Bharath was son of king Dushmantya and legendary Shakuntala. Bharath conquered the land and became its emperor.

Several generations after Bharath, Hasti ascended to the throne. Hasti founded the capital city of Hastinapur. Four generations after Hasti, Kuru became the emperor.

Kuru was the mightiest of Bharath's clan. He mediated regularly on the banks of river Saraswati. His meditation site became known as Kurukshetra that would later be the battleground of the greatest war among his own clan.

Prateep became the emperor after seven generations from Kuru.

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King Mahavish belonged to Ekshaku clan. He earned the right to enter heaven being host to many ceremonies.

Once Mahavish was invited to a party in heaven by none other than Brahma – the chief architect of  the universe.

Beautiful Ganga –  the goddess of the greatest river – was also present in Bramha's party. A gust of wind suddenly blew away Ganga's robe (the first recorded incidence of wardrobe malfunction). The gods averted their gaze, but Mahavish could not take his eyes off resplendent beauty of disrobed Ganga.

Brahma, angry with Mahavish, cursed him: “You wretched man! Go away!! Go back to earth. You may return to heaven only after you lived a human life”. Mahavish chose to be born on earth as Shantanu, son of King Prateep who came to be the emperor after seven generations from Kuru.

Ganga was returning to earth after the fateful party, Mahavish's admiring eyes still lingering in her mind. On her way back, she noticed a group of gods huddled at the wayside. She was curious.

The gods said: "We, eight of us, are OctoBasus. Saint Vashishta had cursed us to human life. But we do not wish to enter a human womb. Will you please give birth to us?" Ganga agreed to OctoBasus' request. "Let us be born as sons of king Shantanu": OctoBasus suggested. And they wished for more: "We are not looking forward to live entire human life. Human life sucks. Can you please throw us in the river as soon as we are born?" Ganga agreed, conditionally: "I can do that. But what about the king, my husband? He would want at least one son from our union.  Won't he?". OctoBasus said: "Let each of us contribute one-eighth of our sperm for a son. He can live and will be strong, but ... he will be infertile".