India is a highly spiritual land, which houses
several Rishis, mendicants and Godmen. Hindu mythology prominently
features Rishis, their wives and their families in several stories. In
fact, many of these Rishis actually played the role of catalysts, helping
Devas,
Asuras, divine beings and earthlings release their karma, thus bringing
good, joy and peace back into their lives.
Even today, we can find rishis meditating in the secret crevices of the
Himalayas and some hidden caves of the Gangotri and Yamunotri. These sages
have chosen to move away from the maddening crowd of civilization and
moved to those remote areas in order to attain ultimate peace, mukti and,
finally, moksha or liberation, during this lifetime.
In this month's article, we bring you a feature on some of the most
ancient Rishis of India. While most of them are males, there are a few
female yoginis and sages who are equally, if not more powerful. There are
several hundreds of rishis that we can talk about. In this two-part
series, we bring you the stories of some of the most important and most
ancient sages of this land.
Agastya
Agastya was a much-revered Vedic sage, who was famous for his reclusive
nature. He was a great scholar and was knowledgeable in multiple
languages. He and his wife, Lopamudra, are the celebrated authors of hymns
in the Rigveda and other Vedic literature. He is also venerated in
Puranic
literature of Shaktism and Vaishnavism.
Agastya prominently features in several ancient Hindu scriptures and
tales, such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata. He is one of
the Saptarishis, that is, the seven most revered sages in the Shaivite
tradition. He invented the early grammar of the Tamil language, Agattiyam
and also played a vital role in the development of Tampraparniyam medicine
and spirituality in Sri Lanka and South India.
Images of Rishi Agastya can be found even today in ancient sculptures and
reliefs of Hindu temples throughout India and South East Asia. He is
attributed to be the author of several Sanskrit texts such as the Agastya
Gita, Agastya Samhita and the Dvaidha-Nirnaya Tantra. Incidentally, he is
the principal figure and Guru in the ancient Javanese text, Agastyaparva.
He is additionally referred to as Mana, Kalasaja, Kumbhaja, Kumbhayoni and
Maitravaruni.
Birth and Life
The origins of Rishi Agastya are mythical. He has no human parent and his
birth is the result of a yagna, which was performed by Varuna, the Rain
God, and Mitra. The
Apsara
Urvashi appeared in the same yagna. When she emanated from the yagnakunda,
her extreme beauty and sexuality excited them and made them ejaculate.
Their semen fell into the mud pitcher, which became the womb in which the
fetus of Agastya developed and grew. He was finally born from this jar,
along with his twin sage Vasishtha. This type of birth gave him the name,
"Kumbhayoni".
Urvashi
Reprint of Ravi Varma Painting
Agastya led a deeply ascetic life and educated himself. Though not born of
Brahmin parents, he was always considered a Brahmin, due to his vast
knowledge. Some experts believe that Agastya may actually have been a
migrant Aryan, whose ideas influenced the South. Others think he was a
native non-Aryan Dravidian, who influenced the North.
Marriage
According to some legends, Agastya proposed to Lopamudra, a princess of
Vidarbha. Her parents were unwilling to bless the engagement, as they were
concerned about her future life with a mendicant. However, she accepted
him as her husband, saying that his ascetic life was her actual wealth.
Some other versions state that Lopamudra married him on the condition that
he would provide her with basic comforts. This forced him to return to
society and earn some wealth.
They had a son named Drdhasyu, also called Idhmavaha. The
Mahabharata
talks about him as the boy who learnt the Vedas by listening to his
parents while he was still in his mother's womb. He came into the world
reciting these hymns.
Agastya Ashrama
Agastya had a hermitage, but different stories give different locations.
Two legends state it was in Northwest Maharashtra, on the banks of River
Godavari, in the small towns of Agastyapuri and Akole. Others mention
locations such as Kannauj in Uttar Pradesh, Satpura Range in Madhya
Pradesh, Agastyamuni village near Rudraprayag and various places in South
India, such as Tirunelveli, Pothiyal Hills and Thanjavur.
In Literature
The Vedas
Agastya is mentioned in all the four Vedas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas,
Upanishads,
Puranas and the epics. He is the author of the Rigveda and ran a Vedic
Gurukul school as well. His hymns are known for their verbal play,
similes, puns and the imagery they induce within their spiritual message.
His poetry is notable for two main themes; the conflict between the Gods
and Maruts; and the discussions between him and his wife about the human
struggle between monastic solitude versus the pursuit of samsara or
material life.
Ramayana
In several chapters, the Ramayana describes him as residing on the banks
of River Godavari. He and Lopamudra are also said to live in the Dandaka
Forest, on the slopes of the Vindhya mountains.
Rama
praises the sage as the one who can achieve that which even Gods find
impossible. He is also described as the one who uses his Dharma powers to
kill the demons Vatapi and Ilwala.
The epic portrays him as short and of heavy build, having the weight of
Kailasa and Mount Meru and the power of Shiva. He warned Rama and Sita
about the evil Ravana and also gave the former a divine bow.
Mahabharata
This
epic
describes the sage as having great powers of ingestion and digestion. He
stops the Vindhya mountains from growing and lowers them to kill the
demons mentioned above. The Vana Parva narrates the story of marriage
between Lopamudra and Agastya, as also the war between Indra and Vritra.
When the latter hid beneath the sea, Agastya drank up all the water in the
ocean, thus revealing the Asura to the Gods.
Puranas
The Matsya Purana, the Padma Purana and several others list the sage as
one of the seven Saptarishis. The Puranas talk in detail about his life,
times and descendants. He is mentioned with great respect in all the major
Hindu traditions of Shaivism, Shaktism and Vaishnavism.
Tamil Texts
Rishi Agastya is considered as the father of the Tamil language and the
compiler of the first Tamil grammar text, called Agattiyam. He is a hero
in Tamil Nadu and features in numerous Tamil texts. While in North India,
he is respected for spreading Vedic tradition; in South India, he is
associated with promoting Tamil, and spreading irrigation and agriculture.
The Tirumantiram describes him as a sage who came from the North and
settled in the Southern Pothigain mountains, as Shiva himself had asked
him to do so. According to the Skanda Purana, the entire world congregated
at the Himalayas to witness the wedding between Shiva and Parvati. This
caused the earth to tip on one side. So, Agastya shifted to the South in
order to balance the weight of the earth.
Siddhar
He is considered to be the first Siddhar; the one to accomplish and
succeed. He is the first master, who perfected his knowledge of the
natural and spiritual worlds.
He is also regarded as the founder and patron
saint
of southern kalaripayat (the martial art of Kerala), silambam (a
weapon-based martial art) and varmam (an ancient science of healing
various diseases).
Buddhist Texts
Agastya appears as early as in the 1st millennium CE in Buddhist texts. He
is described as the sage who learnt Tamil and Sanskrit grammar and poetics
from Avalokitan or Avalokiteshwara. He also features in the Jataka Tales,
Jataka-Mala by Aryasura and appears as a carved relief in Borobudur, the
earliest medieval era Mahayana Buddhist temple.
Javanese and South Asian Literature
The sage was particularly popular in Java, Indonesia, till
Islam
spread there. He is also found in Cambodia, Vietnam and other regions.
Agastya Samhita
Also called the Sankara Samhita, this is a section embedded in the Skanda
Purana. It is a dialogue between Skanda and Agastya.
Temples
The Sri Agasthiyar Temple in Papanasam, Tirunelveli and the Sri Lobamudra
Samedha Agasthiyar Temple in Madurai are the most popular Agastya Temples
in Tamil Nadu. His shrine at the Pothigai Hill is mentioned in both Ilango
Adigal's Silappatikaram and Chithalai Chatanar's Manimekhalai epics.
The sage features prominently in statues and reliefs in many early
medieval temples of North India too. Some of them are the Dasavatara
temple in Deogarh, Uttar Pradesh, the Mallikarjuna Temple in Karnataka and
the Parvati Temple in Sandur.
Arundhati
Arundhati is the wife of Sage Vasishtha, again one of the Saptarishis.
Though a Rishi patni (wife of a Rishi), she is also given the status of a
sage and a yogini of high caliber. In fact, many consider her to be at par
with the Saptarishis themselves. She is identified with the morning star
and also with the star Alcor, which forms a double star with Mizar, which
is commonly identified as Rishi Vasishtha.
Vedic and Puranic literature extol her as the epitome of purity, chastity,
wifely devotion and conjugal bliss. Post-Puranic texts and poems in
Sanskrit and Hindi describe her as "chaste and revered", inspiring, worthy
of imitation and with a character that cannot be flawed. In
Hinduism,
one can find several ritual practices, especially during marriage
ceremonies, which are associated with Arundhati.
Birth and Life
Arundhati's birth and life story are mentioned in several Hindu
scriptures. The Shiva Purana and Bhagavata Purana mention about her birth.
