Tidbits-1
Rishi and Divine Cows
The first three names are of Rishi who had the divine cows, and who entertained a King and
his army with that cow. Kings got very jealous with those Rishi and had a kind of war with Rishi.
There are two other people (No 4 and 5) who had Mani (gems) with extraordinary
powers.
(1) Maharshi Vashishth
Vashishth Jee had the Kapilaa cow and he entertained king
Vishwaamitra Jee and
his army with the help of that cow. Vishwaamitra Jee was very impressed
with that cow and asked for her but the cow herself didn't go with him... and
with the permission of Vashishth Jee she created such a huge army from her fur
that Vishwaamitra's army ran away.
Not only Vishwaamitra Jee, but even
the eighth Vasu named Dyau also wanted his cow. In fact once his wife
saw that cow and expressed her wish to have that cow. Although Dyau knew
that it was wrong to steal Rishi's cow but he stole the cow for his wife.
Vashishth Jee knew that Dyau had stolen his cow so he gave him Shaap that
"Go, and be born as a human being on Prithvi and since you were so
fond for your wife, be without wife for your whole life." Dyau brought
back the cow and asked for Rishi's forgiveness. Rishi said - "Though
you will be born as a human being you will earn name and fame as a good
man." And he was born as Bheeshm in Shaantanu's house.
(2) Maharshi Jamadagni Jee
Jamadagni Jee had Kaamdhenu cow, and he entertained king
Sahastrabaahu and his
army. Sahastrabaahu also wanted to take that cow forcefully, but could
not take her as she also produced lots of army which pushed Sahastrabaahu's army
back. Later his sons came, killed Jamadagni Jee, and took the cow to their
capital Maahishmatee Puree forcefully. Later when Parashuraam Jee came to
the Aashram, he went to Sahastrabaahu, killed him and brought the cow back to his
father's Aashram.
(3) Muni Bharadwaaj
It is worthwhile here to mention Bharadwaaj Muni's name also who hosted Bharat
and his army, although not through cow, but through his Yog power. All, including
Bharat, were astonished to see his hospitality for such a large group.
[V-Raamaayan,
2/35/91]
(4) Rishi Gaurmukh
His story comes in Matsya Puraan and in
Varaah Puraan. Although he did not have any cow, but he had a Mani given by Vishnu
with which he could fulfill any desire. It was Chintaamani. He entertained Durjaya named
king and his army through this Mani. As Vishwaamitra and Sahastrabaahu wanted those cows for themselves,
he also wanted that Mani for himself. /he tried to have it forcefully
but got defeated by the army created by Chintaamani. In the end Vishnu killedDurjaya with His Chakra.
(5) King Satraajit
He did severe Tap for Soorya Dev and got a Mani (gem) from him in boon.
Its name was Syaamantak Mani. It used to shine like Soorya himself. Once
Satraajit went to Dwaarakaa wearing that Mani, people reported to Krishn
that Soorya Bhagavaan was coming. Then Krishn told them that he was not
Soorya Dev but King Satraajit with his Mani. This Mani used to give
8 Bhaar gold everyday by which he used to perform Yagya etc. Its one
condition was that it should be worn with cleanliness. Once Satraajit gave
that Mani to his brother Prasenjit. he wore it uncleanly and was killed by
a lion. Lion ran away with the Mani and Jaambvaan took away that Mani from
him by killing him. Later Krishn got it from him and gave back to
Satraajit.
[Bhaagvat
Puraan, 10/u6]
Angry Muni Durvaasaa
When it comes to an angry Muni, only one name comes to our mind - that
is Durvaasaa Muni who is famous first for his anger and then Shaap.
There are many events of his Shaap. Some of them are listed here :--
(1) He gave Shaap to
Shakuntalaa,
so she was forgotten by Dushyant.
(2) He gave Shaap to a Gandharv who became
Kabandh Raakshas. Then Raam
killed him. (In Maanas)
(3) He was about to give Shaap to
Paandav when
they were living in forest as a result of losing dice game for 12 years,
but Krishn saved them by eating a leaf from Draupadee's Divine pot.
