The story of Vasishtha
There was, in
Kanyakubja, a great king of worldwide fame named Gadhi, the son of Kusika. The
virtuous Gadhi had a son named Viswamitra, that grinder of foes, possessing a
large army and many animals and vehicles. Viswamitra, accompanied by his
ministers, used to roam in quest of deer through the deep woods killing deer
and wild boars. Once on a time, while out in quest of deer, the king became
weak with exertion and thirst. The monarch arrived in that state at the Ashrama
of Vasishtha, and the blessed and illustrious Rishi beholding him arrive,
reverenced with his homage that best of men, king Viswamitra. The Rishi saluted
the monarch by offering him water to wash his face and feet with, and Arghya,
and wild fruits, and clarified butter. For the illustrious Rishi had a cow
yielding anything that was desired of her. When she was addressed, saying, “O
give,” she always yielded the article that was sought. She yielded various
fruits and corn, wild or grown in gardens and fields, and milk, and many
excellent nutritive viands full of six different kinds of juice and like unto
nectar itself, and various other kinds of enjoyable things, of ambrosial taste
for drinking and eating, and for licking and sucking, and also many precious
gems and robes of various kinds. With these desirable objects in profusion the
monarch was worshipped. The king with his minister and troops became highly
pleased. The monarch wondered much, beholding that cow with six elevated limbs
and the beautiful flanks and hips, and five limbs that were broad, and eyes
prominent like those of the frog and beautiful in size, and high udders, and
faultless make, and straight and uplifted ears, and handsome horns, and
well-developed head and neck.
The son of Gadhi,
gratified with everything and applauding the cow named Nandini, addressed the
Rishi, saying, “O Brahmana, O great Muni, give me your Nandini in exchange for
ten thousand kine, or my kingdom. Enjoy you my kingdom.”
Hearing these words of
Viswamitra, Vasishtha said, “O sinless one, this cow has been kept by me for
the sake of the gods, guests, and the Pitris, as also for my sacrifices. I
cannot give Nandini in exchange for even your kingdom.” Viswamitra replied, “I
am a Kshatriya, but you are a Brahmana devoted to asceticism and study. Is
there any energy in Brahmanas who are peaceful and who have their souls under
perfect command? When you give me not what I desire in exchange even for ten
thousand cows, I will not abandon the practice of my order; I will take your
cow even by force!”
Vasishtha said, “You
are a Kshatriya endued with might of arms. You are a powerful monarch. Do in
haste what you desire; and stop not to consider its propriety.”
Thus addressed by
Vasishtha, Viswamitra, then forcibly seized Nandini, that cow like the swan or
the moon, and attempted to take her away, afflicting her with stripes and
persecuting her otherwise. The innocent Nandini then began, to low piteously,
and approaching the illustrious Vasishtha stood before him with uplifted face.
Though persecuted very cruelly, she refused to leave the Rishi's Ashrama.
Beholding her in that
plight, Vasishtha said, “O amiable one, you are lowing repeatedly and I am
hearing your cries. But, O Nandini, even Viswamitra is taking you away by
force, what can I do in this matter, as I am a forgiving Brahmana?”
Then, Nandini, alarmed
at the sight of Viswamitra's troops and terrified by Viswamitra himself,
approached the Rishi still closer, and said, “O illustrious one, why are you so
indifferent to my poor self afflicted with the stripes of the cruel troops of
Viswamitra and crying so piteously as if I were master less?” Hearing these
words of the crying and persecuted Nandini, the great Rishi lost not his
patience nor turned from his vow of forgiveness. He replied, “The Kshatriya's
might lies in physical strength, the Brahmana's in forgiveness. Because I
cannot give up forgiveness, go you, O Nandini, if you choose.” Nandini
answered, “Cast you me away, O illustrious one, that you say so? If you do not
cast me off, I cannot, O Brahmana, be taken away by force.” Vasishtha said, “O
blessed one, I do not cast you off! Stay if you can! O, yonder is your calf,
tied with a stout cord, and even now being weakened by it!”
Then the cow of
Vasishtha, hearing the word stay, raised her head and neck upward, and became
terrible to behold. With eyes red with rage and lowing repeatedly, she then
attacked Viswamitra's troops on all sides. Afflicted with their stripes and
running here and there with those red eyes of hers, her wrath increased.
