Maharshi Vishvamitra (महर्षिः विश्वामित्रः)

Maharshi Vishvamitra (Samskrit: महर्षिः विश्वामित्रः) was a great seer known from the Rigvedic times. He is the seer who gave the Gayatri Mantra to the world. Out of the innumerable number of sages that Bharatavarsha has ever produced, there are a few who appear so towering in spiritual attainments, known for his perseverance, austerity and mystic powers. He was also one of those who tried to stop the Kuruksetra war. Vishvamitra was also known for his excellence in Dhanurveda, wielding all types of weapons.

Introduction

A child in the Sanatana Dharma, undergoes the sacred Upanayana samskara, to becomes a Dvija and initiated into the sublime and powerful Savitr mantra or Gayatri mantra after the famous Gayatri chandas or metre it is composed in. This Veda mantra has been passed down in the Indian traditions for thousands of years. The rishi in whose mind this mantra was first revealed was Vishvamitra. The Savitr mantra's purifying and obstacle destroying potential has been tasted by millions of adherents through a hoary religious tradition. He was a Maharaja, who ruled the lands and then became a Rajarshi, a royal sage, subsequently, a Brahmarshi or the best among sages. He appears in all ancient texts spanning from the Vedas to Itihasas and Puranas. His prowess was on par with that of Vasishta.

He was the son of Gadhi (गाधिः), a powerful king of the province of Kanyakubja (Kannauj of Uttar Pradesh), therefore known as Gadhisuta. As a maharaja, he ruled his subjects wisely. Although he was a kshatriya by birth, he became a brahmana in the very same body by the power of his adhyatmik achievements.

Lineage

There was a king named Kusha, a son of Prajaapati, and Kusha's son was the powerful and verily righteous Kushanaabha. One who is highly renowned by the name Gaadhi was the son of Kushanaabha, and Gadhi's son is this great-sage of great resplendence, Vishvamitra.

प्रजापतिसुतस्त्वासीत् कुशो नाम महीपतिः | कुशस्य पुत्रो बलवान् कुशनाभः सुधार्मिकः || १-५१-१८

कुशनाभसुतस्त्वासीद्गाधिरित्येव विश्रुतः | गाधेः पुत्रो महातेजा विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः || १-५१-१९ (Valm. Rama. Balakanda, 51.18-19)

Puranic Encyclopedia lists the genealogy as follows

Brahma — Atri — Candra — Budha — Pururavas — Vijaya — Hotraka — Jahnu — Puru — Balaka — Ajaka — Kusa — Kusanabha — Gadhi — Visvamitra

As Vishvamitra was born in the family of the famous king Kusa, Visvamitra got the name Kaushika.

The son of Visvamitra was Sunahshephas, the descendant of Bhrigu, given by the deities, and thence named Devarata. Visvamitra had other sons also, amongst whom the most celebrated were Madhuchhandas, Kritajaya, Devadeva, Aṣṭaka, Kachchapa, and Haarita; these founded many families, all of whom were known by the name of Kaushikas, and intermarried with the families of various Ṛṣis.

Vishvamitra in the Vedas

Rig Veda - 3rd Mandala

The Rigveda, the oldest texts ever known to mankind, mentions this great rishi Vishvamitra (and his disciples) as the seer of the third Mandala. It is said that when some sages made Vishvamitra break a vow of silence, these eternal mantras were revealed by him.

Vasishta and Vishvamitra

Once Visvamitra, a kshatriya was on a hunting expedition, when he and his army were sumptuously entertained by Maharshi Vasishta. Wondering how a hermit could procure so much delicious food at such short notice, he discovered the great sage Vasishta's wish-fulfilling cow, the Kamadhenu, which tried to take away forcibly but could not succeed. Vishvamitra and his soldiers were defeated by the adhyatmik strength of Vasishta and Kamadhenu. He realized that physical power was no match for the spiritual power, he decided to become a brahmana by practicing meditation and penances. In this way there was always a disagreement between the two of them. Then Vishvamitra went to the Himalayas and devoted himself to the most rigorous austerities to gain spiritual parity with his rival sage Vasishta and got the titles Rajarṣi, Ṛṣi, Maharṣi and Brahmarṣi. Finally, a reconciliation was brought about and was acknowledged by Vasishta who paid him homage.