(4) He was about to give Shaap to
Lakshman and his
family and city for not obeying him, but he then himself obeyed him to
save his Vansh and city.
(5) He gave Shaap to
Indra when he threw the
garland, given to him by Durvaasaa, on his elephant Airaavat, and Airaavat crushed
it under his feet. Durvaasaa got very angry at this and gave Shaap to Indra. As a
result he lost his kingdom, luster, glory everything. After that Saagar Manthan
took place to get Amrit.
(6)
He produced a Krityaa to kill Ambareesh (Manu's great grandson) because he drank
water to do Paaran of his Vrat. Although He had to run away from there, because
Vishnu's Chakra was guarding Ambareesh and as Krityaa proceeded to kill Ambareesh,
the Chakra killed her and proceeded to kill Durvaasaa Muni. In the end he had to
fall on Ambareesh's feet to spare his life.
(7-1) He gave Shaap to Saamb, son of Krishn,
to become a leper, when he made a mockery of his style when he came to Dwaarakaa
wandering around the Universe. He was lean and thin with yellow eyes. Muni thought
that Saamb was very proud of his beauty and youth so he gave him Shaap to become
a leper soon.
(7-2)
He gave another Shaap to Saamb when the members of Krishn's family took
Saamb to some Rishi and presented Saamb in a woman form and asked them
to tell whether she would have a son or daughter as she was expecting.
Rishi knew that those people were lying to them so Durvaasaa Muni sadi -
"She will give birth to a Moosal (pestle) and it will destroy your
whole Vansh (family)." Those people got very sad hearing this, so
they came to Ugrasen's court and told everything in the court. Ugrasen
got worried hearing all this, he ordered his men to grind that pestle
and throw it into the sea. They did that, but they could not grind it
completely, a little piece still remained, but they threw it also in the
sea.
Later,
a fish swallowed that remaining iron piece and a fisherman caught that
fish and sold it to a maker of arrows. When the arrow maker cut that
fish to cook, he found this iron piece in its stomach. He found this
piece superior and different from other iron pieces, so he made a very
special arrow with that piece and sold it to a hunter. The same hunter
killed Krishn, thinking that His red colored foot was of an animal.
Beside this piece, the powder, Ugrasen's people threw in the sea, grew
as a very sharp bladed grass along the sea coast. When a hot argument
broke among Yadu people members while eating food near the sea coast and
they started fighting, their all weapons were exhausted, they picked up
that grass and started throwing it on one another. It worked as very
sharp arrow and killed people. All people died of that grass. Thus the
whole Yadu Vansh got destroyed by Durvaasaa's Shaap.
(8) He gave Shaap to Dharm Raaj
also. This story comes in Padm Puraan, 2/2. Once both Rishi Durvaasaa
and Maharshi Dattaatreya did severe Tap. They did Tapasyaa for 10,000
years without eating anything, drinking only air. Then they did
Panchaagni Tapasyaa for another 10,000 years. Then they stood inside
water for another 10,000 years. Both became very weak, Durvaasaa got
very angry at Dharm, so Dharm appeared before him along with
Brahmcharya and Tap and many others.
He said to Durvaasaa - "Hey Braahman,
Why did you get angry in spite of being a Tapaswee? Anger destroys man's both
grace and Tapasyaa, therefore one should abandon this anger at least at the
time of Tapasyaa." Durvaasaa asked - "Who are you and who are all
these persons along with you?" Dharm said - "They are Brahmcharya,
Satya, Tap, Dam (control on Indriyaan), Niyam (discipline), Shauch (cleanliness)
etc etc. I am Dharm, please be calm and protect me. Why are you so angry?"
Durvaasaa said - "I can see that I have done Tapasyaa with all discipline
but you are not pleased with me, that is why I am angry at you. I will give you
three Shaap - Dharm, you become a king and a maid's son and be born in Chaandaal
caste." Thus after giving these three Shaap, Durvaasaa went away. Because
of these Shaap, Dharm incarnated as king Yudhishthir in Bharat family; when he
was born as a maid's son, he was known as Vidur; and when Vishwaamitra afflicted
king Harishchandra, he was born as Chaandaal to give him a job."
