Divya Ram Katha : Part - 6

Vashishtha

Distributor of Designations – Vashishtha

Maharishi Vishwamitra had a feeling in his mind, now I should become brahmarishi. But until, Vashishtha tell him brahmarishi, no one could say him brahmarishi. He came to the cottage of Guru Vashishtha, with their war weapons with him fixed in his attire of a King, his life was of a penance(hermit). But Vashishtha did not call him Brahmarishi, he called him Rajarishi (Rishi-king, prosperous rishi). So he killed all his sons. After that when next day he reached there, he again called him Rajarishi. Now, at this, Vishwamitra determined – “This Brahmin is in proud, I shall kill him.” At night, he stayed there silently without informing anybody else, at the ashram of guru Vashishtha.

That day was a full moon day. Arundhati, wife of Vashishtha, said, “Bhagwan! What a marvelous light the moon giving. No other thing can give such a great light. It is very peaceful enlighter.” Vashishtha Muni said, “O Devi! This light is a little one. Maharaj Vishwamitra has done too much penance, that if a lot of moons give light all together, will not be able to stand in front of him.”  Arundhati said, “Prabhu! He has taken life of all of your sons yet you do not call him brahmarishi that is why he is continued to hurt you. Why do not you praise him in front of his face?” He told, “Devi! What should I do? When he comes here, he comes with such a design that it becomes necessary to say him Rajarishi. He could not have politeness within his heart till now.” Vashishtha further said, “When a person do penance and politeness does not make a place in his heart, the attire is not according to that, we must not give him that one designation. Dignity or status is lost by this act. Sons of mine are lost in this world, but others may take birth. But after the loss of dignity, that can not be made again. Devi! Existence of Dignity is quite necessary today. Whether other sons may not take birth but sentence of lie, will become the cause of my fall and ruin.” When guru Vashishtha told so, heart of Vishwamitra became polite and calm with its influence and he told,” What a great god he is!” Leaving all his weapons away from his body, he bowed his head in the feet of Vashishtha and said, “Prabhu! Pardon me. I am an accused. For I  have killed all of your sons.” He told,” It does not make any difference, they might have become dead, and you would have to come to politeness. But I must not have to speak words of lies.” When a soul has the food of knowledge, then remains prudent(discrete) and he can establish broadness in the world.

Description of Vashistha muni is found at the time of Svayambhu Manu too. Son of Swayambhu Manu, Ikshwaku performed a Putreshti Yaga( A yajna for the wish of a great son). That yajna was performed by Mr. Vashishtha. He was choosen as brahma(main pandit) of that yajna. This custom remained since those ancient times. Now Treta yuga started. There in Raghuvansha, Vashishtha is called the most learned pandit. There ruled 7500 kings in the dynasty of Bhagwan Manu. Name of son of Manu was Ikshvaku. Name of Ikshwaku Manu’s son was Chandaketu Manu. Name of Chandraketu Manu’s son was Renketu Manu. In fact, 7500 kings of his dynasty, ruled here on the whole earth and tried to control the peoples everwhere besides being disciplined themselves. Where Vashishtha was there who made the Putreshti Yag performed, he was there at the time of Gyanshruti and further in Raghuvansha and Suryavansha, he was called purohit. A purohit of a king is that one, who had made his life deciplined and had made one himself with the par brahma.

It is considered, all the kings who ruled Ayodhya, had their Rajpurohit named as Vashishtha. I have got the occasions to study the lives of many Vashishthas. First Vashishtha who was elected, had the name Renvrittika Muni. He was called Renvrittika Vashishtha. And second Vashishtha, that was elected was Somni Vashishtha. So, in this dynasty, Vashishtha was a designation.

Sermons of Brahma-Vaad(Divine knowledge) was given to the selectable Vashishtha. Once, meeting of rishis was gathered to the place of Maharishi Somketu. In this gathering, Maharishi Dadheechi, Shwetketu etc. rishis were present. Swangaketu muni maharaj was to be made Vashishtha. To him the authority of Brahma(main pandit of great yajnas) was to be given. ‘Brahm vyapak prave asti’, because divine sages pronounce this to whom authority of all rishis was to be given.  Because they used to be too much determined and courageous that his sons might be dead, his wife might be dead, his cottage might be destroyed, but he could not be declined from his moral. Their subconscious could not be destroyed. So, this type of Brahmarishi could get the authority to give divine sermons. Thoughts of this type of rishi who used to be full of penance, said to be for the sake of all persons for region.

Father of maharishi Vashishtha, was called Suniti, ‘Sunetam Bhavam’ rishi. Once he was sitting on his specific regular place(Asan). He, Bhavam rishi, told her wife, “O Devi! Come, it is our desire, let us study, let us think about supreme power and ‘Yagam’ , let us make our life full of yajnas.” They both accepted these sentences theirself. It is remembered me till now that they both started penance for a long time. (Actually these sermons are the sayings of Shringi rishi himself, in trance who took birth in year 1942 in India. He used to give sermons for approximately one hour a day with recitation of vaidic hymns for 10 minutes in its beginning since his very childhood. This has been a great example of rebirth. This matter will be discussed later) Look, O sages! After some period their heart felt this sentence, “Devi! We want to perform Putreshti Yag.” She told, “It is very sweet O dear sir! But we live in a dense forest. We do our penance here. We have the thirst to be near with our soul and the supreme soul. In between it, you want to perform Putreshti yag? Why not? Your welcome then. It is too our duty.”

Look sages! Both of them together while wandering, reached to the place of king Ashwetu. Welcoming both of them, king Ashwetu left his own living place(seat) and after that he said, “Tell be o respectable sir! How have you got here please? If I were informed before, I would have brought you with conveyance. Rishi told, “No matter o king! We too are living a life of penance, we are doing penance. We have a desire to perform Putreshti yag. But, look o king! The region is not in the influence of Tamogun(ignorance, the influence of mind that thinks about construction and demolishion). Vedas say, the hymns of Vedas say, if you perform Putreshti yag, there should be darkness, no ray of the sun should be seen anywhere at that place or, any ray of Sun should not reach that place. And gods should be present there but ‘Andhakaram Bhutam Brahmane Lokam’. When he told it, he asked, “O rshivar! What do you want then?” He said, “Make a place built for us.” He made a place constructed in his own garden. After that, all the things of prosperity, for eating etc. were collected there. After that they performed Putreshti Yag. After that Putreshti yag, Vashishtha was born. Maharishi Vashistha Muni Maharaj got education from both of them and they dictated him divine knowledge. Once his wife told, “Bhagwan! Now putreshti yag has been performed. We should leave this kingdom now. Because the food of a kingdom has Rajogun-Tamogun(disciplinery behavior on outer world, anger, ignorance etc.) In future, our son might become Ignorant(tamoguni). He should be Satoguni(full of divine knowledge). He must not be full of tamogun-rajogun.” Rishi accepted these words by heart and said, “Let us move.”

They have educated him to make divine. That attainer of celibacy, made his life full of penance. Life of Maharishi Vashishtha was full of penance. Greatness was seen in his life, he ‘Brahmah Vach Pravah’. In Raghuvansh, from the time of Maharaj Sagar, this national designation came in existence. Who used to do penance like him(Vashishtha), was made Vashishtha Muni. Who used to be without insult, honor and proud, got Brahm designation. And that Vashishtha designation was taken by whom, would be divine and brahmnishtha(considered one, with eternal spirit).

To be continued . . . .

Truly

Anubhav Sharma