Blazing with rage, she soon became terrible to behold like unto the sun in his
midday glory. And from her tail she began to rain showers of burning coals all
around. Some moments after, from her tail she brought forth an army of
Palhavas, and from her udders, an army of Dravidas and Sakas; and from her
womb, an army of Yavanas, and from her dung, an army of Sabaras; and from her
urine, an army of Kanchis; and from her sides, an army of Sabaras. From the
froth of her mouth came out hosts of Paundras and Kiratas, Yavanas and
Sinhalas, and the barbarous tribes of Khasas and Chivukas and Pulindas and
Chinas and Hunas with Keralas, and numerous other Mlechchhas. That vast army of
Mlechchhas in various uniforms, and armed with various weapons, as soon as it
sprang into life, deploying in the very sight of Viswamitra, attacked that
monarch's soldiers. So numerous was that Mlechchha host that each particular
soldier of Viswamitra was attacked by a band of six or seven of their enemies.
Assailed with a mighty shower of weapons, Viswamitra's troops broke and fled,
panic-stricken, in all directions, before his very eyes. But, the troops of
Vasishtha, though excited with wrath, took not the life of any of Viswamitra's
troops. Nandini simply caused the monarch's army to be routed and driven off.
Driven from the Ashrama, twenty-seven full miles, panic-stricken, they shrieked
aloud and beheld not anyone that could protect them. Viswamitra, beholding this
wonderful feat that resulted from Brahmana prowess, became disgusted with
Kshatriya prowess and said, “O, fie on Kshatriya prowess! Brahmana prowess is
true prowess! In judging of strength and weakness, I see that asceticism is
true strength.” Saying this, the monarch, abandoning his large domains and
regal splendour and turning his back upon all pleasures, set his mind on
asceticism. Crowned with success in asceticism and filling the three worlds
with the heat of his ascetic penances, he afflicted all creatures and finally
became a Brahmana. The son of Kusika at last drank Soma with Indra himself.
There was a king in
this world, named Kalmashapada, who was of the race of Ikshvaku and was
unequalled on earth for prowess. One day the king went from his capital into
the woods for purposes of hunting, and this grinder of foes pierced with his
arrows many deer and wild boars. In those deep woods the king also slew many
rhinoceroses. Engaged in sport for some length of time, the monarch became very
much fatigued and at last he gave up the chase, desiring to rest awhile.
The great Viswamitra,
endued with energy, had, a little while ago, desired to make that monarch his
disciple. As the monarch, afflicted with hunger and thirst, was proceeding
through the woods, he came across the illustrious son of Vasishtha, coming along
the same path. The king ever victorious in battle saw that Muni bearing the
name of Sakti, the eldest of the high-souled Vasishtha's hundred sons, coming
along from opposite direction. The king, beholding him said, “Stand out of our
way.” The Rishi, addressing the monarch in a conciliatory manner, said unto him
sweetly, “O king, this is my way. This is the eternal rule of morality
indicated in every treatise on duty and Dharma, that a king should ever make
way for Brahmanas.” Thus did they address each other respecting their right of
way. “Stand aside, stand aside”, were the words they said unto each other. The
Rishi, who was in the right, did not yield, nor did the king yield to him from
pride and anger. That best of monarchs, enraged at the Rishi, refusing to yield
him the way, acted like a Rakshasa, striking him with his whip. Thus whipped by
the monarch, the son of Vasishtha, was deprived of his senses by anger, and
speedily cursed that first of monarchs, saying, “O worst of kings, since you
persecute like a Rakshasa an ascetic, you shall from this day, became a
Rakshasa subsisting on human flesh! Hence, you worst of kings! you shall wander
over the earth, affecting human form!” Thus did the Rishi Sakti, endued with
great prowess, speak unto king Kalmashapada. At this time Viswamitra, between
whom and Vasishtha there was a dispute about the discipleship of Kalmashapada,
approached the place where that monarch and Vasishtha's son were. That Rishi of
severe ascetic penances, Viswamitra of great energy, approached the pair,
knowing by his spiritual insight that they had been thus quarrelling with each
other. After the curse had been pronounced, that best of monarchs knew that
Rishi to be Vasishtha's son and equal unto Vasishtha himself in energy.