(9) This incident comes in
Padm Puraan, 4/15,
in the context of Raam's Ashwamedh Yagya. The horse He sent for His Yagya was cursed
by Muni Durvaasaa. As He touched the horse, a man came out of him. He told his story
to Raam. "In my previous life I was a very religious Braahman, but I committed a
crime. One day I went to the banks of Sarayoo River and started meditating upon You
after doing Tarpan etc. At that time many people came to me and I cheated them in many
ways. Durvaasaa Rishi also came and looked at me. I was observing Maun (quiet), so neither
I offered him Arghya nor I welcomed him by words. Durvaasaa Rishi got angry at this and
he gave me Shaap - "You are showing such pride on the banks of Sarayoo River, be born
in animal species."
I felt very sad so I held his feet. He kindly said to me,
"You will become Raam's Ashwamedh Yagya horse and as soon as Raam will touch you, you
will attain Parampad." So that Shaap became a Var for me. Whatever touch is difficult
to attain even after taking millions of lives even for Devtaa, I have got that touch of your
fingers now. Now please permit me, I am attaining Parampad because of Your grace only."
He circumambulated Raam and went to Sanaatan Dhaam riding in a Divine Vimaan.
(10) A story comes of an Apsaraa in
Padm Puraan, 5/20. He gave
Shaap to her also to be as a lotus flower for 100 years, just because she was playing with
water in a pond and he had seen her without clothes.
But when he gets pleased he can give anything. He
gave a Mantra to Kuntee which she used
to get five sons - Paandav.
Kaam-Mohit Muni
In Hindu religious literature, Kaam (sexual desire) tops every other
desire and that it can affect even very great Muni and Yogee. Here are some Muni who were affected
by it:
(1) Maharshi Vishwaamitra
First name comes to our mind is of Muni
Vishwaamitra. When he was doing Tapasyaa to get the status of Brahmarshi, Indra sent
Menakaa to disturb his Tap. She stayed with him for 10 years and produced a daughter from
him named Shakuntalaa.
(2) Maharshi Paraashar
Second name comes to our mind of Muni Paraashar.
He was attracted to Satyavatee, the daughter
of Daashraaj, while crossing Gangaa River. He produced a son named
Krishn Dwaipaayan, who was popularly known
as Ved Vyaas, on an island. Pleased with her he bestowed her a boon of sweet fragrance also which
came out of her body and used to spread miles together around her. Before meeting Sage Paraashar
she used to smell like a fish.
(3) Maharshi Richeek
Another name comes to our mind is of Richeek Rishi, father of Maharshi Jamdagni and
Parashuraam's grandfather, who got attracted
to Satyavatee, Raajaa Gaadhi's daughter and
Vishwaamitra's sister. Raajaa Gaadhi did not marry his daughter to Richeek Rishi until he brought
1,000 horses with one of their ears black and another one white. Richeek Rishi understood, so he went to
Varun and brought such horses and married Satyavatee.
[Bhaagvat Puraan, 9/9]
(4) Maharshi Sharadwaan
Another name is of Maharshi Sharadwaan. He saw Urvashee Apsaraa and his semen fell down on a
Moonj bush. This caused it to born one son and one daughter. Urvashee left them there only.
Raajaa Shaantanu saw them, brought them home, named them as Krip and Kripee. Krip became the
Kul Guru of Kaurav family; and Kripee was married to Drone.
[Bhaagvat Puraan, 9/12]
(5) Rishi Saubhari
Yet another name is of Rishi Saubhari. Although he did not get attracted seeing any woman,
but he was attracted seeing the enjoyment of fish in the waters where he was doing Tapasyaa.
This attraction led a desire in his heart to marry and he went to Raajaa Maandhaataa to ask
for his any one daughter to marry. Raajaa Maandhaataa had 50 daughters, but he could not marry
anyone to him, nor he could refuse him, so he said to him - "I regard my daughters very much.
If anyone would agree to marry you I don't have any objection." Saubhari asked him to send
him in his inner apartments. He reluctantly sent him inside. In a little while he got the news
from his servants that his all 50 daughters wanted to marry him, so he married all of them to him.
