Rishi Vashishta is one of the oldest and most revered Vedic rishis or sages.He is one of the Saptarishis (seven great Rishis) of India. Vashista is credited as the chief author of Mandala 7 of the Rigveda. Vashista and his family are mentioned in Rigvedic verse 10.167.4, other Rigvedic Mandalas and in many Vedic texts. His ideas have been influential and he was called the first sage of the Vedanta school of Hindu
philosophy by Adi Sankara.
In the Ramayana, he was the family priest of the Raghu dynasty and teacher of Lord Rama and his brothers. He had established Gurukula (residential college) on the banks of the river beas, where he and his wife Arundhati were taking care of thousands of students. Vashista was the Sadguru of his time, possessing 20 Kalas (divine arts) and had complete knowledge of the whole cosmos and the god. Many of his slokas are found in Vedas as well.
Vashista possessed a cow named Nandini, daughter of Kamadhenu, who could instantly produce food enough for a whole army. Vashista is known for his feud with Viswamitra. The ‘king’ Viswamitra coveted Vashishta’s divine cow Nandini (Kamadhenu) that could fulfil material desires. Vashista destroyed Viswamitra’s army and sons. Viswamitra acquired weapons from Lord Shiva and incinerated Vashista’s hermitage and sons, but Vashista baffled all of Viswamitra’s weapons. Viswamitra betook severe penances for thousands of years and became a Brahmarishi He even reconciled with Vashista. Brahmarishi Vashishta had an Ashram in Ayodhya that was spread over 40 acres of land. Today all that remains of it is a small ashram in about one fourth of an acre of land.
The ashram has within it a well that is believed to be the source of the river Saryu. Brahmarishi Vashista was the Guru of the Suryavamsa. The King at that time was King Ishvaku who was the king of Ayodhya. He was a noble king and thought of the well being of his subjects. He approached Sage Vashista telling him that the land had no water and requested him to do something to let the kingdom have adequate water. Sage Vashista performed a special prayer and the river Saryu is said to have started flowing from this well. Sarayu is also known as Ishvaki and Vashisti.
It is said that the well is connected underground with the river. Many spiritual people who visit this ashram find an enormous spiritual energy around this well. When Lord Rama realizes the futility of existence and the misery it brings with itself, he is struck with sorrow. When he seeks refuge in Brahmarishi Vashishta, the enlightened rishi takes him to the pinnacle of truth through a dialogue between the two that later was captured in the scripture, Yoga Vashista. The timeless dialogue interspersed with deep stories brings out astounding truths about this existence and destroys Lord Rama’s sorrow. Vashista’s Temple is situated in Vashisht village, Himachal Pradesh. Vashishtha Cave, a cave on the banks of Ganges at Shivpuri, 18 km from Rishikesh is also locally believed to be his winter abode and houses a Shiva temple. Also nearby is the Arundhati Cave.
Guest Editor: Yeshwant Bhargav