Viswamitra, desirous of benefiting himself, remained on that spot, concealed
from the sight of both by making himself invisible. Then that best of monarchs,
thus cursed by Sakti, desiring to propitiate the Rishi began to humbly beseech
him. Viswamitra, ascertaining the disposition of the king and fearing that the
difference might be made up, ordered a Rakshasa to enter the body of the king.
A Rakshasa of the name of Kinkara then entered the monarch's body in obedience
to Sakti's curse and Viswamitra's command. And knowing that the Rakshasa had
possessed himself of the monarch, Viswamitra, then left the spot and went away.
Shortly after, the
monarch, possessed by the Rakshasa and terribly afflicted by him, lost all his
senses. At this time a Brahmana beheld the king in the woods. Afflicted with
hunger, that Brahmana begged of the king some food with meat. The royal sage,
Kalmashapada, answered the Brahmana, saying, “Stay you here, O Brahmana for a
moment. On my return, I will give you whatever food you desire.” Having said
this, the monarch went away, but the Brahmana stayed on there. The high-minded
king having roved for some time at pleasure and according to his will, at last
entered his inner apartment. Thus waking at midnight and remembering his
promise, he summoned his cook and told him of his promise unto the Brahmana
staying in the forest. He commanded him, saying, “Go you to that forest. A
Brahmana waits for me in the hope of food. Go and entertain him with food and
meat.”
Thus commanded, the
cook went out in search of meat. Distressed at not having found any, he
informed the king of his failure. The monarch, however, possessed as he was by
the Rakshasa, repeatedly said, without scruple of any kind, “Feed him with
human flesh.” The cook, saying, “So be it,” went to the place where the
executioners were, and from there taking human flesh and washing and cooking it
duly and covering it with boiled rice offered it unto that hungry Brahmana
devoted to ascetic penances. But that best of Brahmanas, seeing with his
spiritual sight that the food was unholy and, therefore, unworthy of being
eaten, said these words with eyes red with anger, “Because that worst of kings
offered me food that is unholy and unworthy of being taken, therefore that
wretch shall have himself a fondness for such food. Becoming fond of human
flesh as cursed by Sakti of old, the wretch shall wander over the earth,
alarming and otherwise troubling all creatures.” The curse, therefore, on that
king, thus repeated a second time, became very strong, and the king, possessed
by a Rakshasa disposition, soon lost all his senses.
A little while after,
that best of monarchs, deprived of all his senses by the Rakshasa within him,
beholding Sakti who had cursed him, said, “Because you have pronounced on me
this extraordinary curse, therefore, I shall begin my life of cannibalism by
devouring you.” Having said this, the king immediately slew Sakti and ate him
up, like a tiger eating the animal it was fond of. Beholding Sakti thus slain
and devoured, Viswamitra repeatedly urged that Rakshasa against the other sons
of Vasishtha. Like a wrathful lion devouring small animals, that Rakshasa soon
devoured the other sons of the illustrious Vasishtha that were junior to Sakti
in age. But Vasishtha, learning that all his sons had been caused to be slain
by Viswamitra, patiently bore his grief like the great mountain that bears the
earth. That best of Munis, that foremost of intelligent men, was resolved
rather to sacrifice his own life than exterminate in anger the race of Kusikas.
The illustrious Rishi threw himself down from the summit of Meru, but he
descended on the stony ground as though on a heap of cotton. When the
illustrious one found that death did not result from that fall, he kindled a
huge fire in the forest and entered it with alacrity. But that fire, though
burning brightly, consumed him not. That blazing fire seemed to him cool. Then
the great Muni under the influence of grief, beholding the sea, tied a stony
weight to his neck and threw himself into its waters. But the waves soon cast
him ashore. At last when that Brahmana of rigid vows succeeded not in killing
himself by any means, he returned, in distress of heart, to his Ashrama.
Beholding his Ashrama
bereft of his children, the Muni afflicted with great grief left it again. In
course of his wandering he saw, a river swollen with the waters of the rainy
season, sweeping away numberless trees and plants that had grown on its margin.
