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Vashishth Jee and Vishwaamitra Jee
See   "Quarrel With Vashishth Jee"

While Vashishth Jee and Vishwaamitra Jee were still cross, several incidents occurred in between, such as the incident of the King Satyavrat (Trishanku), Curse to King Saudaas ---

Birth of Paraashar - Vashishth's Grandson
Once Shakti (Vashishth's Son) was going somewhere, that he met the King Kalmaashpaad (see the story Vashishth's Curse to King Saudaas) going in his chariot. The King did not move from the path, as in those days the chariots used to give way to pregnant women, or a man carrying a load, or a weak or old man on the road, or a Rishi. The King said, "you don't see that I am coming?" Shakti said - "I am a Braahman and a saint, it is your duty to give me the way." At this the King slashed him with his whip. At this Shakti cursed him to become a Raakshas. Vishwaamitra Jee was seeing all this from a distance. He got very happy to see this because Vashishth Jee was his greatest enemy. He heard Shakti cursing the King of being Raakshas also.

A little while later Vishwaamitra Jee saw a Raakshas named Kinkar. He got an opportunity to take revenge, so he asked that Raakshas to enter Kalmaashpaad's body. Kinkar entered the King's body and thus Shakti's words proved true. Then Kalmaashpaad insulted another saint and that saint also cursed him to become a Raakshas. Now the King's nature was changing to a Raakshas nature, so he went to Shakti and said - "I am behaving like this because of you, so let me begin my Raakshas career with eating you. So he ate Shakti up and killed his brothers too.

When Vashishth Jee heard this, he became very sad and started towards the forest to commit suicide. On the way he saw Shakti's pregnant widow Adrashyanti coming. He got pity on her, so he brought her in his Aashram, and after a few days she delivered a son. Vashishth Jee named him Paraashar.

One day Vashishth Jee and Adrishyanti went to collect Samidhaa (twigs for Yagya), that a Raakshas came and roared near Adrishyanti. Vashishth Jee also roared on him in return and the Raakshas got stuck there only. He was the King Kalmaashpaad (who ate Vashishth's son Shakti). Vashishth Jee recognized him, so he took some holy water from his Kamandal and sprinkled on him pronouncing some Mantra. He became free from the curse. He asked for Vashishth's forgiveness and Vashishith Jee forgave him. When Paraashar grew up he decided to take revenge of his father's killing by doing the Raakshas Yagya but Vashishth Jee stopped him saying that this is not good for saints.

Reason Not to Declare Vishwaamitra as Brahmarshi
Since Vishwaamitra Jee had seen Vashishth's power (read " Quarrel With Vashishth Jee"), he was doing severe Tap to become Brahmarshi, and Vashishth Jee was not declaring him Brahmarshi. So Vishwaamitra Jee thought that it was Vashishth Jee who did not want him to become Brahmarshi. So he started towards Vashishth Jee's Aashram to ask as why he did not want him to become Brahmarshi. When he arrived there, he overheard Arundhatee asking her husband, "Why don't you declare Vishwaamitra Jee Brahmarshi?" He said, "It is not easy, Arundhatee, because his "I" (ego) must die, then only he can become Brahmarshi; besides he has to be very calm and patient and should never lose his temper. He does not follow this so what use of his Tap is?" Now Vishwaamitra Jee interpreted that in this way that "unless Vashishth will die I cannot be Brahmarshi" so he entered Vashishth Jee's Kutee with the intention to kill him. Vashishth Jee said, "See, what I was saying to you. He is so angry that he is not trying to understand the things. His "I" (Aham, or ego) is not yet gone." Then he understood what he wanted to say.

Another Version
In another version, Vishwaamitra, being jealous with Vashishth, went to his house with a rock in his hand with the intention to kill him, that after he would kill Vashishth, he would be Brahmarshi. When he arrived at his Aashram he heard Arundhatee saying, "Why don't you declare Vishwaamitra Jee Brahmarshi?" Sage Vashishth replied that he would do so once Vishwaamitra comes to him humbly. Hearing this conversation, Vishwaamitra felt ashamed and threw the rock away and rushed towards Sage Vashishth and fell prostrate at his feet.

Sage Vashishth said to Vishwaamitra "You have shown to the world that the human spirit is invincible and accepts no defeat. You conquered lust, anger, greediness, attachment and arrogance one by one through your austerities and meditation. The last barrier was jealousy. Now you have conquered that enemy also. "Hail Brahmarshi Vishwaamitra." - As Sage Vashishth Jee touched the brow center of Vishwaamitra, his third eye opened and he saw the seven rhythms with which the cosmos was created. The sacred Gaayatree-Mantra with its seven Vyaahriti or rhythms was revealed to him at that time.