The instructions given by Brahma to her is mentioned in the Uttara Kanda
of the Ramcharitmanas. The unending rivalry between the sages Vasishtha
and Vishwamitra, which ultimately led to the untimely death of her hundred
sons, is described in the Balakanda of Valmiki's Ramayana.
According to the Bhagavata Purana, Arundhati was the eighth among the nine
daughters of Kardama and Devahuti. She is described as the
great-grandmother of Vyasa. Besides, the Shiva Purana states that she was
Sandhya, the manasa-putri (mind-born daughter) of Lord
Brahma
himself. On the orders of Vasishtha, Sandhya pleased Shiva by undertaking
penance, in order to purify herself from passion. Shiva asked her to jump
into Medhatithi's fire. In that birth, she was born as Medhatithi's
daughter. She later married Vasishtha.
Brahma
Temple Mural Reprint
Some other Puranas describe her as the daugher of Kashyapa and sister of
Narada and Parvata. Here, she was offered in marriage to Vasishtha by
Narada Muni.
In the Scriptures
The Mahabharata and several Brahmanas talk about her sons, including
Shakti and grandson, Parashara. The Ramayana, Ramcharitmanas and Vinayaka
Patrika narrate the story of the times when she met with Sita and Rama.
Further, the sixth canto of the Kumarasambhava, penned by Mahakavi
Kalidasa, describes her role in convincing Shiva to marry Parvati. Such is
the greatness of this ascetic.
The Mahabharata describes Arundhati as a yogini who used to give lengthy
spiritual discourses to even the Saptarishis. Swaha, the wife of Agni,
would assume the form of the wives of the other six Rishis, but she could
never take Arundhati's form.
Legend has it that once, it did not rain at all for twelve long years. The
Saptarishis were suffering with no roots and fruits to eat. Being powerful
sages, that is all they would ever eat. Seeing their plight, Arundhati
decided to undertake severe penance in order to please
Shiva.
Her immense devotion, purity and piety please the Lord, who showered rain
and a rich growth of crop on the land, thus bringing an end to their
suffering.
According to the Valmiki Ramayana, she was cursed by Rishi Vishwamitra
that she would lose all her hundred sons. She then bore a son called
Shakti and later, one more named Suyagya. The latter studied with Rama at
Vasishtha's hermitage. Some other sources relate that she had eight sons,
including Shakti and Chitraketu.
In Marriage Rituals
In one of the Hindu marriage rituals, especially in South Indian
marriages, after performing the Saptapadi (taking the seven steps), the
groom shows the bride the double stars of Vasishtha and Arundhati. This
symbolizes the newly-wed couple looking up to the older pair as the most
ideal couple, symbolizing perfect marital harmony, fulfilment and loyalty.
Other References
- On the second bright day of the lunar month of Chaitra, woman in
certain regions of India observe a daylong fast, praying for the
longevity of their marital life.
- Since the Arundhati star is only faintly visible in the sky, it is
believed that someone nearing death will not be able to see it. Due to
its faintness, the Arundhati star used to be shown in steps, first
showing the brighter star, then coming to this relatively fainter
star.
- A maxim in Sanskrit, called the Arundhatidarsananyayah, is used in
the context of inferring the unknown from that which is known.
- The epic Hindi poem, Arundhati, composed by Jagadguru
Ramabhadracharya in 1994, describes in detail the life and times of
Arundhati.
Anasuya
Anasuya, also called Anusuya, literally means "the one free from envy and
jealousy". She was the wife of the ancient Rishi Atri. Yet another
influential figure in Indian
mythology
and philosophy, she attained the status of one of the most holy sages of
the land.
In the Ramayana, she is described as living with her husband in their
small hermitage in the southern periphery of the Chitrakuta Forest. Very
devout and pious, she practiced austerity and was always devoted and loyal
to her husband. Her purity allowed her to attain several supernatural
powers during her lifetime.
During their exile, Sita and Rama visited their ashram. Anasuya was the
perfect hostess to them; most attentive and affectionate towards them. She
gave
Sita an
ointment, which would maintain her beauty forever.
Born to Sage Kardama and his wife Devahuti, Anasuya was the mother of
Dattatreya, the saint-avatara of the Trimurti themselves, that is, the
reincarnation of the joint powers of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara
(Shiva). She also was the mother of Sage Durvasa (avatara of Shiva),
Chandraatri (avatara of Brahma) and Chandra Deva (the Moon God). Sage
Kapila was her brother and teacher as well.
Anasuya and Atri
The Bhagavata Purana mentions the story of Anasuya and Rishi Atri. Sage
Kardama married Devahuti, daughter of Swayambhu Manu. They had ten
children; one son by name Kapila (who was actually Lord Vishnu's avatara)
and nine daughters. Anasuya was one among the daughters. Each of the
daughters was married to a powerful Rishi and Anasuya was given away in
marriage to Rishi Atri.
The Trinity Tests Anasuya
Hearing Sage Narada praise Anasuya in his hymns and verses, the consorts
of the Divine Trinity, namely, Saraswati, Lakshmi and
Parvati,
wanted to learn the quality of pavitrata (purity) from her. They requested
their husbands for permission to visit Anasuya in human form.
Trimurti
- Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwar
Batik Painting
The Trinity went to her in the disguise of sages and requested her for
bhiksha (alms). Seeing them with the immense motherly love she had in her
heart instantly turned the Trinity into small children.
The day went by and the consorts of the Trinity waited for their husbands,
wondering what took them so long to return home. Finally, the Goddesses
travelled to Anasuya's cottage and discovered that their husbands had
transformed into children. The
Devis
then revealed their true form and requested Anasuya to bring their
consorts back to their original forms.
One version of this legend states that the Trinity merged into one, thus
becoming one child with three heads.
Anasuya and Atri's Offspring
A Brahmin named Kaushik from Pratishthan used to regularly visit a
prostitute. He continued with this in spite of being a Brahmin and also
having a devoted wife at home. With time, he was inflicted with leprosy,
after which the prostitute stopped visiting him. This forced him to return
to his wife, who still genuine loved him and cared for him. Though his
wife looked after his every need, Kaushik still longed for the affections
of the prostitute. One day, he asked his wife to take him to her.
In the meantime, a sage named Mandavya had been impaled by a criminal and
was lying on a spike in the forest. While passing through that forest with
his wife, Kaushik accidently tripped on the sage, who cursed him that he
would die before the next sunrise. Kaushik's wife, being a pure pativrata
(completely devoted and loyal to her husband), managed to stop the
sunrise, with the power of love.
This created havoc in the heavens. The Gods went to Brahma, asking for
help. Brahma, in turn, went to Anasuya, asking her to convince Kaushik's
wife to allow the sunrise to happen naturally. Anasuya did as she was
told. She not only brought back the sunrise, but also brought Kaushik back
to life. Pleased with Anasuya, Brahma was later born to her as
Chandraatri.
Later, Rahu once masked the
Sun,
thus cloaking the whole world in darkness. The powerful Sage Atri wrested
the Sun out of Rahu's hands, thereby restoring light to the world. Pleased
with this, Shiva and Vishnu were born to Atri and Anasuya as Durvasa and
Dattatreya respectively.
According to yet another legend, Rishi Atri performed severe penance on
Kula Mountain. So severe were his austerities, that it set the whole world
on fire. Brahma,
Vishnu
and Shiva were impressed with his devotion and spiritual powers and told
him to ask for a boon. Atri immediately asked that the Trinity should be
born to him as his children. In the Brahma Purana, Atri asked for three
sons and one daughter, Shubhatreyi.
Sati Anusuya Ashrama
The Sati Anusuya Ashrama is situated in Chitrakoot, Madhya Pradesh. It is
located further upstream Mandakini River, 16 kilometers from the main
town. Set amidst the thick forest area there, it is believed that Sage
Atri and Anusuya lived here, along with their three sons.
Valmiki's Ramayana narrates that, once, there was no rain in Chitrakuta
for ten years. Severe famine hit the area, leaving nothing to eat or drink
for the animals and birds that lived there. Sati Anusuya then performed
intensive austerities and finally got River Mandakini down to earth.
Immediately, there was lush greenery everywhere, thus removing the
suffering of the animals, birds and human beings residing there.
At present, Sati Anusuya Ashrama still continues to retain its extremely
peaceful and serene atmosphere, along with various streams from the hills
converging and forming the Mandakini River. It is believed that it was in
this very place that Anusuya explained to Sita the importance of Satitva
(unflagging devotion to one's husband).
The dense forests of Dandaka start from this point onwards. It is said
that this region was once ruled by Ravana, the demon-king of Lanka.
Ravana
had appointed powerful Rakshasas like Khara and Viradha to rule this
place. At that time, it was supposed to have been heavily infested by the
terror of those mighty Rakshasas. But now, it is far removed from all that
and only peace and serenity rule the locale.