He lived with them in most luxurious ways. Later he got Vairaagya and he went to forest, though
his all wives also went with him.
[Bhaagvat Puraan, 9/3]
(6) Rishi Vibhaandak
Another name is of Rishi Vibhaandak, whose son was Rishyashring. Once he was engaged in Tapasyaa.
One day as he was washing his face in waters that he saw Urvashee Apsaraa and his semen fell into
the water. A she-deer who was drinking water drank it with water and gave birth to Rishi Rishyashring.
In fact she was the daughter of a Devtaa and was cursed to be born as a she-deer on Prithvi. Then
Brahmaa Jee said - "You will be free from this curse when you will give birth to a
child of a Rishi. In spite of not knowing that a she-deer has given birth
to his son, Rishi Vibhaandak was so fond of his son Rishyashring that he
did not allow to mix him with the world for long time. Later King Rompaad
got him in his kingdom to have rains and then married his daughter
Shaantaa to him.
[MBH-G-4-Van/18]
(7) Rishi Pippalaad
Rishi Pippalaad was the son of Maharshi Dadheechi. Once taking bath in
Pushpbhadraa River, Rishi Pippalaad saw a beautiful Princess Padmaa (Devee
Paarvatee's incarnation), the daughter of King Aranya. He got attracted to
her so he went to the King and asked the hand of his daughter Padmaa. King
first thought how can he give his beautiful daughter to a sage like this,
who is very old and almost in the last stage of his life with skeleton
compared body, but then realizing his Tej from Tap he fulfilled
Pippalaad's desire. Thus he married his daughter Padmaa to Pippalaad.
[Shiv Puraan, ]
Who Were Cursed in the Womb
Some even spoke from the womb and were cursed --
(1) Deerghtamaa
The first name is of Deerghtamaa.
Deerghtamaa is the son of Brihaspati from the wife of his brother Utathya. When Brihaspati
wanted to have a child from his brother's wife, she was already with the child of Utathya,
so the child from the womb said to him - "Do not try to have a child, there is no place
for two." But Brihaspati did not listen to him and forced her to have his child and
cursed the child in the womb that "You perpetually live in darkness." So when
Deerghtamaa was born, he was blind. Brihaspati's own child was born immediately and was
known as Bharadwaaj.
(2) Ashtaavakra
The second name is of Ashtaavakra.
Ashtaavakra was the son of Kaahodaa Rishi and Sujaataa - the daughter of Kaahodaa's Guru
Uddaalak. She wanted that her child sould be very knowledgeable so she attended classes
of her husband and her father. Once Kaahodaa, the child's father, was teaching something
that the child from the womb said - "You read it the whole night and still, I think
you are not reciting it correctly. By your grace I know all Ved, Shaastra here in womb
too." This insulted Kaahodaa in front of his disciples, so he cursed him - "ou
are speaking even from the womb, you be born slanted at eight places of your body."
So when the child was born he was slanted from eight places of his body and was thus named
Ashtaavakra.
Children Born During
Tapasyaa Period
As normally it is believed or instructed that while doing any Tapasyaa
one should follow Brahmcharya, here are some examples when Rishi did Tapasyaa
and had children during that period --
(1) Vishwaamitra
Vishwaamitra did Tapasyaa three times to get powers - Once he did Tapasyaa to
please Shiv Jee and got weapons. Next time he did Tapasyaa and pleased Brahmaa
Jee. At that time he had four sons.
Rishi Who Married Kings' Daughters
There are many Rishi who married kings' daughters. In all cases the kings did not
want to marry their daughters to Rishi, but they had to marry them. Rishi married them and pleased
them in strange ways and had children from them.
(1) Agastya Rishi
When Agastya Rishi wanted to marry, he
could not get a woman of his choice, so he created one through his mind and kept her in the
palace of Vidarbh Desh King. When she became of marriageable age he asked King her hand. The
King hesitated to marry his beautiful daughter to a sage, but Agastya Jee threatened him of
his curse, so the Princess Lopaamudraa herself offered to her father to marry Agastya Jee.