Beholding this, the distressed Muni thinking that he would certainly be drowned
if he fell into the waters of that river, he tied himself strongly with several
cords and flung himself, under the influence of grief, into the current of that
mighty stream. But, that stream soon cut those cords and cast the Rishi ashore.
The Rishi rose from the bank, freed from the cords with which he had tied
himself. Because his cords were thus broken off by the violence of the current,
the Rishi called the stream by the name of Vipasa (the cord-breaker). For his
grief the Muni could not, from that time, stay in one place; he began to wander
over mountains and along rivers and lakes. Beholding once again a river named
Haimavati of terrible aspect and full of fierce crocodiles and other aquatic
monsters, the Rishi threw himself into it, but the river mistaking the Brahmana
for a mass of fire, immediately flew in a hundred different directions, and has
been known ever since by the name of the Satadru (the river of a hundred
courses). Seeing himself on the dry land even there he exclaimed, “O, I cannot
die by my own hands!” Saying this, the Rishi once more bent his steps towards
his Ashrama. Crossing numberless mountains and countries, as he was about to
re-enter his Ashrama, he was followed by his daughter-in-law named Adrisyanti.
As she neared him, he heard the sound from behind of a very intelligent
recitation of the Vedas with the six graces of elocution. Hearing that sound,
the Rishi asked, “Who is it that follows me?” His daughter-in-law then
answered, “I am Adrisyanti, the wife of Sakti. I am helpless, though devoted to
asceticism.” Hearing her, Vasishtha said, “O daughter, whose is this voice that
I heard, repeating the Vedas along with the Angas like unto the voice of Sakti
reciting the Vedas with the Angas?” Adrisyanti answered, “I bear in my womb a
child by your son Sakti. He has been here full twelve years. The voice you hear
is that of the Muni, who is reciting the Vedas.”
Thus addressed by her
the illustrious Vasishtha became exceedingly glad. Saying, “O, there is a
child!”--he refrained from self-destruction. The sinless one accompanied by his
daughter-in-law, then returned to his Ashrama. The Rishi saw one day in the
solitary woods Kalmashapada. The king, possessed by fierce Rakshasa, as he saw
the Rishi, became filled with wrath and rose up, desiring to devour him.
Adrisyanti beholding before her that the Rakshasa of cruel deeds, addressed
Vasishtha in these words, full of anxiety and fear, “O illustrious one, the
cruel Rakshasa, like unto Death himself armed with fierce club, comes towards
us with a wooden club in hand! There is none else on earth, except you to
restrain him today. Protect me, from this cruel wretch of terrible mien.
Surely, the Rakshasa comes here to devour us.” Vasishtha, hearing this, said,
“Fear not, O daughter, there is no need of any fear from any Rakshasa. This one
is no Rakshasa from whom you apprehend such imminent danger. This is king
Kalmashapada endued with great energy and celebrated on earth. That terrible
man dwells in these woods.”
“Beholding him
advancing, the illustrious Rishi Vasishtha, endued with great energy,
restrained him, by uttering the sound Hum. Sprinkling him again with water
sanctified with incantations the Rishi freed the monarch from that terrible
curse. For twelve years the monarch had been overwhelmed by the energy of
Vasishtha's son like Surya seized by the planet Rahu during the season of an
eclipse. Freed from the Rakshasa the monarch illumined that large forest by his
splendour like the sun illumining the evening clouds. Recovering his power of reason,
the king saluted that best of Rishis with joined palms and said, “O illustrious
one, I am the son of Sudasa and your disciple, O best of Munis! Tell me what is
your pleasure and what I am to do.” Vasishtha replied, saying, “My desire has
already been accomplished. Return now to your kingdom and rule your subjects.
And, O chief of men, never insult Brahmanas any more.” The monarch replied, “O
illustrious one, I shall never more insult superior Brahmanas. In obedience to
your command I shall always worship Brahmanas. But, I desire to obtain from you
that by which, I may be freed from the debt I owe to the race of Ikshvaku! It
beholds you to grant me, for the perpetuation of Ikshvaku's race, a desirable
son possessing beauty and accomplishments and good behaviour.”