In Culture
The tale of Anasuya has been recreated in several films, documentaries and
plays in different languages. Two Telugu films, both titled Sati Anasuya,
which were made in 1957 and 1971, went on to become very popular during
their time.
Atri
Atri or Attri is an ancient Vedic Rishi, who is associated with the
composition of numerous hymns to Agni,
Indra
and other Vedic deities. One of the Saptarishis of Hinduism, he is the one
most mentioned in the Rigveda. In his honour, the fifth Mandala (book) of
the Rigveda is called the Atri Mandala. The eighty-seven hymns in it are
all attributed to him and his descendants.
Rishi Atri also receives prominent mention in the Puranas, the Ramayana
and the Mahabharata.
Life
According to legend, Atri was married to the afore-mentioned Anasuya Devi,
who herself was a powerful yogini and is considered to be one of the seven
female pativratas. They had three sons, namely, Dattatreya, Durvasa and
Chandra. Atri is the last among the saptarishis and is believed to have
originated from the tongue.
Atri was once instructed by a divine voice to undertake penance. He
readily agreed and proceeded with his severe austerities. Pleased by his
devotion, the Divine Trinity appeared before him and granted him any boon
that he wished for. Atri immediately asked that all the three deities
should be born to him as his children.
Atri is not only mentioned in the Rigveda, but is also associated with
various epochs and ages, especially, with the Treta Yuga, during the
Ramayana. The Ramayana mentions instances where Atri and Anasuya host Rama
and Sita at their humble ashrama and also offer spiritual advice to them.
The couple is also attributed to bringing River
Ganga
down to earth. This is mentioned in the Shiva Purana.
Contribution to the Rigveda
Rishi Atri had several sons and disciples, who also contributed to the
compilation of the Rigveda and other ancient Vedic texts and scriptures.
Mandala 5 comprises 87 hymns in total, which are dedicated mainly to Agni
and Indra. However, they also offer obeisance to Visvedevas (all the
Gods), the Maruts, the twin deities of Mitra-Varuna and the Asvins. Two of
the hymns are dedicated to Ushas (the Dawn) and to Savitr.
Most of the hymns are attributed to the Atreyas, or the clan of Atri. It
is unclear when exactly these hymns were composed, but it is likely it
happened in the north-western region of India, somewhere between c.
1500-1200 BCE.
The Rigveda hymns composed by Atri and his disciples are known for their
melodic structure as well as for the spiritual ideas embedded in them, in
the form of riddles. The hymns include the use of literary beauties;
lexical, syntactic, morphological and verb play; thus, taking full
advantage of the utter beauty and flexibility of the Sanskrit language.
Complex in their structure, the verses are famous for their elegant
placing and presentation of natural phenomena via the medium of metaphors,
transference of speech and so on.
In the Ramayana
As mentioned earlier, the Ramayana talks about the times when Lord Rama
and his wife Sita visited Atri and Anasuya and spent time with them in
their hermitage. Atri's hut, located in the picturesque Chitrakoota, is
described as being the most serene location for an ashrama; situated near
a lake, and filled with divine music; the calm water of the lake filled
with green water leaves and flowers; visited by cranes, fisherbirds,
swans, geese, tortoises and so on.
In the Puranas
Various medieval Puranas mention a number of sages called Atri. The
legends associated with each one vastly differs from each other, thus,
causing inconsistencies and much diversity. Hence, it is unclear if these
legends and tales mention the same person, or to different people, who
either had the same name, or exhibited similar qualities of the original
Atri.
Cultural Influence
The Vaikhanasas are a sub-sect of the Vaishnavas, found in South India
near Tirupati. They credit their theology to four Rishis, namely, Atri,
Marichi, Bhrigu and Kashyapa. One of the most ancient and significant
texts in this tradition is the Atri Samhita, which still survives in
fragments of manuscripts.
The Atri Samhita aims to educate the Brahmins of the Vaikhanasas on the
rules of conduct of the tradition. Among other aspects such as spiritual
living, dharma and yoga, the text discusses matters including
self-restraint, charity and compassion.
To date, the Vaikhanasas continue to be an important community in South
India, strictly adhering to their culture, tradition and rituals.
Ashtavakra
Ashtavakra is yet another ancient and powerful Vedic sage. His name
literally means "eight bends", thus describing the eight physical
handicaps that he was born with. His maternal grandfather was the great
Rishi Aruni and both his parents had been Vedic students at Aruni's
school. Ashtavakra too studied in the school and then went on to become
one of the greatest Rishis of Hinduism.
Ashtavakra is the author of the text Ashtavakra Gita, also known as
Ashtavakra Samhita. This is a treatise on Brahman, Atman and Advaita
(monism).
Birth and Life
Very little is known about the life and times of Ashtavakra, except for
the records found in the Puranas and the epics, the Ramayana and the
Mahabharata. These legends narrate that sage Aruni, mentioned in the
Chandogya Upanishad, ran an ashrama, where he taught the Vedas.
One of his students was Kahoda. Aruni's daughter, Sujata, also learnt
there. Sujata went on to marry Kahoda. In due course of time, she got
pregnant. During her pregnancy, the foetus inside her heard the chanting
of the Vedas and learnt the correct recitation while still inside the
womb.
According to another legend, Ashtavakra's father was reciting the Vedas,
but happened to err in intonation in one particular place. The foetus
corrected his father. This enraged the latter, who cursed him to be born
crooked, with eight deformities in his body. Thus, he was born as
Ashtavakra.
Once, Ashtavakra's father, Kahoda, went to visit Janaka, the King of
Videha. They were very poor and Kahoda was hoping to earn some money from
the King. There, he participated in a scientific debate with Vandin.
Sadly, he lost the debate and was drowned in water. When Kahoda's wife
heard about her husband's drowning, she was inconsolable. She, however,
hid it from her child.
When Ashtavakra grew up, he came to know about his own father's curse and
how he was consequently born with eight deformities. He then asked his
mother to accompany him to witness the great King Janaka's yagna
(sacrificial fire ritual), which was to happen soon. When they reached
there, he was stopped from entering insides, as only learned Brahmanas
were allowed inside.
Ashtavakra was then only ten years old. However, he amazed everyone around
with his proficiency, knowledge and the words he used. He was then allowed
to enter and then challenged Vandin for debate. After a long session, he
finally defeated Vandin. The victorious boy asked the king to drown all
the Brahmanas present there, in order to avenge his father's death.
Vandin explained to him that he was actually one of the sons of Varuna
(the God of Rain) and that Kahoda's death was part of a sacrificial ritual
that he had had to undertake at that time. He returned Kahoda to
Ashtavakra and took permission from Janaka to return to the sea.
Kahoda, impressed with his son's capabilities, cured him of his
crookedness and deformities.
Ashtavakra Gita
Rishi Ashtavakra's text, Ashtavakra Gita, examines the metaphysical nature
of existence and the actual meaning of individual freedom. It states that
there is only One Supreme Reality or Brahman and that the entire creation
is oneness and the manifestation of this One Reality. The treatise also
says that everything and everyone is interconnected and that all are par
tof that one Self or Atman (Soul).
Some experts believe that the Ashtavakra Gita was most likely composed
after the Bhagavad Gita, but before the start of the common era.
In Scriptures
Ramayana
The Yuddha Kanda of the Valmiki Ramayana makes mention of Ashtavakra. King
Dasaratha came to visit Rama from heaven, after the war. He was proud of
his son's victory over Lankapati Ravana and praised Rama that he was as
great and virtuous like the Brahmin Kahoda. He also said that he was proud
that, like Kahoda, he too felt redeemed by his son's (Rama's) greatness.
In the Aranya Kanda of Adhyatma Ramayana, the demon Kabandha narrates his
life story to Rama and Lakshmana. In his previous birth, he was a
Gandharva, who was cursed by Ashtavakra, to be born as a demon. Seeing the
sage, he had laughed at his deformities, thus earning the curse. When the
Gandharva repented for his sin, Ashtavakra relented and told him that he
would be released from his curse by Rama, in the Treta Yuga.
Mahabharata
The Vana Parva of the Mahabharata describes the legend of Ashtavakra in
great detail. After losing everything in the ill-fated game of dice
against the Kauravas, the five Pandava Princes, along with Draupadi, went
on exile for twelve long years. While on their pilgrimage, they met Sage
Lomasa, who narrated to them the story of the great Sage Ashtavakra.
His legend is described over three chapters of the Vana Parva. Several
aspects of his philosophy and maxims are recited herein.
Puranas
Ashtavakra and Shvetaketu, another grandson of Sage Aruni, made their way
to King Janaka's palace. The former first faced the gatekeeper, who was
bent upon keeping the young boy out. After convincing him that he was
well-versed in the scriptures and philosophy, he was finally let in.
