Haimavati, a synonym of Shatadru (present Sutlej), is one of the ten rivers referred in the Rig Veda. The story being the Puranic name ‘Shatadru’ is that of grief stricken Sage Vasistha, jumping into Haimavati River. The river, having realized that the sage is as powerful as fire, divided itself into many branches and flowed into many directions, and hence the name Shatadru.
In the Mahabharata (Anusasana Parva, 146.18), Goddess Parvati mentions Shatadru as one of the sublime rivers, while she was talking to Shiva.
In Hinduism, bountiful rivers are conceptualized as goddesses. Ancient Hindus realized rivers are indispensable for life on earth and worshipped them as Goddesses. As recorded truth, even from the Rig Vedic age, they were esteemed as deities, on account of the immense benefits they conferred on humanity. The mountains, rivers, trees and plants are invoked as so many high powers.