Some Other Incidents

Vashishth's Curse to Vasu
From MBH, G-1-Beginning/3         See Also  "Gangaa and Shaantanu"

Once Vashishth Jee gave Shaap to eight Vasu to take birth on Earth. On their way to their home they met Gangaa. Gangaa asked them as why they were so sad? They told her the whole incident. They said to her - "Once Vashishth Jee was doing his evening worship, we could not see him and we crossed him. So he cursed us to be born on Prithvi. We do not want to live in any human womb. Since you are also cursed to be born on Prithvi, if you can help us. You can flow us in your water as soon as we are born, thus we will be free from our curse." Then Gangaa assured them that she would produce them as her children and would give them Mukti. She said - "I ill give you birth but I will drown you in me (Gangaa River) so you will get Mukti from this Shaap, but who do you choose to become your father?" They said - "There is a king named Prateep on Prithvi, he will have a son named Shaantanu. He will be our father." Gangaa said - "Fine. But at least one of you would have to live there for your whole life, because my living with Shaantanu will not go completely waste. Who is going to live there? They decided that whoever was specifically the culprit of Vashishth Jee will stay back on Earth. So the youngest one stayed on Earth. The other seven Vasu gave him their 1/8th part of their powers to sustain on Prithvi and said to him - "You will not have any progeny on Earth and will come back here in Uttaraayan if you want salvation from your human birth." That is why he did not marry and left his body in Uttaraayan so that he could get salvation from the human birth.

In this context Gangaa came to live with king Shaantanu of Hastinaapur and gave birth to eight children. She drowned seven of them but the last one had to live. He was famous Mahaabhaarat character Bheeshm. When Yudhishthir went for his guidance, Krishn said that he had to live 56 days more on this Earth.

According to Mahaabhaaarat, G-1-Beginning/3, Gangaa tells the following story of Vasu's curse - "Varun has a son named Vashishth. Once he was went on Meru Parvat and started doing penance at a convenient spot. Daksh had a daughter named Surabhi who gave birth to a daughter named Nandinee in the form of a cow. Vashishth Jee got Nandinee for the fulfillment of his Yagya needs and he used to live with her there.

One day Vasu came there along with Prithu and wandered there along with their wives. One of the Vasu's wife saw Nandinee there and showed her to her husband Dyu. Dyu said - "This cow belongs to Vashishth Jee. Whoever mortal drinks its milk remains young for 10,000 years." Dyu's wife said - "There is a friend of mine on Earth named Jitavatee, the daughter of King Usheenar. I wish to have this cow with her calf for my that friend. Please bring that cow to me so that my friend can drink its milk and remain young for ever." So Dyu, just in humor, stole that cow aided by his brother Prithu and the others. He didn't think about the sin of stealing the Rishi's cow. When Vashishth Jee came back, he didn't see his cow. He came to see [with his Yog power] that Vasu had stolen his cow, he immediately got angry and gave Shaap to them, "since they have stolen my cow they will certainly have to be born on Earth."

After cursing them thus he sat down for his Tap. When Vasu came to know about it, they prayed him to pacify him, but failed to get his grace. Then Vashishth Jee said - "O Dhava and others, listen, You have been cursed by me, but you will be free from that Yoni within a year of your birth. I do not lie. Dyu, You will be born on Earth but you will not have any children. However you will be conversant with scriptures, but will not have the pleasure of women there." Then all Vasu came to me and requested me to be their mother and begged me a boon that I shall throw them in water as soon as they are born. I did as they wished to free them from human form. Thus according to Rishi's curse, this Dyu has to live on Earth for some time." After telling this Gangaa disappeared then and there. She took Gangaadatt, who was Gaangeya and Devavrat with her.

Vashishth's Curse to Rishi Grihatsamad
Mahaabhaarat, Anushaasan Parv, Ch 18 mentions a story about Rishi Grihatsamad, that once When Grihatsamad (Shaunak Jee) was given the job to recite Saam Ved in a Yagya, Vashishth Jee came there and told him that he was not reciting Rathantar of Saam Ved properly and cursed him to live in a pathless forest for 11,800 years, where there is no wind and water, and when he would pass from any forest, that forest will also be empty from holy trees and will haunt from Ruru and lions. As soon as he uttered these words, Grihatsamad changed into a deer. He then went into the protection of Shiv. Then only he became all right. Shiv said to him - "You will be free from all diseases and you will be immortal. You will never be grieved, and your friendship with Indra will be the same. Sacrifices of you both, yours and Indra's will increase."

Vashishth Jee and Kaartveerya Arjun
Once Kaatveerya Arjun's arrow burnt the Aashram of Vashishth Jee. At that time he cursed him that the son of Jamadagni, Parashuraam, would cut his 1,000 arms

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