SRINGERI THE GREAT CENTER OF ADVAITA !

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Sringeri is hallowed for all times by the ancient

legend of the sage Sri Rishyashringa. <br> Sage

Vibhandaka and his older brother Sage Prabhandaka, were the

sons of Maharishi Kashyapa. Sage Vibhandaka as a boy

left home for his education. After several years of

intensive education returned to his brother Prabhandaka,

who by then had got married. Prabhandaka was

overjoyed to see his brother after several years. But

Vibhandaka's return was not well received by his sister-in-law

who thought that he was more of a burden to her.

Noticing her displeasure, Vibhandaka with full of sorrow

felt that he should leave his brother once and for

all. <br> He left his brother's ashram to proceed to a

far off forest. In his new environs he built an

ashram and started living in it without any worldly

contact.<br> Seeing Sage Vibhandaka's peaceful life, Urvashi,

the heavenly damsel, smitten by his serene life,

wanted to marry him. Vibhandaka refused but Urvashi was

adamant. At last, Vibhandaka relented and soon he and

Urvashi started living in the ashram as husband and wife.

In course of time, Urvashi bore a son who was named

as Rishyashringa. This child was born with a small

horn in the forehead.<br> Sage Vibhandaka realised

that Rishyashringa would be a great sage and would

bring prosperity to the world. A few days after the

child was born Urvashi returned to the heavens.

Vibhandaka found himself responsible for the proper

upbringing of the child. Since Vibhandaka was dejected by

the attitude of his sister-in-law and Urvashi's way

of life, he thought that the easiest way to keep his

son innocent of the worldly ways was to keep him in

forest isolation. He succeeded to such an extent that

when the boy matured into manhood, he had never set

eyes on any human being other that his own father. He

was even unaware of sexual distinction.<br> It so

happened that the neighboring kingdom of Anga suffered

from a severe drought. The king Romapada was advised

by his ministers that there would be copious rains

if Sage Rishyashringa blessed his kingdom with the

touch of his holy feet. Romapada, under the leadership

of his daughter, Shanta, sent a number of fair

damsels, all dressed as sanyansins, to the forest to bring

the sage. They were however afraid of sage

Vibhandaka, and so approached the hermitage in his absence.