Janaka then tested Ashtavakra with complex questions, which the latter
answered effortlessly. He then made the boy face Vandin. Vandin and
Ashtavakra started the debate, with the former starting off. They
alternately composed six extempore verses on the numbers one to twleve.
After that, Vandin could compose only half a verse on the number thirteen.
Ashtavakra completed the verse by composing the second half, thereby
winning the debate.
This debate was full of cryptic connotations, hidden meanings and enigmas
and high philosophical principles, cleverly hidden within
ordinary-sounding verses, ranging from the numbers one to thirteen.
In the Arts
- Ashtavakra is one of the characters who features in the first act of
the Sanskrit play Uttara-Ramacharitam, composed by Bhavabhuti in the
8th century.
- The 571st volume of the famous Amar Chitra Katha comic book series,
published in 2005, is titled Dhruva and Ashtavakra. The second half of
this volume brings us the story of the great Rishi.
- A unique puppet play on Ashtavakra was staged by the Dhaatu Artist
Group at the Ranga Shankara theater in Bangalore in 2010.
Bharadwaj
Bharadwaj, also referred to as Bharadvaj and Brajaspatya, was one of the
greatest ancient Rishis of Hinduism. One of the Saptarishis, he was a
renowned scholar, economist and physician as well. His made immense
contributions to ancient Indian literature, mainly to the Puranas and the
Rig Veda. He also played a vital role in giving an insight into the Indian
society in existence back then.
Rishi Bharadwaj was the father of the great warrior and teacher of the
Mahabharata, Dronacharya, who was the instructor to both the Pandavas and
the Kauravas. He was also the grandfather of the immortal Ashwatthama,
also one of the greatest warriors of his time.
Bharadwaj also receives mention in the Charaka Samhita, an ancient Indian
medical text. He is generally considered to be the "Father of Ayurveda".
He and his students are associated with authoring the sixth book of the
Rig Veda.
Life
Rishi Bharadwaj's full name in Vedic texts is Bharadwaj Brahaspatya. The
last name refers to his father, Vedic sage Brihaspati. His mother was
Mamata, the wife of Utathya Rishi, who was the elder brother of
Brihaspati. In later Puranic legends, he is mentioned as the son of Rishi
Atri.
According to Charaka Samhita, the sage learnt medical sciences from Lord
Indra. He beseeched Indra, saying that poor health was destroying the
lives of several humans on earth and that he wanted to help heal them.
Indra then gave him the knowledge on medical sciences and treatment.
Interestingly, the word "Bharadwaj" is a combination of "bhara(d)" and
"vaja(m)", which together, in Sanskrit, mean "bringing and nourishment".
Rishi Bharadwaj is considered to be the initiator of the Bharadwaja Gotra
of the Brahmin community. This is the third in the row of the Pravara
Rishis (Angirasa, Barhaspatya, Bharadwaja) and is the first of the
Bharadwaja Gotris.
Texts and Treatises
Bharadwaj had 55 students and his entire family of disciples were the
traditional poets of King Marutta of the Vedic Era. Innumerable treatises
composed in the ancient and medieval era are reverentially named after the
great sage. Some of them include the following:
- Dhanur-Veda is an Upaveda treatise on archery. This is credited to
Rishi Bharadwaj
- Bharadwaj Samhita, a Pancharatra text
- Bharadvaj Srautasutra or Grhyasutra, a text that talks about rituals
and rites of passage from the 1st millennium BCE
- Bharadwaj's theories on medicine and causal phenomena is described
in Charaka Samhita. He is credited with several practical ideal and
theories in the traditional Indian Ayurvedic system.
- Neeti Shastra, a treatise on ethics and practical conduct
- Bharadvaja-Siksha, an ancient Sanskrit text on phonetics
Legends
According to a legend, Rishi Bharadwaj was married to Susheela and had a
son named Garga and a daughter named Devavarshini. Another legend states
that he had two daughters, Ilavida and Katyayani. They married Vishrava
and Yajnavalkya respectively.
The Vishnu Purana narrates that he had a brief relationship with an apsara
named Ghritachi. Together, they had a child who grew up to become the
great Dronacharya. Bharadwaj is therefore closely linked with two very
important characters of the Mahabharata, namely, Dronacharya and
Ashwatthama. The Mahabharata says that Bharadwaj trained Drona in the use
of weapons.
In the Ramayana
According to the Ramayana, Rama, Sita and Lakshmana met Bharadwaj in his
ashrama at the very start of their fourteen-year exile period. The Rishi
asked them to stay with him, but they were insistent on traveling deep
into the forest, to Chitrakoota, which was three kosla away from the
ashrama.
The Rishi gave them the exact directions to reach Chitrakoota. Later,
Rama's younger brother, Bharata, along with Sumantha, was also received at
the sage ashrama. After a brief stay, Bharata went into the forest in
search of his brothers and sister-in-law.
The Rishi reappears several more times in the epic. Incidentally, the
Bharadwaj mentioned in the Ramayana is different from the Vedic sage
mentioned in Panini's Ashtadhyayi.
In Buddhism
In Buddhist Pali canonical texts such as Digha Nikaya, Tevija Sutta talks
about a discussion between Buddha and the Vedic scholars who were his
contemporaries. Buddha named ten Rishis, calling them "early sages" and
the creators of verses that had been collected and chanted in his era. One
of the them included Rishi Bharadwaj.
These ten sages the Buddha talked about are Atthaka (may have been Atri or
Ashtavakra), Vamaka, Vamadeva, Vessamitta (Vishwamitra), Yamataggi,
Angirasa, Bharadvaja, Vasettha (Vasishtha), Kassapa (Kashyapa) and Bhagu
(Bhrigu).
Bhrigu
Maharshi Bhrigu was one of the Saptarishis and one of the several
Prajapatis created by Lord Brahma as well, for the facilitation and
maintenance of creation. According to Manusmriti, Bhrigu was a
contemporary of Manu, the Hindu progenitor of humanity. He lived during
the same time as Manu did.
The very first compiler of predictive astrology, also the author of Bhrigu
Samhita, Rishi Bhrigu is considered to be a manasa-putra (mind-born son)
of Brahma. The name Bhargava is used to refer to the descendants of the
clan of Bhrigu.
The sage's ashrama was situated on the banks of Vadhusar River, a
tributary of Drishadwati River, close to Dhosi Hill in the ancient Vedic
state of Brahmavarta. As of the present, this is located on the border of
Haryana and Rajasthan. Like Manu, Bhrigu too made great contributions to
the Manusmriti, which mainly comprised the contents of sermons to saints
in the state of Brahmavarta, after the great floods in the region, almost
10,000 years ago.
Family
Bhrigu was married to Khyati, one of the several daughters of King Daksha.
He had two sons named Dhata and Vidhata and one daughter, Lakshmi. Lakshmi
married Vishnu (Lord Narayana himself).
He had another son with Kavyamata (Usana). He is better known than Bhrigu
himself. This son is none other than Shukracharya, the great Sage and the
Guru of the Asuras (demons). Sage Bhrigu is said to have two more sons -
Sage Chyavana, with Puloma and the folk hero, Mrikanda as well. The Skanda
Purana narrates that Rishi Bhrigu migrated to Bhrigukutch, modern Bharuch,
situated along the banks of Narmada River in Gujarat, leaving behind
Chyavana at Dhosi Hill.
One of Rishi Bhrigu's descendants was sage Jamadagni, who in turn was the
father of Parashurama, who is also one of the avatars of Lord Sri Maha
Vishnu himself. Such is the illustrious lineage of the great Maharishi
Bhrigu.
Legend
There is an interesting legend about Sage Bhrigu testing the Divine
Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. One day, several great sages gathered
at the banks of River Sarasvati to participate in a Maha Yagya. Bhrigu was
present as well and, at the time, was filled with ahamkara (arrogance and
ego), due to his immense knowledge and powers.
The Trinity then had to decide who among them was the most eminent among
them, so that they could be the Master of the Yagna. The sages discussed
amongst each other, but no one could decide who among the deities was the
most suitable candidate.
Finally, it was decided that Bhrigu would test the three Devas and then
make a decision as to who was the pre-eminent one. Being ignored by Brahma
and Shiva, Bhrigu visited Vishnu in his abode, Vaikuntha. Vishnu and his
consort, Lakshmi, were in conversation with each other. When the former
missed noticing him, Bhrigu felt most insulted and kicked Vishnu in the
chest, in order to seek his attention.
Lakshmi
and Vishnu
Brass Statue
Vishnu calmly looked up at Bhrigu and smilingly welcomed him. The latter,
who realized his great folly, was instantly humbled. He deeply repented
his arrogant behaviour and promised the Lord to give up his egoistical
ways for all time. Vishnu too graciously forgave the Sage and blessed him.
Khedbrahma in Gujarat is associated with Brahma and this legend of Bhrigu
testing the Trinity.
