1. Who was Satyavatee; and Satyavatee and Paraashar and Shantanu
2. Satyavatee and Vyaas Jee

Satyavatee was the daughter of Uparicher Vasu and a fish. She was brought up by Daash people (who row boats) therefore she was called Daash Kanyaa. She was named Satyavatee. First she smelled like a fish but later with the Var of Maharshi Paraashar she used to smell sweetly. Her smell used to spread up to 10 Kos around.

Once Maharshi Paraashar was crossing Gangaa in Satyavatee's boat. Satyavatee did not recognize him, so Paraashar said - "I am Rishi Paraashar." Satyavatee said - "I am sorry, I could not recognize you." Paraashar said - "When a human being does not recognize himself, how he can recognize others. Well, you have not been born only to carry passenger across Yamunaa. You have a very great responsibility for Bhaarat's future. But first you will have to have a knowledgeable son, so I want to give you a son." Satyavatee got scared hearing this, she said - "Mahaaraaj, I am unmarried and so scared of the society." At this Paraashar created a dense smoke around them and gave her a son. He was named as Krishn Dwaipaayan Ved Vyaas. Krishn because he was black in complexion; Dwaipaayan because he was born on a Dweep (island); and Ved Vyaas was his name. He grew up soon and went for Tap.

There was a Raajaa Shantanu of Hastinaapur. Once he came towards Yamunaa on his preying spree, that he saw Satyavatee and got attracted to her. He proposed to her for his marriage. Satyavatee said - "Talk to my father, only he will tell you." Shantanu went to her house and talked to her father about this. Daash Raaj said - "This is very good proposal. In fact I was waiting for you." Shantanu got surprised to hear this, he asked - "How?" Daash Raaj said - "Mahaaraaj, Satyavatee's birth chart says that her child will rule the kingdom, so who can be a better king than you today? You are a king, you love her, you have a noble lineage, but there is a hurdle in it." "What?" Daash Raaj said - "Satyavatee's birth chart says that her children will rule the kingdom, but you have already declared Devavrat (Bheeshm) as the Crown Prince, then how that will be possible?"

Raajaa couldn't answer this question, because he could not do injustice with his eldest able son, so he came back. Now he didn't feel good, he used to be sad and eventually became sick. Devavrat noticed his father's sickness and asked him about it, but couldn't find satisfactory answer. He asked his ministers also and came to know about Satyavatee. Devavrat immediately went to Satyavatee's house and talked to Daash Raaj about the marriage of Satyavatee to her father. Daash Raaj said the same thing to Devavrat also. 

Devavrat didn't take a moment to think even and said - "This is not a big thing. In fact you asked wrong person to do it. He could not have made promise on my behalf. He has give the Hastinaapur throne to me, so I make this promise to you that I step down from my Crown Prince status and I vow that I will not claim the kingdom at any time from now." Daash Raaj said - "I trust you, but as your father had no right to make any promise on behalf of you, in the same way you also cannot make any promise on behalf of your children. What if your children claim it in future?" 

At this Devavrat said - "I block that path also. I take a vow that I will never marry and I will remain Brahmchaaree for my whole life so that I will never have any children and thus nobody will be able to claim kingdom from Satyavatee's children. I will live childless and I will die childless." Hearing this Bheeshm (difficult) vow Devtaa showered flowers from sky and said - "Only you can take such a Bheeshm vow. From today Trilok will know you  as Bheeshm." And after that nobody knows his real name, he is well known by the name Bheeshm.

Now Daash Raaj got ready to marry his daughter with Shantanu so Bheeshm brought Satyavatee along with him and Raajaa and Satyavatee got married. But Raajaa got very sad about this whole affair. Still pleased with his son, he gave a Var of Ichchhaa Mrityu to Bheeshm. In the course of time they had two sons - Chitraangad and Vichitraveerya. Raajaa died after a brief illness leaving children very young. Then Bheeshm took care of them.

As they grew up, they were educated, and Chitraangad sat on the throne. Unfortunately he was killed in a fight with a Gandharv of the same name as his (Chitraangad) on a trivial issue "why do you bear my name?" The fight lasted for three years. After the death of Chitraangad, Vicitraveerya got the throne. Bheeshm got Kaashee Raaj's two princesses, Ambikaa and Ambaalikaa, for him. Vichitraveerya got indulged in his wives. Unfortunately he caught tuberculosis and died early without having any child. So Hastinaapur throne was left without any heir.

Satyavatee requested Bheeshm to produce an heir from Chitraangad's childless widows, but Bheeshm clearly refused her request reminding her about his promise and vow to Daash Raaj. Satyavatee got very desperate to get an heir for Hastinaapur.