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Richeek
From
Bhaagvat Puraan, 9/9
Richeek Muni was the son of Maharshi Aurv in Bhrigu's line.
In the lineage of Pururavaa of Chandra Vansh, there was a king named Jahnu
who drank Gangaa water (read Gangaa'
Other Names), and then there was a King named Kushnaabh in the same line
who had a son named Gaadhi. According to
MBH, G-4-Van/20 King Gaadhi was the king of Kaanyakubj country. he was spending
his time in forest that he had a beautiful daughter named Satyavatee. Rishi Richeek
asked Gaadhi to give his daughter to him. Gaadhi did not think Richeek a worthy
husband for his daughter so he refused him saying - "We are all from Kushik
Vansh. Our daughter will be difficult for you, but if you bring 1,000 such horses
who are of pure white color but their one ear is black as fees." Richeek Muni
understood his purpose, so he went to Varun and brought such horses. He gave them to
Gaadhi and married Satyavatee.
Note
While narrating Parashuraam's story,
MBH, G-4-Van/20 gives some other description of this marriage. When
Richeek Muni asked Gaadhi for the hand of Satyavatee, the King said - "We
have a custom, started by our ancestors, that the groom should give 1,000
brown colored horse each with one black ear. I cannot ask this from such a
sage like you, nor I can refuse my daughter to you." Richeek Muni
said - "OK, I will give them to you, and you get ready to marry your
daughter to me."
Birth of Jamadagni and Vishwaamitra
Once both Satyavatee and her mother requested Richeek Muni for a son. So he
cooked some Charu (Kheer) for both of them separately and went to take bath.
Satyavatee's mother thought that Richeek must have cooked better Charu for
his wife, so she asked that Charu for herself from her daughter. So Satyavatee
gave her own Charu to her mother and ate her mother's Charu herself. When
Richeek Muni heard this, he said to his wife - "You have done a great
harm to yourself. I cooked the special Charu for your mother so that she can
have a good Kshatriya son, and you can have a good Braahman son; but since
you have exchanged the Charu, now your son will punish the people and your
brother will be a good Brahmvettaa (knower of Brahm). Hearing this Satyavatee
got very sad and tried to please her husband to revert her action. Then Richeek
Muni said - "OK, then your grandson will be like that, not your son."
Satyavatee got silent. When time came Satyavatee gave birth to
Rishi Jamadagni, and her mother gave
birth to a great Brahmarshi Vishwaamitra.
After giving birth to Jamadagni Satyavatee got converted into
Kaushikee River which made
Tri-Lok holy.
Note
While narrating Parashuraam's story,
MBH,
G-4-Van/20 gives completely different story of getting sons. According to it
Bhrigu Rishi asked Satyavatee to ask for a boon and she asked a son for each -
herself and her mother. Bhrigu gave this boon to her and gave two pots of rice
and milk (maybe Kheer) prepared by him. he further directed both of them to take
bath at a proper time and embrace two separate trees - for Styavatee it was fig
tree and for her mother it was Peepal tree.
There was a Renu Rishi whose daughter was Renukaa (but
MBH, G-4-Van/20 says that Renukaa was King Prasenjit's daughter) Jamadagni
Rishi married to her. She had five sons from him - Rumanvaan, Sushen, Vasu,
Vishwaavasu and Parashuraam. Parashuraam
was their youngest son. He was a great Rishi and had many Siddhi. His glory is
famous in the world. It is said that Bhagavaan Himself took Ansh Avataar as
Parashuraam to end Haihaya Vansh. He
emptied Prithvi from Kshatriya 21 times and built five large ponds of blood in
Samantpanchak area.
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