Bhrigu Samhita
After the incident of testing the Trinity, Bhrigu decided to pen his
famous book on astrology, the Bhrigu Samhita. He collected birth charts
and wrote down full-life predictions; finally compiling them together as
Bhrigu Samhita. This is said to be one of the first books of its kind in
the field of astrology.
In Scriptures
Maharishi Bhrigu receives prominent mention in several ancient scripture.
Shiva Purana and Vayu Purana describe him as being present during the
great yagna conducted by Daksha Prajapati, his father-in-law.
This was the ill-fated yagna, where Sati, Daksha's daughter and Shiva's
wife, immolated herself. Daksha had never liked Shiva and, when Sati (an
aspect of Parvati) married him without his consent, he was upset beyond
words. Hence, he decided not to invite Sati and Shiva for his yagna. In
spite of Shiva telling her not to go to the event, Sati for the yagna.
When she reached the venue, Daksha insulted her for coming there without
invitation. He also hurled abuses at Shiva for being unkempt and not civil
and dignified enough for his family. Unable to bear the humiliation, Sati
jumped into the yagnakunda (sacrificial fire) and gave up her life.
When Shiva came to know of the happenings there, he was furious, arrived
at the yagnasthala (venue), destroyed everything in great rage and
finally, picked up Sati's lifeless body and left from there.
The afore-mentioned Puranas talk about how Maharishi Bhrigu continued to
offer support to Daksha's yagna, in spite of being warned that, conducting
the event without inviting Shiva would mean inviting trouble; potentially
causing major catastrophe for everyone present there.
In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Sri Krishna says that, among sages, Bhrigu is
representative of the grandeur of God.
Places Associated with Bhrigu
Maharishi Bhrigu's ashrama, called "Deepotsaka", was situated at the base
of Dhosi Hill. It was from here that he migrated to Bharuch. His son
Chyavana, known for Chyavanprash; a traditional Indian Ayurdevic jam-like
preparation, meant to promote general health, vitality and immunity. He
too had his ashrama at Dhosi Hill.
Besides Dhosi Hill, Bhrigu is also worshipped at Bharuch, Swamimalai,
Tirumala, Ballia, Nanguneri, Mannargudi and Thiruneermalai. There is an
ashrama for him in Maruderi, in the Kanchipuram District of Tamil Nadu.
Maharishi Bhrigu lastly migrated to Bhuinj, Satara, in the State of
Maharashtra, where he took Samadhi. His ashrama, as well his daughter
Lakshmi's temple, is also situated there. His son Chyavana's ashrama and
samadhisthala are also located on Chyavaneshwar Hill in Bhuinj.
Dadhichi
Dadhichi, also known as Dadhyanga or Dadhyancha, is an ancient and very
powerful Rishi, mostly known for sacrificing his own life, so that the
Devas could make a weapon called "vajra" (thunderbolt) from his bones. The
Devas urgently needed a potent weapon that could help them in their fight
against the Asuras. By crafting the vajrayudha from Dadhichi's bones, they
could easily overcome the demon Vritra and win their fight, thereby
reclaiming Devaloka or heaven.
Rishi Dadhichi receives prominent mention in the Rigveda, Bhagavata
Purana, Srimad Devi Bhagavatam and the in the Puranas as well. He is
believed to have penned the "Narayana Kavacham", a famous hymn in South
India.
Etymology
Dadhyancha or Dadhyanga is a conjunction of two Sanskrit words, "Dadhya"
(curd) and "anch" (body part). Thus, this means "body parts taking
strength from curd".
After defeating Vritra, the personification of drought, the Devas could
also release water to earthlings, who were suffering for long. Through his
immense sacrifice, Rishi Dadhichi became one of the most revered sages of
Hinduism.
Dadhichi was a great devotee of Lord Shiva. After Shiva was separated from
Sati, he went to a forest to meditate in seclusion. The annual festival of
Mahashivaratri marks the first time he reappeared to his devotees,
including Rishi Dadhichi, who, along with his disciples, was offering
prayers to their Lord.
Family
In the Bhagavad Purana, Dadhichi was born to Sage Atharvana and his wife,
Chitti. Atharvana is believed to be the author of the Atharva Veda, the
fourth Veda. Chitti was the daughter of Sage Kardam. The Dadheech
Brahmins, a sect of Brahmins found in Rajasthan, are the descendants of
Sage Dadhichi.
Dadhichi married Swarcha and they had a son named Pippalada. The son
himself became a Rishi and was later associated with the Pippalada school
of Hinduism. He is also known for creating the Prasna Upanishad.
Dadhichi had established an ashrama in Misridh, in Naimisharanya, near
Lucknow. All the Puranas talk about Naimisharanya as his ashrama, which is
still in existence. In fact, the location of the Sabarmati Ashrama in
Ahmedabad is also one of his ancient ashrama sites. It is largely believed
that the Rishi stayed near Sabarmati River for some time and then set up
his ashrama there.
There is also a legend about Dahod, which states that he once meditated at
the banks of Dudhimati River in Dahod. Interstingly, Dhudhimati is the
name of his sister, on whose name a 4th century temple exists in Naguar,
Rajasthan. This temple is known as the Dadhimati Mata Temple.
Legends
Dadhichi is associated with several legends. Here are some of the most
popular ones:
Ashwashira - One with the Horse's Head
Dadhichi was said to be a master of Brahmavidya or Madhu Vidya, an ancient
Vedic spiritual art. This enabled him to attain immortality. Indra,
fearing that this could make his position unstable, disliked the Rishi and
wanted to destroy him and his powers.
Indra also disliked the Ashwini twins (Gods of Medicines) and did not like
the fact that they wanted to learn Brahmavidya. He swore that he would
behead the one who taught it to them. However, the Ashwini twins were bent
upon learning the art from Dadhichi and made a plan to protect the Rishi
from Indra.
They first learnt the art from the sage and then beheaded him. After that,
they preserved the head and replaced the original head with that of a
horse. Indra came there and beheaded the horse-headed sage and left in a
huff. The Ashwini twins then reattached Dadhichi's original head to his
body and brought him back to life, with the same Mahavidya that he had
taught them.
In this way, the sage also came to be known as Ashwashira or the One with
the Horse's Head. Sometimes, he is even portrayed this way.
Defeating Kshuva and Indra
Once, Dadhichi met a king called Kshuva. The latter was a staunch devotee
of Vishnu. The two got into a debate on superiority of Kings over Brahmins
and vice-versa. As the argument heated up, Dadhichi punched the king and
the latter attacked him with a thunderbolt. The injured sage was treated
by Shukracharya.
Dadhichi then did severe penance to appease Lord Shiva, who granted him
three boons; he could never be humiliated, he could never be killed and
his bones would become as hard as a diamond.
Dadhichi returned to Kshuva and, this time, defeated him. When Kshuva went
to Vishnu asking for help, the latter tried to trick the Rishi. Dadhichi
discovered this ploy and attacked with the Trishula. Seeing this, all the
Devas fled the scene, except for Vishnu, who stayed put, knowing that
Shiva's weapon would never cause him any harm.
In spite of this temporary hostility, Dadhichi never showed disrespect for
the Devas or for Vishnu. When he was told by the Devas that Vishnu wanted
him to donate his bones to kill Vritra, he immediately consented to the
same.
Indra and Vritra - the Legend of the Vajrayudha
Indra, the King of the Devas, was once driven out of Devaloka by an evil
asura named Vritra. This asura had a boon, which made him invulnerable to
any known weapon. Drunk in his power and might, he also stole all the
water in the world and kept it for his own use and for that of his demon
kin. This led to all the earthlings suffering for lack of water and food.
Indra, who had lost all hope of retrieving his kingdom and his power,
sought the help of Vishnu. The latter told Indra that only weapons made
from thunder-containing the diamond bones of Sage Dadhichi could kill the
asura.
Indra and the other Devas then approached the Rishi, who had once been
beheaded by Indra himself. The sage received them respectfully and
immediately acceded to the Devas' request. He, however, said that he
wished to go on a pilgrimage to all the holy rivers before he gave up his
life.
Knowing that they did not have much that much time, Indra brought the
water of all the holy rivers together at Naimisharanya, thereby fulfilling
the Rishi's wishes in an instant. The sage then went into samadhi,
releasing the life force from his body. The Celestial Cow, Kamadhenu,
licked his body till she could remove the flesh from his bones. The Devas
then gathered all the bones and fashioned various weapons from them. They
made the Vajrayudha (thunderbolt weapon) from his spine, which was used to
kill Vritra.
After Vritra's fall, Indra reclaimed his rule of Devaloka and also
released all the trapped water to the earthlings, thereby ending their
long period of suffering.