Thus addressed,
Vasishtha, that best of Brahmanas devoted to truth replied unto that mighty
bowman of a monarch, saying, “I will give you.” After some time, Vasishtha,
accompanied by the monarch, went to the latter's capital known all over the earth
by the name of Ayodhya. The citizens in great joy came out to receive the
sinless and illustrious one, like the dwellers in heaven coming out to receive
their chief. The monarch, accompanied by Vasishtha, re-entered his auspicious
capital after a long time. The citizens of Ayodhya beheld their king
accompanied by his priest, as if he were the rising sun. The monarch who was
superior to everyone in beauty filled by his splendour the whole town of
Ayodhya, like the autumnal moon filling by his splendour the whole firmament.
The excellent city itself, in consequence of its streets having been watered
and swept, and of the rows of banners and pendants beautifying it all around,
gladdened the monarch's heart. The city filled as it was with joyous and healthy
souls, in consequence of his presence, looked gay like Amaravati with the
presence of the chief of the celestials. After the royal sage had entered his
capital, the queen, at the king's command, approached Vasishtha. The great
Rishi, making a covenant with her, united himself with her according to the
high ordinance. After a little while, when the queen conceived, that best of
Rishis, receiving the reverential salutations of the king, went back to his
Ashrama. The queen bore the embryo in her womb for a long time. When she saw
that she did not bring forth anything, she tore open her womb by a piece of
stone. It was then that at the twelfth year of the conception was born Asmaka,
that bull amongst men, that royal sage who founded the city of Pandya.
Brought under the
influence of the curse, king Kalmashapada, with eyes whirling in anger went out
of his capital accompanied by his wife. Entering with his wife the solitary
woods the king began to wander about. And one day while the king under the
influence of the curse was wandering through that forest abounding in several
kinds of deer and various other animals and overgrown with numerous large trees
and shrubs and creepers and resounding with terrible cries, he became
exceedingly hungry. The monarch thereupon began to search for some food.
Pinched with hunger, the king at last saw, in a very solitary part of the
woods, a Brahmana and his wife enjoying each other. Alarmed at beholding the
monarch the couple ran away, their desire ungratified. Pursuing the retreating
pair, the king forcibly seized the Brahmana. Then the Brahmani, beholding her
lord seized, addressed the monarch, saying, “Listen to what I say, O monarch!
It is known all over the world that you are born in the solar race, and that
you are ever vigilant in the practice of morality and devoted to the service of
your superiors. It beholds you not to commit sin, deprived though you have been
of your senses by the Rishi's curse. My season has come, and wishful of my
husband's company I was connected with him. I have not been gratified yet. Be
propitious unto us! Liberate my husband.” The monarch, however, without
listening to her cries cruelly devoured her husband like a tiger devouring its
desirable prey. Possessed with wrath at this sight, the tears that that woman
shed blazed up like fire and consumed everything in that place. Afflicted with
grief at the calamity that overtook her lord, the Brahmani in anger cursed the
royal sage Kalmashapada, “Vile wretch, since you has today cruelly devoured
under my very nose my illustrious husband dear unto me, even before my desires
have been gratified, therefore shall you, O wicked one afflicted by my curse,
meet with instant death when you go in for your wife in season. And your wife,
O wretch, shall bring forth a son uniting herself with that Rishi Vasishtha
whose children have been devoured by you. And that child, O worst of kings,
shall be the perpetuator of your race.” Cursing the monarch thus, that lady of
Angira's house bearing every auspicious mark, entered the blazing fire in the
very sight of the monarch. The illustrious and exalted Vasishtha by his ascetic
power and spiritual insight immediately knew all. And long after this, when the
king became freed from his curse, he approached his wife Madayanati when her
season came. But Madayanati softly sent him away. Under the influence of
passion the monarch had no recollection of that curse. Hearing, however, the
words of his wife, the best of kings became terribly alarmed. Recollecting the
curse he repented bitterly of what he had done. It was for this reason, that
the monarch infected with the Brahmani's curse, appointed Vasishtha to beget a
son upon his queen.
Then, Adrisyanti, who
had been residing in Vasishtha's Ashrama, brought forth a son who was the perpetuator
of Sakti's race and who was a second Sakti in everything. The illustrious
Vasishtha himself performed the usual after-birth ceremonies of his grandson.
