Vasishta (वसिष्ठः)

Vasishta (Samskrit : ) is one of foremost and greatest of the Sapta Maharshi's and is one of the Brahma-manasa-putras. He is the famous Rajaguru of the Ikshvaku lineage, to which Dasaratha and Sri Ramachandra belonged to.

Three Births of Vasishta

The three births of Vasiffha. Vasistha with the radiance of Brahma, is very famous in the Puranas. He had three births.

i) First birth.

a) Birth. Vasistha is one of the mental sons of Brahma. This is the first birth of Vasistha. "Narada was born from the lap, Daksa was born from the right thumb, Vasistha from the breath (prana) Bhrgu from the skin, Kratu from the hand of Brahma." In this birth, Arundhati was the wife of Vasistha. Arundhati was known by the name Urja also. There is a Puranic story behind the marriage of Vasistha and Arundhati.

In her previous birth the name of Arundhati was Sandhya. She was born from the passion of Brahma. As soon as she was born she grew up. Seeing her exquisite beauty the Prajapatis were filled with excitement. Even Brahma, her father, was some-what excited at her sight. Siva, who understood this, teased Brahma. Sandhya was ashamed. Even after Siva, Brahma, Prajapatis and the others had gone their ways, she remained there blaming her birth. She said to herself: "The moment I was born, I grew up to be a young woman. My father and my brothers looked at me with desire. I also looked at them excitedly. As an atonement for this sin, I will burn my body in fire. I do not want a body desired by my father and brothers. With this decision she went to the mountain Candrabhaga, which is the source of the river Candrabhaga, and began to perform penance. Brahma who came to know of this, was filled with pity and sent Vasishta to her. He went there in the form of a Brahmin boy and taught her how to perform penance. After the return of Vasistha she continued the severe penance to Visnu. Her penance became the subject of talk and wonder everywhere. After a short while Visnu appeared before her sitting on his conveyance Garuda. She praised Visnu. Visnu was pleased with her and asked what her desire was. She said: "Lord, creatures should not be sexually excited at their birth. They should have sexual desire only when they are grown up. The three worlds must know that I am chaste. In all my births I should not look at anybody except my husband with sexual desire. The man who looks at me with sexual desire should lose his manliness and become a hermaphrodite." Mahavisnu agreed to her request. It was from that day onwards that sexual desire appeared in creatures in their grown-up stage only, after they have passed the stages of infancy and childhood. Mahavisnu told her. "It is preordained that this body of yours will be burnt in fire. Medhatithi, (Meghatithi), the son of Priyavrata is performing the great sacrifice called Jyotistoma which is to be completed in twelve years. It is coming to a close. There is none equal to him because of this sacrifice. That great hermit's sacrifice is being performed in the basin of this river Candrabhaga. Unseen by the hermits, you should go there and get into the fire. Because of my blessing you will be born from that fire as the daughter of Medhatithi. You should go into the fire thinking of him whom you want to be your husband in this birth."

Mahavisnu touched Sandhya with the tip of his finger. Sandhya walked to the sacrificial hall. Seen by none, she got down into the fire. She was burnt in the blazing

fire. By the order of Visnu; the God fire placed Sandhya who was burnt in the sacrificial fire, in the Solar region. The sun divided that body into two and placed them in his chariot. The upper portion became the pratassandhya (dawn) between the day and the night and the lower portion became the Sayantana Sandhya (the evening twilight) . At the end of the sacrifice, from the centre of the sacrificial fire a girl, like the flame of fire rose up. Medhatithi took that child in his hands and called her Arundhati. The child became famous throughout the three worlds, as the name stood for the principle that on no reason what-soever will righteousness be obstructed. (Rodha means obstruction. So Arundhati is one who cannot be obstructed). In some other Puranas Arundhati is given as the daughter of Prajapati Kardama and Devahuti.

