Vishvamitra
Vishvamitra ( Sanskrit विश्वामित्र , viśvāmitra, m., "The friend of all"), one of the most important Rishis or sages in ancient India. He is considered to be the author of several hymns in the Rig Veda , including the Gayatri mantra . He became particularly well known for an episode of intense rivalry with the Rishi Vasishtha .
myth
Vishvamitra was born as Kshatriya , but was able to attain the status of Brahmin with the help of intensive ascetic practices and became one of the seven great Rishis. According to a source in the Rig Veda, he was the son of a king named Kushika, but later texts state that he was the son of Gadhi, the king of Kanyakubja.
The story of his birth is told in the Vishnupurana as follows: Gadhi had a daughter named Satyavati, whom he gave to the brahmin Richika as wife. Since the latter wanted his son to have the qualities of a Brahmin, he gave Satyavati, who belonged to the Kshatriya caste, a special sacrificial food that was supposed to fulfill his wish. At the same time he gave Satyavati's mother another sacrificial food, on the basis of which she would give birth to a son with the characteristics of a Kshatriya. But the mother made her daughter swap the two foods, which resulted in Satyavati giving birth to Jamadagni , a martial Brahmin, while her mother gave birth to Vishvamitra, a Brahmanic Kshatriya.
Vishvamitra and Vasishtha
The story of the conflict between the two Rishis is told in different versions. The Pune Critical Edition of the Mahabharata gives the following report in chapters 164–168 of the Adiparvan: One day Vishvamitra came to the hermitage of Vaishthas during a hunt, where, as king, he was given food and drink in all honor. He took great pleasure in Nandini, Vasishtha's wonderful cow, who could conjure up milk, nectar and delicious food. Vishvamitra wanted to acquire them and offered the Rishi all the riches in this world, even his kingdom, but Vasishtha was not ready to give them up. Thereupon the king tried to force it, but failed with all his attempts. Eventually he realized that the Brahmin Vasishtha, who forgave him his hostilities with boundless indulgence, was far superior to him. Therefore, the king renounced his kingdom and indulged in intensive ascetic exercises until he himself had attained the status of brahmin and great sage.
literature
- Vishvamitra , in: John Dowson : A classical dictionary of Hindu mythology and religion, geography, history and literature. London, 1879, pp. 364-366.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Monier-Williams: Sanskrit-English Dictionary. Oxford 1899, p. 994, col. 3
- ↑ Vishvamitra in: John Dowson : A classical dictionary of Hindu mythology and religion, geography, history and literature. London, 1879, pp. 364-365
- ^ Wilfried Huchzermeyer : Studies in the Mahabharata. Indian Culture, Dharma and Spirituality in the Great Epic. Karlsruhe 2018, pp. 137-138