Because the Rishi Vasishtha had resolved on self-destruction but had abstained
therefrom as soon as he knew of the existence of that child, that child, when
born, was called Parasara (the vivifier of the dead). The virtuous Parasara,
from the day of his birth, knew Vasishtha for his father and behaved towards
the Muni as such. One day, the child addressed Vasishtha, that first of
Brahmana sages, as father, in the presence of his mother Adrisyanti.
Adrisyanti, hearing the very intelligible sound father sweetly uttered by her
son, addressed him with tearful eyes and said, “O child, do not address this your
grandfather as father? Your father, O son, has been devoured by a Rakshasa in a
different forest. O innocent one, he is not your father whom you regard so. The
revered one is the father of that celebrated father of thine.” Thus addressed
by his mother that best of Rishis of truthful speech, gave way to sorrow, but
soon fired up and resolved to destroy the whole creation. Then that illustrious
and great ascetic Vasishtha, that foremost of all persons conversant with
Brahma, that son of Mitravaruna, that Rishi acquainted with positive truth,
addressed his grandson who had set his heart upon the destruction of the world.
“Blest be you! It beholds not you, to destroy the worlds. O you Parasara, who
are acquainted with the higher regions, you foremost of wise men!”
The Brahmana sage
Parasara thus addressed by the illustrious Vasishtha restrained his wrath from
destroying the worlds. But the Rishi Parasara endued with great energy--the son
of Sakti--the foremost of all persons acquainted with the Vedas—performed a
grand Rakshasa sacrifice. Remembering the slaughter of his father Sakti, the
great Muni began to consume the Rakshasas, young and old, in the sacrifice he
performed. Vasishtha did not restrain him from this slaughter of the Rakshasa,
from the determination of not obstructing this second vow (of his grandson). In
that sacrifice the great Muni Parasara sat before three blazing fires, himself
like unto a fourth fire. The son of Sakti, like the Sun just emerging from the
clouds, illuminated the whole firmament by that stainless sacrifice of his into
which large were the libations poured of clarified butter. Then Vasishtha and
the other Rishis regarded that Muni blazing with his own energy as if he were
the second Sun. Then the great Rishi Atri of liberal soul desirous of ending
that sacrifice, an achievement highly difficult for others,--came to that
place. There also came Pulastya and Pulaha, and Kratu the performer of many
great sacrifices, all influenced by the desire of saving the Rakshasas.
Pulastya then, seeing that many Rakshasas had already been slain, told these
words unto Parasara that oppressor of all enemies:
“There is no
obstruction, I hope, to this sacrifice of yours, O child! Take you any
pleasure, in this slaughter of even all those innocent Rakshasas that know
nothing of your father's death. It beholds you not to destroy any creatures
thus. This is not the occupation of a Brahmana devoted to asceticism. Peace is
the highest virtue. Therefore, O Parasara, establish you peace. How have you,
being so superior, engaged yourself in such a sinful practice? It beholds not
you to transgress against Sakti himself who was well-acquainted with all rules
of morality. It beholds not you to extirpate any creatures. O descendant of
Vasishtha's race, that which befell your father was brought about by his own
curse. It was for his own fault that Sakti was taken hence unto heaven. O Muni,
no Rakshasa was capable of devouring Sakti; he himself provided for his own
death. And, O Parasara, Viswamitra was only a blind instrument in that matter.
Both Sakti and Kalmashapada, having ascended to heaven are enjoying great
happiness. The other sons also of the great Rishi Vasishtha who were younger
than Sakti, are even now enjoying themselves with the celestials. O child, you
have also been, in this sacrifice, only an instrument in the destruction of
these innocent Rakshasas. Blessed be you! Abandon this sacrifice of yours. Let
it come to an end.”
Thus addressed by
Pulastya, as also by the intelligent Vasishtha, that mighty Muni--the son of
Sakti then brought that sacrifice to an end. The Rishi cast the fire that he
had ignited for the purpose of the Rakshasas' sacrifice into the deep woods on
the north of the Himavat. That fire may be seen to this day consuming Rakshasas
and trees and stones in all seasons.
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