b) Marriage. Arundhati grew up in the hermitage of Medhatithi. Candrabhaga holy bath which was the playfield of Arundhati, is even today, known as Arundhati tlrtha. Arundhati became five years of age. Brahma saw her when she was playing on the ground after having taken her bath. At the instruction of Brahma, Arundhati was entrusted to Savitri and Bahula for education. Savitri is the wife of the Sun. Arundhati lived in Manasa lake with Savitri, Gayatrl, Bahula, SarasvatL, Drupada and such other celestial women and completed her education. One day Arundhati happened to see Vasistha who was shining with radiance. They fell in love with each other. Parents and relatives and the elders came to know of this. Savitri patting Arundhati blessed her to become the wife of Vasistha. The marriage of ArundhatI with Vasistha was conducted in the presence of the Gods.

c) Sons. Seven sons, named Citraketu, Purocis, Viraca, Mitra, Ulbana, Vasubhrdyana and Dyuman were born to Vasistha by Arundhati. All the seven of them were

Brahmarsis.

d) The meaning of the names Vasiflha and Arundhati.

The meaning of the name Vasistha is given by Vasistha himself as follows: I am known as Vasistha for two reasons. I am 'Vasuman'. The Srutis say that Air, Earth etc. are Vasus. I have become Vasistha because I have brought under control the Vasus beginning with Anima (the power of reducing the body to an atom) . See what Arundhati herself says, about the meaning of the name Arundhati. "I consider mountains, earth and heaven as elements in which I live, only after considering my husband as the element in which I live. My husband is the first and foremost element in my life. Moreover I conform (anurodha) with the mind of my husband. So know me as Arundhati."(Page 834 of Puranic Encyclopedia).

Association with Vishvamitra

Once while Visvamitra was a ruling King, he went into a forest to hunt. In the course of his rambles through the forest, he happened to arrive at Vasistha's Asrama with his retinue. Vasistha called Kamadhenu and ordered her to provide food for Visvamitra and his party. Kamadhenu, by her divine powers, prepared food within a short time and gave them a sumptuous meal; Visvamitra was greatly pleased with this amazing feat of Kamadhenu and he asked Vasisdia to give her to him. He even offered to give crores of cows in return for her. But Vasistha refused to comply with his request. Then Visvamitra tried to seize and take her away by force. At once Kamadhenu assumed the form of a terrible monster of destruction. From the different parts of her body emerged fierce warriors who clashed with Visvamitra's followers. All the arrows shot by Visvamitra were caught by Vasistha with his hand. In the end Visvamitra admitted that the might of a Brahmana is superior to the might of a Ksatriya. (Vasistha was a Brahmana and Visvamitra a Ksatriya). Visvamitra, soon gave up his kingly duties and began penance, thus turning himself into a "Rajarsi" (Royal saint). (Valmiki Ramayana, Bfila Kanda, 52nd Sarga ; M.B. Salya Parva, Chapter 40 ; M.B. Adi Parva, Chapter 175)

Association with Srikalahasti

Once, even Vasishtha fell in the trap of Maya and lamented when he lost all his sons. Unable to bear the grief he jumped off a cliff in order to kill Himself. Then Bhudevi caught him safely and said “Will death stop another Janma? No! Death will only change our body and the cycle of Janma’s will continue. Whatever grief you are trying to overcome by killing yourself will hence not be gone but will simply be postponed to another Janma. Additionally, you will get the unusually greatest paapam of killing yourself! Such paapatma’s will for large number of times be born in Pishaacha forms and if with some great punya they ever take a human form, they will have to experience the grief due to atma-hatya-patakam. In case you really don’t want grief, stop lamenting for what happened and try to stop this cycle of Janana-Maranas. The best way to come out of this cycle is by surrendering yourself to Paramaatma. Near by, there is a great Kshetra by name Gajakaananam. Go there and do Tapas for Parameshvara” .

Vasistha then followed Bhudevi‘s advise and performed severe Tapas. On Shiva's darshna he asked Parameshwara “O Aadi Gruhastha! Since I have severe hunger (of Brahma-jnanam), and it is afternoon time (as I am experiencing severe heat from my Tapas), please give Bhiksha of Your Brahmavidya Jnanam in my Hrdayam (Hrdayam is my Bhiksha Patra), so that I will never again be hungry (for anything)”. Then, Shiva re-appeared as DakshinaMurty and gave Brahmajnana to Vasishtha, making Him a Brahmarshi. Vasistha, the Videhamukta, then requested Shiva to stay back in Gajakaananam and bless the Bhaktas who come there. This Gajakaananam is now popular by the name ShriKalaHasti.