विश्वामित्रviśvāmitraN. of a celebrated sage. [He was originally a Kṣatriya, being the king of Kānyakubja and son of Gādhi. One day…
[विश्वं मित्रं यस्य, विश्वस्य मित्रं वा पूर्वपददीर्घः; ParasmaipadaVI.3.13]
Name of a celebrated sage. [He was originally a Kṣatriya, being the king of Kānyakubja and son of Gādhi. One day while out hunting, he went to the hermitage of the great sage Vasiṣṭha, and seeing there the cow of plenty, offered him untold treasures in exchange for it, but being refused he tried to take it by force. A long contest thereupon ensued, in which king Viśvāmitra was signally defeated; and so great was his vexation, and withal so greatly was he impressed with the power inherent in Brāhmanism that he devoted himself to the most rigorous austerities till he successively got the titles Rājarṣi, Riṣi, Maharṣi, and Brahmarṣi, but he was not contented till Vasiṣṭha himself called him by the nameBrahmarṣi, which, however, took place after several thousands of years. Viśvāmitra several times tried to excite Vasiṣṭha for example by killing his one hundred sonsbut the great sage was not in the least perturbed. His power, even before he finally became a Brahmarśi, was very great, as was seen in his transporting Triśaṅku to the skies, in saving Sunah- śepa from the hands of Indra, in creating things after the style of Brahman etc. etc. He was the companion and counsellor of young Rāma to whom he gave several miraculous missiles.] -Compound
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