Vasishtha

When Brahma created the world, he forethought that there would be pain, suffering, miseries and grief as a result of ignorance. He was not happy with the idea and so he meditated and by his creative imagination brought forth Vasishtha, also known later as the mind-born child of Brahma. Vasishtha was taught the science of peace and was sent to the earth to help human beings to overcome suffering and pain. Although it may seem a simple and imaginary story, however, when we learn about the contribution of Vasishtha to humanity, we understand that our mythology is not just full of fanciful imaginations, but are in face, the perennial source of inspiration and illumination.
Vasishtha, the wealthiest, most excellent, as his name suggests, was a celebrated Vedic Rishi or sage. By the power of his tapas (austerity) and humility he came about to own Nandini, the cow of plenty, which by granting all desires made him the master of every Vasu or desirable object. He was the typical representative of Brahminical rank. He was also the seer of a great many hymns of the seventh mandala or book of Rigveda. In one of the hymns he is represented as the family priest of King Sudasa, an office to which Vishvamitra , a rival sage, also aspired; in a different hymn Vasishtha claims to have been inspired by Varuna, and in another he is called the son of the apsara Urvashi by Mitra and Varuna (two gods with one body). In Manusmriti, the book of Hindu code of conduct, he is enumerated among the ten Prajapatis or Patriarchs produced by Manu Svayambhuva for the growth of population of the universe; in the Mahabharata, he is mentioned as the family priest of the solar race or family of Ikshvaku and Ramachandra, teacher of Bhishma, and in the Puranas as one of the arrangers of the Vedas in the Dvapara age. Other legends make him one of the seven patriarchal sages which form the Great Bear; in that he represents the star.
Indian mythology speaks of three births of Vasishtha. In his first birth, he was the mind-born child of Brahma. Arundhati was his wife in this birth. He had seven sons: Chitraketu, Purochis, Viracha, Mitra, Ulbana, Vasubhridyana and Dyuman. All of them were Brahmarshis (seers who have known the Supreme). It is said that he died in the sacrifice of Daksha. (Sati, the consort of Shiva was the daughter of Daksha Prajaapati a descendant of Bhrama.. Sati had married Shiva against the wishes of her father. The vain Daksha performed a great yagna (with the sole aim of insulting Shiva), to which he invited all of the gods and goddesses except his son in law Shiva. Against Shiva's wishes, Sati attended this sacrifice and was insulted by her father. Unable to bear this insult, Sati immolated herself.) After this, Vasishtha was again born from the sacrificial fire of Brahma. This was his second birth. In this birth, Akshamala was his wife. He was the family preceptor of Nimi, a great emperor, son of Ikshvaku. Once, Nimi wanted to have a sacrifice which would last for five hundred years. He went to Vasishtha and requested him to conduct the sacrifice. Vasishtha had already given his word to help Indra conduct a similar sacrifice and so requested Nimi to wait for five hundred years. A disappointed Nimi was however impatient and started the sacrifice with the help of other Rishis. When Vasishtha came back after five hundred years, he found that Nimi has started the sacrifice without informing him. Insulted, he cursed Nimi that his body should be parted from his soul. Nimi, at the time was sleeping, and did not realise that he had been cursed. When he came to know about the matter, he ran to Vasishtha and prayed to be freed from the curse. An angry Vasishtha refused to listen to the prayer. At this, Nimi also lost his temper and cursed Vasishtha in the same way. Vasishtha was unable to help himself. He ran to his father Brahma for protection. Brahma advised him to hurry to the Ashram of Mitravaruna (the twin god), and get dissolved in the effulgence of Mitravaruna, which is precisely what Vasishtha did. One day, Urvashi, a celestial nymph, appeared in that Ashram. At her sight, Mitravaruna had their seminal emission which fell into a pot. The pot duly burst open and from there emerged Agastya and Vasishtha. This was the third birth of Vasishtha.
Apava, Arundhatipati, Brahmarshi, Devarshi, Hairanyagarbha, Maitravaruni, Varnuni, Agastyanuja etc. are just some of the names of Vasishtha recorded in different Puranas.
A proper analysis of the mantras of the seventh mandala of Rigveda reveals the philosophy of Vasishtha. In addition to these hymns, there is also another text called Yogavasishtha, with an interesting story behind its creation. Ramachandra, the son of Dasharatha, was overcome by serious doubts about the meaning of life and its purpose on the eve of his going with Vishvamitra to help him counter the harassments from evil elements. He lost interest in everything and Vasishtha, the family preceptor, was called to deal with the situation. He taught Ramachandra the philosophy of life and death and many other issues related to the world and Reality. This is how Yogavasishtha came to be written which, in thirty two thousand verses, contains the great philosophical teachings of Rishi Vasishtha.