There's another version of this legend. Once, Dadhichi was asked to
safeguard the weapons of the Devas, as they were unable to prevent the
asuras from taking them. The rishi agreed to their bidding and kept them
safe in his custody. Finally, tiring of the job, he dissolved them in
sacred water, which he drank.
The Devas returned and asked for the weapons, so that they may defeat
Vritra and his army with them. A dismayed Dadhichi told them what he had
done and said they could no longer be retrieved, because he had consumed
them in the form of water. The only way now to get the weapons back would
be to use his bones and make weapons out of them instead.
Dadhichi readily agreed and sacrificed his life for the cause of higher
good. The Devas then made the Vajrayudha from his spine, which was used to
slay Vritra.
Other Legends
- There are various other legends about Rishi Dadhichi. He was
supposedly the first one to leave Daksha's Yagna when he realized that
Shiva had not been invited due to spite.
- The mantra incantation to Devi Hinglaj is attributed to the sage. In
order to save some Kshatriya children from being killed by
Parashurama, Dadhichi hid them inside the shrine of Hinglaj and
created the mantra to protect them from Parashurama's wrath.
Current Influence
Dadhichi's life story is symbolic of the fact that no sacrifice is too
great if it will help the innocent from unending suffering. This has
inspired the Param Vir Chakra, which is India's highest military award for
gallantry. This is most often awarded posthumously to soldiers who
exhibited great selflessness and exceptional courage in battle.
Durvasa
In the Puranas, Durvasa, also known as Durvasas, was an ancient Rishi -
the son of Atri and Anasuya. Known for his extremely short temper and
tendency to curse, he was always received with great reverence by humans,
devas and asuras alike.
Interestingly, Durvasa has one temple dedicated to him - the Rishi
Durvasa Temple in Haryana.
Birth
The Brahmanda Purana states that Brahma and Shiva once got into an
argument. So violent was Shiva's rage, that, as a result, the devas fled
from him in fear. His consort, Parvati, complained that now it was
becoming impossible to get along with him. Realizing how much disharmony
his anger was causing, Shiva decided to deposit it into Anasuya. A child
was born from this anger. This child was none other than Durvasa.
Samudra Manthan
According to the Vishnu Purana, Vayu Purana and Padma Purana, a curse that
Durvasa laid on Indra was the indirect reason for the Samudra Manthan
(Churning of the Ocean) episode. The Srimad Bhagavatam and Agni Purana
also mention his involvement in it.
In the Vishnu Purana, Durvasa was once wandering the earth in a state of
ecstacy, due to a vow he was observing. At that time, a Vidyadhari (nymph)
passed by. He demanded her to give him the heavenly wreath of flowers she
was wearing. She immediately gave it to him. He took it and wore it on his
brow.
Then, resuming his journey, he came upon Indra riding his elephant,
Airavata. He threw the garland at Indra, who caught it and placed it
around Airavata's head. Irritated by the fragrance, the elephant threw it
to the ground with its trunk. Enraged to see his gift treated so badly,
Durvasa cursed Indra that he would be cast down from his position as the
ruler of the three worlds. Indra begged him for forgiveness, but the rishi
refused to retract his curse.
Indra and the Devas were immediately stripped of their powers, lustre and
strength. Seizing this opportunity, the asuras, led by Bali, waged war
against the Devas. The latter were routed and ran to Brahma for help.
Brahma advised them to seek refuge in Vishnu.
Vishnu, in turn, advised them to call a truce with the asuras and work
together to churn the mighty Ocean of Milk, so that the Amrita (divine
nectar) could be obtained from it. Seeing the Amrita come out from the
Ocean, the Asuras took it for themselves. Vishnu then took the Mohini
avatara and, on the pretext of helping serve them the nectar, took it away
and fed it to the Devas. The Devas immediately got back their strength and
power and defeated the asuras.
Meeting Ambarisha
According to the Bhagavata Purana, King Ambarisha was a great devotee of
Vishnu. He performed a yagna with such great fervour that the Lord was
pleased and blessed him with the Sudarshana Chakra, which would act as his
shield of protection.
Ambarisha then took the Ekadashi and Dvadashi Vrata for a year. After that
time period, he took up a final fast of 3 days and nights to conclude the
ritual. As the moment for breaking his fast neared, Durvasa arrived there.
Ambarisha received him respectfully. Durvasa asked him to wait until he
finished his holy bath in River Yamuna.
Though the time to break the fast had approached, the King could not break
his fast, as Durvasa had not yet returned from his bath. Ambarisha did not
know what to do. It was imperative that he break the fast to fulfill his
vow, but it would be impolite to eat before serving his guest. Finally, he
decided to break his fast by taking a sip of water and waited for
Durvasa's arrival.
Feeling that Ambarisha had insulted him by consuming the water, Durvasa
created a demon, from a strand of his own hair, to kill him. Immediately,
Narayana's Sudarshana Chakra came to the rescue and killed the demon.
After that, it started chasing Durvasa, who ran to Brahma and Shiva for
help.
Both the Gods expressed their inability to save him from Vishnu's wrath
and asked the Rishi to approach him instead. Durvasa then ran to Vishnu
and pleaded for pardon. The latter also refused to help, saying that he
was powerless against Ambarisha's purity and devotion and suggested the
sage to beg forgivenss of the King himself.
Durvasa returned to Ambarisha, who prayed to Vishnu to recall the
Sudarshana Chakra and save the sage, thus humbling the latter.
Durvasa and Shakuntala
In the Abhijnanashakuntalam, penned by Mahakavi Kalidasa, Shakuntala, the
main female lead, was once daydreaming about her lover, King Dushyanta.
She was so lost in thought that she missed seeing Durvasa arrive there.
Enraged, he cursed her that her lover would forget her. Horrified, she
tried to mollify the Rishi, who softened the curse, saying that Dushyanta
would remember her when he saw the ring he had gifted her.
Shakuntala
Pines for King Dushyanta
Poster
Sure enough, Dushyanta forgot all about her and remembered everything only
when he saw the ring, much later after she had lost it. Finally, the two
lovers reconciled and lived together happily ever after, along with their
son, Bharata.
In the Ramayana
In the Uttara Kanda of Valmiki's
Ramayana,
Durvasa once came to Rama's doorstep. Seeing Lakshmana guarding the door,
he demanded to meet him. At that time, Rama was in a private conversation
with Yama, disguised as a mendicant. Rama had told Lakshmana that this was
confidential and that no one was to be allowed inside his quarters while
the discussion was on. Yama said that anyone who tried to trespass would
have to be executed.
So Lakshmana politely asked the sage to wait till Rama finished his
meeting. The angry sage threatened to curse all of Ayodhya if he was not
let in immediately. A frightened Lakshmana decided to interrupt the
meeting and inform his brother about the sage's arrival. Rama quickly
concluded his meeting and received the sage with due respect. Durvasa
asked Rama to be fed and the latter immediately called for food. After
that, the satisfied sage went on his way.
Now, Rama was filled with sorrow, as he had to execute Lakshmana for
having interrupted the meeting. He had promised that to Yama and could not
go back on his word. On Vasishtha's advice, he then asked Lakshmana to
leave him for good, as this would be equivalent to death, as far as he was
concerned. So the younger brother went to the banks of River Sarayu and
resolved to give up his life by drowning there.
In the Mahabharata
Blessing Kunti
Durvasa was also known for granting boons to those who pleased him. This
is evident in an episode with Kunti, the wife of Pandu and the mother of
the Pandava Princes. When Kunti was a young girl, she lived with her
adopted father, Kuntibhoja. When he visited them one day, the King asked
his young daughter to take care of the sage.
Kunti patiently served him, putting up with all his demands during the
sage's stay with them. Durvasa was very pleased with her devotion and
service towards him. He rewarded her by teaching her the Atharva Veda
mantras, which enables a woman to invoke any Deva of her choice and beget
a child from him. After that, he left the place.
Curious to see if the boon worked, Kunti called upon Surya Deva, the Sun
God, and immediately bore her first son, Karna. Fearing the fate of an
unwed mother, she place him in a basket and let it float down a river.
Karna was eventually found by charioteer Adhiratha, who raised him as his
own. He went on to become one of the greatest warriors and a sworn enemy
of the Pandavas.
Veer
Karna - The Valiant Son of Kunti
Book
Durvasa and Draupadi
Once, while bathing in the river, Durvasa's clothes got carried away by
the currents. Seeing this, Draupadi, the Pandavas' wife, gave him her own
clothes. Durvasa blessed her by saying that she would never lack clothes
at any time she really was in need of them.
This blessing worked like a miracle, during the Draupadi vastraharana
episode. After letting the Pandavas lose everything in the game of dice,
the Kauravas asked Draupadi to be brought in to the Sabha, in order to
strip her of her clothing and dignity. However, try as they might, they
were unable to do so, as Lord Krishna's grace kept draping reams and reams
of clothing around her, even as Dusshasana continued to pull out yard
after yard of clothing from her body.
