Vasishta (वसिष्ठः)

Vasishta (Samskrit : ) is one of foremost and greatest of the Sapta Maharshi's and is one of the Brahma-manasa-putra.

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.