Matsyagandha

Matsyagandha was the daughter of a fisherman. She pleased the sage Parashara with her service, and he fathered a son - Veda Vyasa# with her. Since she was unmarried, Parashara carried his son away with him and promised that Vyasa would return to her when she needed him.

Matsyagandha literally means “she who smells like fish”. When she gained the favour of Parashara, he gave her to boon of fragrance. Post this, she was known as Yojanagandha (“she whose fragrance is spread as far as a yojana”) and also Gandhavati (“fragrant one”).

The Kuru king #Shantanu fell in love with her and married her. She had two children with Shantanu: Chitrangada and Vichitraveerya#. Both her sons died childless. After her marriage with Shantanu, she was known as Satyavati.