In another episode, during the Pandavas' exile, Duryodhana, the eldest
Kaurava prince, managed to please Durvasa. So the latter offered him any
boon he wished. Duryodhana, wanting the sage to curse the Pandavas, asked
him to visit them in the forest. Durvasa and his disciples went to the
Pandavas' hermitage in the forest, demanding lunch. The Pandavas had just
finished their meal and there was no food left. The Pandavas were anxious
that they would enrage the sage, thus earning his curse.
While the entourage went for their bath, Draupadi prayed to
Krishna
for help. Krishna immediately appeared before her, asking for food. She
said she had no food left, but found a lone grain of rice and a small
piece of vegetable stuck to the akshayapatra. He partook of that and
announced that he was satisfied with the meal. This satiated the sage's
hunger too, as that of his disciples' as well. Krishna was the Supreme
Being and satisfying his hunger would satisfy the whole world. Durvasa and
his pupils silently left after their bath and did not trouble the Pandavas
again.
Narayana as Swaminarayana
According to the Swaminarayana sect, Narayana was reborn as Saint
Swaminarayana because of Durvasa's curse. After Krishna's passing, Uddhava
went to Badrinath, the abode of Nara-Narayana. He kept listening to the
latter's discourses there. Once, in the middle of a discourse, Durvasa
arrived there from Kailasa. But no one noticed him, as they were engrossed
in the discourse.
The sage waited for about half an hour, yet no one welcomed him. He felt
insulted and cursed the entire assembly, that all of them would be born as
humans and suffer insults in the same way. Nara-Narayana's parents, Lord
Dharma and Goddess Bhakti tried to pacify Durvasa, who then softened his
curse, saying that Narayana would be reborn as Dharma and Bhakti's son and
would free them all from the clutches of evil.
The couple eventually had a son named Ghanshyam, who went on to be known
as Swaminarayana. This story is mentioned only in the Swaminarayana
legends and does not feature anywhere else in traditional Hindu legends.
Swaminarayan
Picture on Wooden Key Hanger with 4 Hooks
Wall Hanging
Gautama
One of the Saptarishis, Gautama Maharishi was an ancient Rigvedic sage,
who also finds mention in Buddhism and Jainism. The Rig Veda mentions the
Maharishi in several of its suktas or hymns. He is also credited with
discovering the mantras (mantra-drashtaa) and also authoring many hymns in
Mandala. There is a hymn called Bhadra in the Sama Veda, which is also
ascribed to Gautama. The Brahmanda Purana states that one of the
sub-branches of the Raanaayani branch of Sama Veda was initiated by the
Maharishi.
Family
Gautama was the son of Rahugana, belonging to the lineage of Angirasa. He
was married to Ahalya or Ahilya, the manasa-putri (mind-born daughter) of
Lord Brahma himself. The Puranas relate the story of how Gautama won her
hand by circumambulating Kamadhenu (the divine cow), in order to filfill
the stipulation of Brahma, that whoever would go around the whole of the
earth first, would be the one to marry Ahalya. The chief priest of King
Janaka of Mithila, named Shatananda, was the son of Gautama and Ahalya.
Kamadhenu
Brass Statue
The sage was the progenitor of the paternal Gautama gotra lineage as well.
Gautama and Bharadvaja share a common ancestry, as they both descended
from Angirasa. Hence, they are sometimes clubbed together under the name
Angirasa.
Some of Gautama's famous disciples include Praachina-yoga, Shaandilya,
Gargya and Bharadvaja.
Gautama and Ahalya
According to the Ramayana, Maharishi Gautama once went to take bath in
River Ganga, early in the morning. In the meantime, Indra, the King of the
Devas, had been eyeing Ahalya for quite a while now. She was one of the
most beautiful women ever. He was fascinated with her beauty and wanted
her for himself.
While Gautama left for his bath, Indra took the form of the sage and made
love to Ahalya. As he was escaping after committing the cowardly act, he
was caught by Gautama, who was returning to the ashrama after his bath.
Seeing what had happened, the enraged Rishi cursed both Indra and Ahalya.
He told Ahalya that, if she had truly had been a pativrata, she would have
immediately known that the person who had made love to her was an impostor
and not her husband.
He cursed Indra a thousand rebirths (Sahasrayoni) and Ahalya to be
converted into stone and stay that way forever. Later, taking pity on
their plight, the Rishi converted both these curses into boons. Indra's
various cycles of births were reduced to one and he came to be known as
Sahasraaksha (the One with Thousand Eyes). As for Ahalya, Gautama assured
her that she would be brought back to her original human form the moment
Lord Rama placed his feet on her.
During the Treta Yuga, Lord Sri Rama visited the ashrama. His foot touched
the stone and Ahalya was immediately released from the curse. She reunited
with Gautama and they live happily forever after.
In the Scriptures
According to the Devi Bhagavatam, River Godavari was so named because of
its association with Maharishi Gautama. The sage had two sons, Vamadeva
and Nodhas, both of who discovered the mantras.
One of the Dharmasutras is referred to as Gautama Dharmasutra. However,
this has not been written by the Maharishi. Aksapada Gotama is the 6th
century BCE founder of the Nyaya school of Hindu philosophy.
Gautama's sixty-year long penance is mentioned in the Shanti Parva of the
Mahabharata. The Narada Purana relates the story of a 12-year famine
affecting the area, during which Gautama fed all the Rishis in the region
and saved them from suffering.
Author of the Earliest Dharma-Sutra
Maharishi Gautama was the author of the Dharma-Sutra, known as Gautama
Dharma Sutra. It is considered to be the earliest Dharmasutra, containing
28 chapters with 1000 aphorisms.
Almost all aspects of observances of the Hindu dharma, including the four
ashramas; the forty sanskaras; the four varnas; royal duties of rulers;
punishments to be meted out for various offences and crimes; rituals to be
carried out during and after funerals; do's and don'ts of food
consumption; dharmas to be carried out by women; the rules of
praayaschitta or penitence and atonement of sins; rules of succession of
property and so on; are discussed in this Dharmasutra.
In this sense, Gautama's Dharma Shastra may be considered the oldest law
book of the world, as far as Hinduism; especially Brahminism; is
concerned.
In Buddhism and Jainism
Interestingly, Buddhist Pali canon texts traces the Buddha's paternal
lineage to Gautama and Angirasa. That is why he is known as Gautama
Buddha. Jainism, on the other hand, traces tirthankara Indrabhuti
Gautama's paternal lineage to Gautama as well.
Jamadagni
Jamadagni or Jamdagni is one of the Saptarishis in the seventh, current
Manvantara. The father of Parashurama (the sixth avatara of Lord Sri Maha
Vishnu), he was the descendant of Sage Bhrigu. Rishi Jamadagni had five
children with wife Renuka. The youngest among them was Lord Parashurama.
The sage was very highly knowledgeable and was well-versed in the
scriptures and the art of weaponry, with no formal training.
Birth and Life
"Jamadagni" literally means "consuming fire". He was born to Sage Richika
and Satyavati, the daughter of Kshatriya King Gaadhi. During his
childhood, he studied hard and achieved mastery on the Vedas. He then
learnt the science of weapons all by himself, in spite of having no one to
train him. His father had tried to guide him a little, though not much.
The Aushanasa Dhanurveda, which is now not available to us, is essentially
a conversation between Jamadagni and Ushanas or Shukracharya, on the
dharma and vidhis of warfare.
When he came of age, Jamadagni went to King Prasenjit of the Suryavansha
or Solar Dynasty and asked his daugher, Renuka's hand, in marriage.
Eventually, they were married and the they had five sons, Viswa, Vasu,
Brihudyanu, Brutwakanwa and Bhadrarama, who later came to be known by the
name of Parashurama.
In the Mahabharata
According to the Mahabharata, Jamadagni once got annoyed with Surya Deva
for creating too much heat. The warrior-sage then shot several arrows in
the sky, terrifying Surya. The latter then appeared before the sage, in
the form of a Brahmin, and gave him two inventions, to help him deal with
the heat. These two inventions, sandals and an umbrella, are still very
much of use to mankind and helps protect them against the impact of the
Sun.
Parashurama Beheads Renuka
Renuka was a very devoted wife and a powerful pativrata as well. Such was
her chastity, that she used to fetch water from the nearby river in a pot
made of unbaked clay. She did this every single day and the pot would hold
together by the sheer power of her unwavering devotion towards her
husband, Jamadagni.
One day while she was at the river, a group of Gandharvas were passing by
in the sky above, in their chariot. Gandharvas are said to be very
attractive beings - anyone would be riveted by their glow and handsome
looks. She looked up at them and was filled with desire for just one
fleeting moment. At that very moment, the unbaked clay pot that she was
carrying dissolved in the water. Realizing her folly and afraid to go back
to her husband, Renuka waited at the river bank.
