Vasishta
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Vasishta, in Hindu mythology was chief of the seven venerated sages (or Saptharishi) and the Rajaguru of the Suryavamsha or Solar Dynasty. He was the manasaputra of Brahma. He had in his possession the divine cow Kamadhenu, and Nandini her child, who could grant anything to their owners.
Arundhati is the name of the wife of Vasishta. The star M101 of the stellar constellation Ursa Major is thought of as Vasishta and the small one beside it as Arundhati.
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Tales featuring Vashishta
Vashishta is featured in many tales and folklore, a few of which are briefly described below.
The tale of Vishwamitra
This tale tells of how Vashishta possessed a cow named Kamadhenu who could produce enough food for a whole army of troops instantly. The king Vishwamitra, who visited Vashishta's hermitage, was very impressed with the cow and tried to take it away from Vashishta by force, but Vashishta's spiritual power acquired through penance was too great for him. After being unable to conquer Vashishta, Vishwamitra decided to acquire power himself through penance. He gained much power and many divine weapons from Lord Shiva. And once again he attempted to conquer Vashishta. But even the divine weapons he acquired could not defeat the power of Vashishta's Brahmadanda. Vishwamitra finally decided to become a Brahmarishi himself, and he renounced all his possessions and luxury and led the life of a simple forest ascetic.
The tale of King Dileepa
King Dileepa was a king of the Raghuvamsha dynasty. He had a wife named Sudakshina, but they had no children. For this reason, Dileepa visited the sage Vashishta in his ashram, and asked him for his advice. Vashishta replied that they should serve the cow Nandini, child of Kamadhenu, and perhaps if Nandini was happy with their service, she would grant them with a child. So, according to Vashishta, Dileepa served Nandini every day, and attended to her every need for twenty-one days. On the twenty-first day, a lion attacks Nandini. Dileepa immediately draws his bow and tries to shoot the lion. But he finds that his arm is paralysed and cannot move. He reasons that the lion must have some sort of divine power. As if to confirm this, the lion started to speak to him. It said that Dileepa had no chance of saving the cow because the cow was the lion's chosen meal. The lion tells Dileepa to return to Vashishta's ashram. Dileepa replies by asking if the lion would let Nandini go if he offered himself in Nandini's place. The lion agreed and Dileepa sacrificed his life for the cow. But then the lion mysteriously disappeared. Nandini explained that the lion was just an illusion to test Dileepa. Because Dileepa was truly selfless, Nandini granted him with a son.
See also
Sources
- Mythological Tales - Vashishta (http://www.urday.com/vashishta.htm)
- Raguvamsha (http://www.freeindia.org/biographies/greatpoets/kalidas/page3.htm)