Both started living happily. Lopaamudraa had left all her royal living and lived like a hermit's
wife. She served him with all her true heart, speech and actions. Pleased with her services,
Agastya Rishi told her that he wanted to give her a child. At this Lopaamudraa recollected her
royal living. She told Muni, that if he wanted to to come to her, he had to give her good clothes
and jewelry and he himself also had to wear good clothes, otherwise their meeting was not possible.
Agastya Jee said - "I am a Rishi, where from I can
bring jewelry and good clothes?" Lopaamudraa said - "You have lots of powers, you
can do any thing." At this Agastya Jee went to several kings but according to him none
had enough money to give to him. One king then suggested him to go to Ilval and Vaataapi Daitya
as they had lots of money. Agastya Jee went there and asked them some wealth. They were cannibals,
they planned to eat him, but Agastya Jee was had guessed it before so he ate one of them and
took wealth from the other one and came back. He then adorned his wife, met her and had a son
named Dridhasyu.
(2) Kardam Rishi
Kardam Rishi married Manu's
daughter Devahooti at the order of Brahmaa Jee. Devahooti lived with him like a
hermit's wife. She served him so well that Rishi got very pleased with her
services and gave her all his powers. She then requested him to give her children.
At this Kardam Rishi created a Vimaan (air plane), gave her beautiful Roop (look)
and wandered in that Vimaan for many long years enjoying lie. Then they came home
and Kardam Rishi enjoyed with her in nine forms and had nine daughters during this
period.
(3) Saubhari Rishi
Saubhari Rishi was engaged in his Tapsyaa that one day while taking bath
in a river, he saw a fish playing with his wife and children, so he also
longed for the family life. he went to the then king of Ayodhyaa -
Maandhaataa. Maandhaataa had 50 daughters and Rishi asked him to marry
his any one daughter whoever liked him, to him. Maandhaataa could not
apparently refused the Muni, so he said - "If any of my daughters is
ready to marry you I will surely marry her to you." And he sent him to
his daughters' palace. Muni changed his form into a young handsome man
and entered the princesses' palace. All Princesses got ready to marry
him. His people reported him that his all daughters got ready to marry
him. Hearing this the King got very surprised but could not do anything
except to marry his all daughters to him with heavy heart. Saubhari Rishi,
with the effect of his Yog, built 50 palaces for his 50 princess wives with
all kinds of comforts and luxuries and enjoyed with them.
After a while King got restless and
wished to see his daughters, so he came to Rishi's Aashram. he got stunned
to see Rishi's Aashram. He entered one of the palaces and met his one daughter.
The daughter told him all whatever had happened after he married her to Rishi.
King asked her whether she was happy? She said - "Very much, but she was
worried about her other sisters who might be thinking that I have taken their
husband." The King asked - "Why do you think so?" "Because
Rishi always lives with me and I don't see him going anywhere leaving me alone."
Hearing this the King got sad for his other daughters. So he went to his second
daughter. He had the same experience there also, and in the third daughter's house
also. Then he understood everything that Rishi was enjoying with them in as many
forms as his wives were. He went to Rishi, greeted him, expressed his gratitude and
came back to his city. Saubhari Rishi many children from those 50 daughters.
(4) Richeek Rishi
When Richeek Rishi wanted to
marry, he went to King Gaadhi and asked the hand of his beautiful daughter Satyavatee.
Gaadhi did not want to give his daughter to him, so he said - "Ours is Kushik
Vansh and our daughters are difficult to marry. Richeek Muni understood, he asked him -
"What do you want?" Gaadhi asked him to give him 1,000 white horses with one
of their ears black. Richeek Muni went to Varun Dev, brought 1,000 such horses, gave
them to the King and married Satyavatee.
