Parashar was a well-known and respected sage who had acquired many yogic powers through devotion.

Satyavati, the daughter of a fisherman, Dashraja, used to take people across the river Yamuna in her boat. One day she was taking Rishi Parashar in the boat. The sage smitten by her charm, expressed the desire to make love with her. He told her that she was designed to give birth to a great person from the liaison.

Satyavati placed three conditions before him -
1. No one should see what they were doing, so Parashar created an artificial mist around them;
2. Her virginity would remain intact - Parashar assured that after she gave birth, she would get her virginity back;
3. She wanted the fishy smell that came from her body to be replaced by intoxicating fragrance

- Parashar promised that a divine aroma would emanate out of her, which could be sensed from a distance of nine miles.
From this union She gave birth to Ved Vyas.