Mahabharat: Bhishma Pitamah’s vow: Why did Devavrata leave the throne out of love for his father and took lifelong vow of celibacy?

Once King Shantanu went to the forest near Yamuna river. There he saw a goddess of a sailor. Her appearance was very beautiful and attractive. The king became fascinated as soon as he saw him and went to him and asked, “Who are you?” Whose daughter are you? Will you be my queen? That girl’s name was Satyavati.

King Shantanu approached Satyavati’s father and proposed marriage. The sailor respectfully said that he had no objection to the marriage, but he had one condition. Only the son born to Satyavati became the king of Hastinapur. Hearing this, King Shantanu fell into deep meditation out of love for his religion and son.