Kamdhenu as the cause of enmity

When Vishvamitra visited the hermitage of Vasistha, he was given a royal reception. The king was surprised how can a mendicant be so opulent. He came to know that there is a cow named Nandini , who is protecting herself and others, and providing for all the necessities of the sage. Vishvamitra said give me this cow as I am the king, but Vasistha refused to deliver it. The sage said this cow represents all our piety, prosperity, tapasya and its milk is offered to the deities and pitrs in the daily yajnas, hence you cannot take her away. The king insisted that such noble and superior things in the country belonged to the king and are to be used for the benefit of the people. He offered to give a crore cows in exchange for Kamadhenu. When Vasishta refused, he forcefully tried to take the cow away, and thus there was a quarrel between the Vasishta and the King. Vasistha engaged in a battle with astras and eventually told to the cow, "I am not capable of protecting you, please protect yourself." Many soldiers became manifest out of her, and fought off Visvamitra’s soldiers. Vishvamitra further attacked Vasishta who defended himself by using his brahmadanda. Enraged with his own powerlessness in front of Vasishta, frustrated he uttered - dhik balam ksatriyam balam or fie the power of a kshatriya. Realizing the power of penance he went back to his kingdom and handed over the administration to his relatives and went to the south to perform severe penance. From there he was constantly engrossed in tapas or severe austerity. (Valm. Rama. Bala Kanda. Sargas 51-56)

Trishanku of Ikshvaku Dynasty

The next confrontation between the two seers was due to the king Trisanku of the Ikshvaku (Solar) dynasty. Satyavrata was the son of Trayyaruna, the Ikshvaku king. But he earned the name Trishanku when Vasishta cursed him thus "You will from today become a candala. Three sankus (sins) namely wrath of a father, abduction of another man's wife and consumption of cow's flesh will give you life-long trouble and thus you will earn a name, Trisanku (Three Sankus). Instantly Satyavrata became a candala and started roaming about the streets. Later after being crowned ruled the country piously. Soon Trishanku desired to bodily attain svarga or heaven. Vasistha, as the Guru of the dynasty tried to discourage the king. Disappointed he approached the sons of Vasistha who ridiculed him when he told them of his queer desire. Trisanku became angry and left them saying "Let me see whether there are others in this country who could send me bodily to the heaven." Those arrogant words annoyed Vasistha and his sons and they cursed him and made him a candala again. But Visvamitra took up the matter when Vasishta refused to help the king. Visvamitra began to perform a yajna to lift up the king bodily to svarga, and Trisanku began to rise up higher and higher. But Indra did not allow him to enter bodily into the svarga loka. At last Visvamitra, by the power of his penance created an artificial heaven midway between the heaven and the earth and placed Trishanku in that new place calling it Trisanku svarga. (Sargas 57 to 59, Balakanda, Valmiki Ramayana, 7th Skandha, Devi Bhagavata; 9th Skandha, Bhagavata; Chapter 13, Harivamsa; Sundara Kanda, Kamba Ramayana; Chapter 71, Adi Parva; Chapter 12, Sabha Parva)

Harishcandra

Once Harishcandra performed a yajna for which Visvamitra was the priest, but Visvamitra, being angry at Harishcandra, took away all his possessions, claiming them as a contribution of daksina. Vasistha, however, did not like this, and therefore a fight arose between Vasistha and Visvamitra. The fighting became so severe that each of them cursed the other. One of them said, "May you become a bird," and the other said, "May you become a duck." Thus both of them became birds and continued fighting for many years because of Harishcandra.

