How did a Rajarishi become a Brahmarishi ? Get rid of the 'I' - THE E-GO!

[Guest guest]

Viswamitra was once a King who became a rishi after doing 'tapas' and

practicing austerities. He was known as a Rajarishi. Vishwamitra

wanted to attain the status of a Brahmarishi just like sage

Vasishta!

 

Vishwamitra was always jealous of sage vasishta.Sage Vashishtha

addressed Vishwamitra as " raajarishi " or great king that had become

an ascetic. Vishwamitra was very upset at this, and could not

understand why he had not yet earned Vashishtha's respect. He became

increasingly irritated, and finally decided to kill Vashishtha so

that everyone would know him as Brahmarishi.

 

One night, he hid near Vashishtha's home. At that time, he overheard

Vashishtha telling his wife Arundhati What a Great saint Vishwamitra

was and how his penance was reminiscent of the peaceful moonlight.

Hearing this, Vishwamitra changed his mind, and felt real remorse at

what he had almost done. At the instance this realization came,

Vishwamitra immediately approached sage Vasishta and touched

Vaishta's feet and asked for forgiveness .

 

Vasishta now realized that vishwamitra has now conquered his sense of

false ego (AHAMKARAM) and jealousy and lifted him up and addressed

sage Vishwamitra as " brahmarishi " ! hence the famous

saying " vashistar vayale brahmarishi " ( from the mouth of Vasishtar,

the title of brahmarishi - an honor so to speak) !

 

do you know that it was sage Vishwamitra who gave the gayathri mantra

to the world?

 

also, The sage vishwamitra had the power to awaken the Lord. He

could see the past, present and the future. He initiated the Lord in

his mission to fight the evil and restore dharma. Even today in most

of the temples in India, the Lord is awakened through sage

Vishwamitra's hymn - Kaushalya Rama Poorva Sandhya

Pravarchathe ............

 

sage vishwamitra is also credited with creating the Trishanku

swargam!

 

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well, the point in narrating THIS STORY is one has to conquer many

vrittis - anger, jealousy, false pride, arrogance, coveteousness,

lust, desires, greed, ego ignorance etc... these are the internal

demons one needs to conquer ! all these external demons like

ravana,mahisura , hirnakashyapu are purely imaginary!

 

Professorji has been writing about Shama and dama - we all know how

difficult it is control the baser passions and control the desire to

hanker after sensual pleasures . We are all familiar with the story

of Vishwamitra and celestial nymph Menaka who tried to create

obstacles in the great SAGE'S TAPASYA .

 

Bhatruhari , the great poet, writes in his Sringara shatakam

 

In Shringaara Shatakam , The Rasika in BHATRUHARI is fully

manifested ...

 

He writes...

 

VISHWAMITRAPARAASHAR PRABHRITYO VAATAAMBUPARANAASHANAASTEAPI

STREEMUKHAPANKAJAM SULALITAM DRISHTVAIV MOHAM GATAAH|

SHAALYANNAM SAGHRITAM PAYODADHIYUTAM BHUNJATI YE

MAANVAASTESHAAMINDRIYANIGRAHO YADI BHAVEDVINDHYASRESAAGARAM||

(verse 26 -shringara shatakam)

 

 

Even the great sages like Vishwamitra, and Parashar who lived on

plain food, water and air, could not contain their urges when they

saw the beautiful faces of pretty young women. It is not surprising

then if an ordinary person who lives on milk and cereals falls in

love with young women. Control of sense organs by an ordinary person

is as surprising as a mountain floating on the sea.

 

But the same poet , Bhatruhari , writes in his Vairagya shatakam

 

BHOGA MEGHA VITANA MADHYA VILASATSAUDAMINI CHANCHALA

AYURVAYUVI GHATTITABJA PATA LILINAMBUVANGURAM|

LILA YAUVAN LALASASTANUBHRITA MITYA KALAYYA DRUTAM YOGE

DHAIRYA SAMADHI SIDDHI SULABHE BUDDHI VI DADHVAM BUDHAHA||

 

O, intelligent people amongst. The clouds of pleasure of humans

lightening is going to strike i.e. pleasures shall soon cease to

exist.

Our life is transitory and momentary just as a drop of water over the

lotuses. The passions created out of youthhood are also unstable.

Realizing this engage in meditation and contemplation and attainment

of super natural powers so that one can make the mind stable and

calm. One should also contemplate on the supreme cosmic soul.

 

Bhatruhari also says in another verse in Vairagya shatakam

 

This is the verse Swami Vivekananda was fond of quoting from

Bhatruhari's Vairaghya Shatakam

 

 

In wealth is the fear of poverty, in knowledge the fear of ignorance,

in beauty the fear of age, in fame the fear of backbiters, in success

the fear of jealousy, even in body is the fear of death. Everything

in this earth is fraught with fear. He alone is fearless who has

given up everything.

 

Don't think this is an ultimate vedantic thought? one of total

renunciation and detatchment ?

 

Love and blessings