There is beautiful story written by Sri Aurobindo about the ideal of forgiveness in which he has taken up Vasishtha and Vishvamitra as two main characters. Given below is this story to enumerate the greatness of Vasishtha.

The Ideal of Forgiveness
By Sri Aurobindo
(This is a translation from the Bengali writing of Sri Aurobindo)

Far below, the river mingled its murmur with the winds, as it danced along on its course; and the earth was bathed in beauty of the half moon as it drifted slowly through the clouds. All around were the forest retreats of the Rishis, each charming enough to put the Elysian fields to shame: every hermitage was a perfect picture of sylvan loveliness with its trees and flowers and foliage.

On this moon-enraptured night, said Brahmarshi Vasishtha to his spouse Arundhati Devi, "Devi (literally, goddess), go and beg some salt of the Rishi Vishvamitra, and bring it here soon."

Taken aback, she replied, "My lord, what is this you are asking me to do? I cannot understand you! He who has robbed me of my hundred sons..." She could say no more, for her voice was choked with sobs as memories of the past rose up to disturb that sweet home of serenity, her heart, and to fill it with pain to its depths. After some time she recovered her composure to continue: "All my hundred sons were learned in the Vedas and dedicated to the Divine. They would go about in moonlight such as this night, singing His praises, but he…he has destroyed them all. And you bid me go and beg at his door for a little salt! My lord, you bewilder me!"

The face of the sage filled with light; slowly from the ocean-depths of his heart came the words, "But, Devi, I love him!" Arundhati's bewilderment increased, and she said, "If you love him you might just as well have addressed him as Brahmarshi! The whole trouble would have ended there, and I should have had my hundred sons left to me."

The Rishi's face took on a singular beauty as he said, "It was because I love him that I did not call him Brahmarshi. It was because I did not call him that, that he still has a chance of becoming a Brahmarshi."

Vishvamitra was beside himself with rage. He could not concentrate on his tapasya. He had vowed that if Vasishtha did not acknowledge him as a Brahmarshi that day, he would kill him. To carry out this resolve, he armed himself with a sword as he left his hermitage. Slowly he came to Vasishthadeva's cottage and stood listening outside. He heard what the great sage was saying to Devi Arundhati about him. The grip on his sword-hilt relaxed as he thought, "Heavens, what was I about to do in my ignorance! To think of trying to hurt one whose soul is so far above all pettiness!" He felt the sting of a hundred bees in his conscience, and ran forward and fell at Vasishtha's feet. For a time he could not speak, but in a little while he recovered his speech and said, "Pardon me, O pardon me! But I am unworthy even of your mercy!" He could say no more, for his pride still held him fast. But Vasishtha stretched out both arms to raise him. "Rise, Brahmarshi!" he gently said. But Vishvamitra, in his shame and mortification, could not believe that Vasishtha meant what he said.

"Do not deride me, my lord," he cried.
"I never say what is false," replied Vasishtha. "You have become a Brahmarshi today. You have earned that status because you have shed your haughty self-conceit." "Teach me divine lore, then," implored Vishvamitra.
"Go to Anantadeva, he will give you what you desire," said Vasishtha.

Vishvamitra came to where Anantadeva stood with the Earth resting on his head. "Yes, I will teach you what you want to learn. But, first, you must hold up the Earth."
Proud of his tapasya-won powers, Vishvamitra said, "Very well, relinquish your burden and let me bear it." "Hold it then," said Anantadeva, moving away. And the Earth began to spin down and down in space. "Here and now I give up all the fruits of my tapasya," shouted Vishvamitra, "only let the Earth not sink downwards." "You have not done tapasya enough to hold up the Earth, O Vishvamitra." Anantadeva shouted back. "Have you ever associated with holy men? If you have, offer up the merit you have so acquired."
"For a moment only, I was with Vashishtha," answered Vishvamitra.
"Offer up the fruits of that contact then," commanded Anantadeva.
"I do here offer them up," said Vishvamitra. Slowly the Earth stopped sinking downwards.
"Give me divine knowledge, now", importuned Vishvamitra.

"Fool!" exclaimed Anantadeva, "you come to me for" divine knowledge turning away from him whose momentary touch has given you virtue enough to hold up the Earth !"

Vishvamitra grew angry at the thought that Vasishthadeva had played him a trick. So he hurried back to him and demanded why he had deceived him.

Unruffled, Vasishtha answered him in slow and solemn tones: "If I had given you the knowledge you asked for then, you would not have accepted it as true. Now you will have faith in me."

And so Vishvamitra came to acquire knowledge of the Divine from Vasishtha.

Such were the saints and sages of India in the olden days, and such was their ideal of forgiveness. So great was the power they had acquired by their tapasya that they could even carry the Earth on their shoulders. Such sages are being born in India again, today. They will dim the lustre of the Rishis of old by their radiance, and confer on India a glory greater than any she has ever known.