bodies so they may return to divinity. But I told them their would be a cost: I shall receive 1/8 of their power each for my own son to have someday. Besides agreeing to help the vasus' the day proceeded as normal. 

- Ganga

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March 19th, 5565BC

Dear Diary, 

You would not believe how beautiful was the man I saw in passing today. He was tall and dark, his body and muscles tight from years on the battlefield but his face so soft as he gazed at me. The only thing that appeared to match his beauty was the raw power emulating from him. He looked like a kind man who understood his position and was humbled by it instead of prideful. He began walking my direction and I fled. I would need to muster the strength to face him.

- Ganga

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March 21st, 5565BC

Dear Diary, 

For the past two days, the man I saw returned to my river gazing out all along the shore and pacing looking for something, looking for me. I watched from the form of a bird wading in the shallow waters. Once he spotted my bird form and for a while starred. As the night sky crept upon him he decided to return home.

- Ganga
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March 22nd, 5565BC

Dear Diary, 
Again he returned to the river but this time so did I in my human form. He was sitting by the river's edge when I approached him from behind. He was immediately startled but when he caught my eyes his demeanor melted to relief and joy. "It's you" he said. "I havent been able to sleep, or eat, or think without your image cross my mind. I am prince Shantanu soon I shall be King." I told him my name was Ganga and that my parents had named me after this river (all a lie of course). We spent hours in one another company. As the sun began to set Prince Shantanu looked at me and said "Ganga soon I shall be the most powerful King in the land and I am in need of a Queen whose might and beauty match that of my own, will you be my queen?" I said that I would love nothing more but I have one stipulation. "If we wed you shall never question any of my actions for I promise I know greater on the subject and I have thought it all through." He agreed
- Ganga
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April 11th, 5565BC

Dear Diary, 
Today I wed Prince Shantanu in a glorious wedding. Half of his kingdom was in attendance and the King his father blessed our union. His father smiled at me cunningly aware of my true identity and approached me in private thanking me for choosing his son. I said nothing and returned the smile.
- Ganga
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March 3rd, 5564BC

Dear Diary, 
Today I gave birth to nine children all boys. My husband recently made king was overjoyed gazing upon all his heirs. Following the birth, I asked King Shantanu to bring me and the children t the river and reminded him of his wedding vows to me. I began casting the babies into the river one by one to perish so they may be reborn in their true forms. My husband in utter shock said nothing. As I held the last two babies in my arms, one a vasus and one not, I smiled and threw the last vasus in. I decided at this moment as I looked at my disparaged husband to test him. I began to look as if I'd throw the last child in. He took the bait leaped up and cried out and begged me not to do it. I then explained to him my true identity and the story of the vasus'. He apologized but I told him there was no going back. I disappeared with the last child.
- Ganga
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March 3rd, 5548BC

Dear Diary,
Today I brought my son to meet his father for the first time. King Shantanu began to cry when he gazed upon our son. Devavrata, our son, embraced his crying father and I told him to look after his father and I left once more. I decided Shantanu would do best if I watched from afar unbeknownst to him. This is what I shall do for the rest of Devavrata's life. 

- Ganga

Shantanu meeting Devarata for the first time.

Authors Note:
I thought it would be interesting to do diary entries from the Goddess herself. So much of the story is told from Shantanu's perspective and very seldom do we get to read from the eyes of a god or goddess. I hope you enjoy my take. As always I like to make the story make more sense and not have any pieces that do not fit. So I changed the timing of the births to make them happen all at once and added a ninth child so that all 8 vasus' are reborn and the son is the ninth one born to Ganga ans Shantanu.