The Eight Vasus

Quick Facts

About The Eight Vasus

Eight celestial gods who stole the sacred cow of Sage Vashishtha. They were cursed to be born as humans, becoming the eight sons of Ganga and Shantanu.

In Their Words

Each one of us will offer one-eighth of our respective energies.

The Eight Vasus

Traits

• Divine
• Cursed
• Thieves

Stories Featuring The Eight Vasus

13 tales on this site name The Eight Vasus, in canonical reading order.

• Shantanu and the River GoddessThe Marriage That Began the Kuru DynastyAdi Parva ‧ 24 min
• The Lineages of Gods and DemonsVaishampayana recites the descent of every creature from Brahma and the daughters of DakshaAdi Parva ‧ 22 min
• The Curse of the Eight VasusHeaven's theft, earth's long sentenceAdi Parva
• Mahabhisha's GlanceOne unguarded look in Brahma's court sets a dynasty movingAdi Parva
• Tarkshya Asks SaraswatiWhat a gift is worth, and the one merit a man with nothing can still earnVana Parva ‧ 13 min
• The Grandsire Chooses His HourBhishma remembers Santanu's boon and refuses to die in the wrong seasonBhishma Parva ‧ 21 min
• Karna Takes the FieldThe vow that kept him out of ten days of war, and the grief that brought him into itDrona Parva ‧ 17 min
• The Day the Rod VanishedWhat happened to the world when Chastisement disappearedShanti Parva ‧ 20 min
• Krishna's Gift to the Dying GrandsireThe Boon That Took Away Pain, Hunger and Thirst So Bhishma Could SpeakShanti Parva ‧ 19 min
• The Signs of Approaching DeathYajnavalkya tells the king of Mithila which door the soul leaves by, and how a man learns that his year has begunShanti Parva ‧ 20 min
• The Savitri Mantra of SalutationsBhishma gives Yudhishthira the roll of names to be said at dawnAnushasana Parva ‧ 21 min
• Balarama Returns to the SeaThe Serpent Leaves by the Mouth It Came FromMausala Parva ‧ 16 min
• The Return of the PortionsWho everybody turned out to have beenSvargarohana Parva ‧ 17 min

Places in The Eight Vasus's Story

Drawn from the stories The Eight Vasus appears in.

• Hastinapurहस्तिनापुर
• Banks of the Gangaगङ्गा तट
• Hermitage of Vashishthaवशिष्ठ आश्रम
• Himavatहिमवत्
• Brahmalokaब्रह्मलोक
• Prabhasaप्रभास
• Kshira Sagaraक्षीरसागर
• Nagalokaनागलोक
• Dwarakaद्वारका
• Indraprasthaइंद्रप्रस्थ
• Takshashilaतक्षशिला
• Kurukshetraकुरुक्षेत्र

Related Characters

Others counted among the Divine Beings.

• ❉Krishna
• ◭Hanuman
• ❧Kacha
• ≈Goddess Ganga
• ॐSage Vyasa
• ✶Sage Durvasa