Mahabharata - Story of Sage Parasar

Parasar

When time came, Adrisyanti gave birth to the son of Saktri in Vasistha's ashrama. Vasistha himself performed the after birth ceremonies of his grandson. Since Vasistha had given up his desire for destroying his own body when he heard about this unborn child, the child came to be known as Parasar (one who brings life to the dead). The child grew up in the ashrama to become a very learned and a pious son of a Rishi under the tutelage of Vasistha. The child knew Vasistha to be his father and addressed him as such. One day when he had addressed Vasistha as father in front of his mother Adrisyanti, the latter replied that Vasistha was not his father but grandfather, and his father Saktri was called by a Rakshasa in the forest.

Parasar was at first sad to hear the account of his father, but soon he was enraged and vowed to destroy the creation by his ascetic power.  Vasistha was concerned. He tried to pacify him by telling him the story of Aurva. On hearing this account, Parasar refrained from the resolution of detroying the whole world. However he bore a grudge against the Rakshasas who had killed his father.

Parasar therefore called for a sacrifice to exterminate all the Rakshasas to avenge the death of his father. Parasar, the young Rishi, conversant with the Vedas, offered his oblations and Rakshasas and cannibals from different regions, young and old, male and female, came rushing and fell into that terrible fire which consumed them immediately. It seemed that all Rakshasas would be killed. Then the heavenly sages, seeing the great calamity that faced the creation in general and the Rakshasas in particular, approached the place of worship. Atri, the foremost among them, asked Parasar to stop the sacrifice of innocent Rakshasas. Along with him came Pulastya, an ancestor of Ravana and the progenitor of the Rakshasas, the sage Pulaha, and the sage Kratu, who himself had performed many sacrifices. Pulastya was aggrieved by the death of the Rakshasas and addressed Parasar in the most gentle manner to desist from the act. He told Parasar that non violence or ahimsa was the highest virtue and as a Brahmin it was his duty to practice non violence. He also told him that the death of his father Saktri was a result of the Karma of Saktri, as a consequence of his anger and consequent curse on the king. Both king Kalmashpada and Viswamitra were mere blind instruments in the hand of destiny. He also informed Parasar that Saktri now rejoices in heaven together with king Kalmashpada and the hundred sons of Vasistha. Therefore it behoves not on the part of Parasar to beget sin by killing innocent souls and he should stop the sacrifice at once to prevent any further killing. Vasistha joined the heavenly sages in placating Parasar and in entreating him to control his wrath which was unbecoming of a Brahmin, since the principal trait of a Brahmin was forgiveness. Parasar understood and bought an end to the sacrifice.

Parasar grew up to be a great Rishi conversant in every branches of Veda. His union with Satyavati, the fisherman's daughter, produced Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, the composer of Mahabharata and one of the most respected and highly reverred sages of ancient India.