Vishvamitra and Menaka

The great mystic Vishvamitra Muni, even in the stage of samadhi, became a victim of the senses and cohabited with the heavenly damsel Menaka. The mind, although ceasing to think of sensual activities at present, remembers past sensual activities from the subconscious status and thus disturbs one from cent percent engagement in self-realization.

His meditation was broken when he heard the tinkling of bangles on the hands of Menaka. He fathered a child who is universally celebrated as Sakuntala, the beauty queen of world history.

Sons of Vishvamitra

Visvamitra had 101 sons, of whom the middle one was known as Madhucchanda. Fifty were older than Madhucchanda and fifty younger. In relation to him, all the other sons were celebrated as the Madhucchandas. Visvamitra accepted the son of Ajigarta known as Sunahsepha, who was born in the Bhrgu dynasty and was also known as Devarata, as one of his own sons. When requested by their father to accept Sunahsepha as the eldest son, the elder fifty of the Madhucchandas, the sons of Visvamitra, did not agree. Therefore Visvamitra, being angry, cursed them. "May all of you bad sons become mlecchas," he said, "being opposed to the principles of Vedic culture. Thus the younger Madhucchandas accepted Sunahsepha as their eldest brother and told him, "We shall follow your orders." Visvamitra then said to his obedient sons, "Because you have accepted Sunahsepha as your eldest brother, I am very satisfied. By accepting my order, you have made me a father of worthy sons, and therefore I bless all of you to become the fathers of sons also." Visvamitra cursed some of his sons and blessed the others, and he also adopted a son. Thus there were varieties in the Kausika dynasty, but among all the sons, Devarata was considered the eldest.

Kausalya Supraja Rama

This verse is originated from balakaanda of Sri Ramayan, where Vishwamitra wakes up Sri Ram in the morning citing these words. Some acaryas regard this verse as good as the Gayatri mantra.

These are the opening words of the Sri Venkateswara Supbratham to awaken Lord Venkateswara (Balaji). This is the first sloka rhymed while the temple doors are opened everyday morning for the first time at Tirumala. The stanza starts as:

कौसल्या सुप्रजा राम पूर्वा संध्या प्रवर्तते | उत्तिष्ठ नर शार्दूल कर्तव्यम् दैवमाह्निकम् || 1-23-2

Fortunate is Kausalya to beget you as her son Rama; get up oh, tigerly-man, eastern aurora is emerging, daytime tasks towards gods are to be performed.

Scriptural learnings

Apad-dharma

In the scriptures there is mention of äpad-dharma, or occupational duty at times of extraordinary happenings. It is said that the great sage Vishvamitra went to a candala’s house to eat the leg of a dog in a extraordinary dangerous situation (during a drought which lasted 12 years). Candala told to Visvamitra muni that even if you lose your life, do not give up your culture. Visvamitra muni convinced him by saying that I can digest the flesh and the karma (sinful reaction) also. However, at that time Indra showered the rain from above.

The principle is that in cases of emergency, one may be allowed to live on the flesh of animals of all description, but there was never a time in vedic age when there was encouragement by the state for maintenance of regular slaughterhouses, where numerous animals are murdered wholesale and mercilessly.

Exceptions are not general rule

From the history of Parasurama it is seen that although Parasurama belonged to the brahminical group, he circumstantially had to work as a kshatriya. Later, after finishing his work as a kshatriya, he again became a brahmana and returned to Mahendra-parvata. Similarly, it is seen although Vishvamitra was born in a kshatriya family, by austerities and penances he achieved the position of a brahmana. This exceptions in sastras can never be regarded as a general rule for others to implement. Prescribed duties are duties enjoined according to one's psychophysical condition, and one can live more naturally if one sticks to those.

Such practice is not encouraged by Lord Krishna also in Bhagavad Gita wherein He says - It is far better to discharge one's prescribed duties, even though faultily, than another's duties perfectly. Destruction in the course of performing one's own duty is better than engaging in another's duties, for to follow another's path is dangerous.