Once both Satyavatee and her mother requested
him to give them a son. So Muni prepared two Charu, one for each, and instructed
them how to take it. Satyvatee's mother thought that Muni must have prepared a
better Charu for his own wife so she took her daughter's Charu herself, and gave
her own Charu to her daughter. Muni came to know about this and he said to Satyavatee -
"Now you will have a king-like son who will kill many people and your mother will
have a saintly son." Hearing this Satyavatee got frightened, fell on Muni's feet
and told that she did not want such a son, she wanted only a saintly son. Then Muni
said - "All right, Then your grandson will be like this." After this Gaadhi
had Vishwaamitra as his son, and Satyavatee had Rishi Jamadagni as her son
(5) Chyavan Rishi
Once Raajaa Sharyaati, Manu's son, came out for hunting along with his family and camped near
Chyavan Rishi's Aashram. His daughter
Sukanyaa, while wandering around with her friends, came towards Rishi's Aashram. At that time
he was busy in his Tapasyaa. He was there for quite some time so even ants had built their
house around him. Sukanyaa could not understand it, she saw only two holes in that anthill,
so out of curiosity sake she picked up a straw and inserted it in both the holes. They were
the holes for Muni's eyes, so his eyes got pierced and blood started oozing out from them.
She got frightened and came back to her camp. Chyavan Rishi got angry and with his Yog power,
he stopped King's army's excretion system. When Sharyaati came to know about this, he understood
that somebody had done something to the Muni, so he asked everybody who had done what to the Muni.
Sukanyaa said - "Perhaps I have done something." and told him everything. The King
immediately went to Chayavan Rishi's place, asked for his forgiveness and asked him what he could
do for him to make him pleased. He told him to marry his daughter to him. The King was not ready
for this but seeing the delicacy of the situation, both the King and Sukanyaa got ready; and the
King married his daughter to Muni. Now Sukanyaa started serving Muni very sincerely and faithfully.
Once Muni asked Sukanyaa to give him a son. At this
Sukanyaa asked him to be young, finely dressed with jewelry.
Chayavan Roshi said - "I am a Rishi from where I will bring these things?"
Sukanyaa said - You are a great Tapaswee, you can get anything you want."
Chyavan Rishi said - "I do not want to waste my Tap on such trivial things." Once when she was taking bath in a pond, Ashwinee Kumaar were passing from skyway. They saw beautiful
Sukanyaa, came down and asked her who was she and why she was there alone in that forest? Sukanyaa
said - "I am the daughter of King Sharyaati and the wife of Muni Chyavan. Who are you?"
Ashwinee Kumaar said - "That Muni is old and blind, why don't you choose one of us and live
comfortably. We are Ashwinee Kumaar, we will give you everything what you deserve for." Sukanyaa
said - " I am a Pativrataa woman and serve my husband faithfully. It does not look nice from
you being Devtaa." At this Ashwinee Kumaar said - "We are very happy with your faithfulness,
so if you wish we can give youth and eyesight to your husband." "Let me ask him."
Sukanyaa went home and told everything to Chyavan Rishi. Chyavan Rishi agreed. Ashwinee Kumaar took
him to take a dip in the pond, and when they came out all look alike - young and beautiful. Sukanyaa
could not recognize her husband. She meditated on Ashwinee Kumaar and Ashwinee Kumaar gave
her power to recognize her husband.
People Who Got Vairaagya After Love
This topic includes Rishi as well as kings. These are the people who
fell in love and then got Vairaagya after seeing the uselessness of pleasures.
(1) Raajaa Pururavaa
Pururavaa was in love with Urvashee madly. Later when she had left him,
he came into senses and got Vairaagya.
(2) Raajaa Yayaati
Yayaati was so much in love with his wife Devayaanee, that when
Shukraachaarya gave him Shaap of being old, he requested him to soften
his Shaap because it affected his daughter; then Shukraachaarya
told that he could exchange his old age with anybody's youth. Yayaati
could exchange it only with his youngest son's youth - his youngest son
was from Devayaanee's maid Sharmishthaa - Daitya Raaj Vrishparvaa's
daughter. He enjoyed his young life
for many years, then he got Vairaagya and left Prithvi, Devayaanee also
went with him.
(3) Rishi Saubhari
See under "Kaam Mohit Muni" above
(4) Rishi Vishwaamitra
When Vishwaamitra Jee was trying to become Brahmarshi, Indra scared of
his Tap, sent Menakaa Apasraa to disturb his Tap.
Vishwaamitra Jee was also attracted to Menakaa and lived with her for about 10 years. They had
a daughter also, Shakuntalaa. Later when he came in senses, he left her.
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