In the meantime, Jamadagni was wondering why his wife had not returned
home yet. Through his siddhi (spiritual power), he understood what had
taken place and was filled with rage. He called his eldest son and told
him what happened, also telling him to execute Renuka. The horror-stricken
son immediately refused to kill his own mother. Jamadagni then asked all
his sons, one by one, and they all refused to murder their mother. Getting
even more angry, he turned them all to stone.
Finally, his youngest son, Parashurama, was the only one left.
Ever-obedient, he immediately agreed to do his father's bidding. He went
to the river bank where his mother was seated, approached her and beheaded
her.
Parashurama
Poster
Pleased with his son's devotion, Jamadagni told Parashurama to ask for two
boons. The latter asked that his mother's life be restored and that his
brothers also to be turned back to their original human form. Jamadagni
granted the boons. His mother was brought back to life, without having any
memory of her death (as requested by Parashurama) and the brothers too
came back to normal.
The entire purpose of this leela by Parashurama was to demonstrate the
dharma and the rightful duties of a son towards his parents.
Death
Jamadagni was once visited by the Haihaya King, Kartavirya Arjuna, to whom
he served a feast, using the powers of Kamadhenu, his divine cow. Seeing
the cow, the king wanted it for himself. When the Rishi refused, the king
forcefully took Kamadhenu with him, challenging Jamadagni to take her back
if he could. The sage could have easily waged war and won, by he did not
want to do so.
When Parashurama came to know about this, he flew into a rage. He
single-handedly fought and killed Kartavirya Arjuna and his entire army
and retrieved Kamadhenu. Later, three sons of the king killed Jamadagni to
avenge their father's death. They first stabbed the Rishi twenty-one times
and then beheaded him.
Parashurama killed all the three brothers and retrieved the head of his
father for his cremation. He then committed genocide on the entire
Kshatriya (warrior) clan throughout the world for the next twenty-one
generations, in order to avenge the twenty-one times that his father was
stabbed.
In Buddhism
In the Buddhist Vinaya Pitaka section of the Mahayagga, the
Buddha
states that Jamadagni was one of the greatest Rishis, who verily embodied
the Vedas themselves.
Jaratkaru
Rishi Jaratkaru was the husband of the serpent-Goddess Manasa and the
father of their son, Astika. He features as a secondary character in the
legends of Manasa and Astika.
Jaratkaru is described as a great sage, very knowledgeable and one that
practiced severe asceticism. He had wanted to remain celibate, but he had
to marry Manasa on the insistence of his dead ancestors, who were doomed
to descend to hell if he did not have any progeny. Unfortunately, the
couple was never able to connect at an emotional level and, eventually,
the ill-fated marriage failed.
The sage finally abandoned Manasa and left to lead his own life. However,
he impregnated her before leaving her forever. In due course of time,
Manasa gave birth to Astika, in his absence.
Very little is known about Jaratkaru's life before he met and married
Manasa, or even after abandoning her.
In the Scriptures
The Mahabharata, Devi Bhagavata Purana and the Brahma Vaivarta Purana talk
about Jaratkaru in connection with the legend of Manasa and Astika. In the
Adi Parva of the Mahabharata, the Astika Parva section narrates the tale
of Astika twice. He also features in folk tales, related to the worship of
the snake-Goddess.
The Mahabharata further states that Jaratkaru was born in the lineage of
the Yayavara Brahmins and was their only heir. The name "Jaratkaru" is a
combination of two words - "jara" meaning "consumption" and "karu"
meaning "monstrous". The sage had a huge frame, which he reduced
(consumed) by undertaking fasts, penance and austerities.
Having undertaking so much penance and for so long, the Rishi was believed
to be as powerful as a Prajapati. He is also revered for being a scholar
of the Vedas and its branches.
Legend
Jaratkaru wandered the entire world and visited various pilgrimage centres
and sacred rivers. There were times when he renounced food and sleep and
survived only on air. After many years of journeying, he once saw his
emaciated ancestors hanging upside-down with their heads in a hole, which
led to hell. They were tied to flimsy grass ropes, which were steadily
being chewed by rats.
The ancestors abused Jaratkaru for being an ascetic and ending his lineage
of the Yayavaras. They begged him to marry and bege children, so that his
clan could be taken ahead and they could finally attain heaven as well.
At the time, Jaratkaru was old himself and had no idea of marrying.
However, seeing the plight of his deceased elders, he agreed to marry on
the conditions that she should be a virgin with the same name as his and
should be given as alms to him by her own family, notwithstanding his own
poverty.
After giving his predecessors the promise, the moved ahead on his journey.
According to a second Mahabharata version of this legend, he added two
additional conditions for his future wife that the namesake woman
should marry him on her own free will, without any force, and that he
would never support his wife in any way.
Though he travelled far and wide, he did not find a bride who suited the
above-mentioned conditions. Unaffected, he carried on with his wanderings.
When he entered a thick forest, he suddenly recalled the promise he had
made to his ancestors and prayed to them three times to bring his bride to
him. In a second version of the legend, he was frustrated when his efforts
to search for a suitable bride failed. He cried out loud in anger and
sorrow over all his failed attempts to find the best wife for himself.
Jaratkaru Weds Manasa
In the meantime, Vasuki, the King of Nagas (serpents) was awaiting the
arrival of the Rishi. As per Brahma's instructions, Vasuki had planned the
wedding of his younger sister, Manasa, with Jaratkaru. He was doing this
in order to counter a curse given by Kadru, the Mother of Snakes. She had
said that the entire clan of snakes would be burnt at the yagna of
Janamejaya, the Kuru King and the son of Parikshit. Brahma had predicted
that the son of Jaratkaru and Manasa would stop the sacrifice and also
rescue the serpents. Vasuki was aware that the sage was now ready to marry
and so he appointed more serpents to keep an eye on Jaratkaru's movements
and report back to him about his whereabouts.
Vasuki then offered his sister Manasa to the sage, who accepted it after
making sure that all his conditions were met. The former also promised to
support his sister, so that the sage did not have any responsibility on
that front either.
After the marriage, Jaratkaru lived along with the serpents, in their
abode. He warned Manasa that, if she ever displeased him, he would abandon
and go away. Though not entirely happy with the state of affairs, Manasa
managed to put up with her eccentric husband. In due course of time, she
discovered that she was pregnant with his child.
According to the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Manasa was the daughter of Sage
Kashyapa, who was the one who got her engaged to Jaratkaru. In this
version, the marriage was never consummated and Jaratkaru refused to even
as much as touch her or sleep next to her.
Jaratkaru Abandons Manasa
Soon after impregnating his wife, the tired sage slept on his wife's lap.
As sunset neared and it was time for evening worship, Manasa was in a
dilemma as to whether she should wake her husband or let him sleep
peacefully. It was obligatory for Jaratkaru, as a Rishi, to conduct all
evening poojas and other rites and rituals as per their vidhi.
She then weighed out her options and then chose to wake him up. She
whispered in his ears, asking him to get up, so that he could perform his
ablutions and light the lamp. He was enraged at having been disturbed out
of sleep and told her that the sun would not dare to set before he
performed his daily rituals.
He then ignored all her pleas for forgiveness and forsake her. Before he
left, Manasa told him about the actual purpose of their marriage – as to
how the birth of their son was the most important mission of this
relationship. She also asked him to wait till that purpose was fulfilled.
Jaratkaru assured her that their son would be born as it was ordained and
that he would indeed emerge to become Saviour of the Serpents. He said
that the son would be righteous learned and much respected in their
society. So saying, the Rishi left the place, never to look back or return
to his family.
According to the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Jaratkaru overslept and missed
the time of his morning rituals. He got agitated and threatened to banish
Manasa to hell for her irresponsible act of not waking him up on time.
Surya Deva then stepped in and tried to placate the sage, but he had
already decided to forsake her.
Then Brahma arrived on the scene and warned Jaratkaru that it would be
inappropriate to abandon his wife, unless he gave her a child. The sage
touched Manasa's abdomen and thus, instantly impregnated her. He departed
soon after, promising her that she would give birth to a son who would
become a renowned sage himself.
Not much is known about Jaratkaru after his exit from Manasa's abode. She
eventually gave birth to Astika, who fulfilled his life's mission. He
stopped Janamejaya's yagna and rescued all the serpents that the king
planned to sacrifice into the fire.
As Jaratkaru had fulfilled his duty of procreating and producing the next
generation, his ancestors could escape the hell they were in and entered
the doors of
heaven.
The Mahabharata narrates that after living a long life, Jaratkaru too died
and attained heaven.
Footnote
This is the first part of our article on the Ancient Rishis of India. We
hope you enjoyed your read. Look out for more in our next issue, which
will bring you interesting tales and life histories of several other
saints and sages.