Mahabharata - Vasistha and Viswamitra

Story of Vasistha and Viswamitra

Vasistha was the mind born son of grandsire Brahma, the Lord creator. He was the husband of Arundhati, one of the most pious and holy women of the ancient India. In Kanyakubja, there was a king called Kushika who obtained a son named Gadhi. Gadhi's son was Viswamitra. As a Kshatriya, Viswamitra used to roam around the forests on hunting expedition. Once, while he was on such an expedition, he became very tired and hungry and arrived in such a state in the hermitage where Vasistha lived and practised his ascetic penances. Vasistha provided him with water for wash, food and drink. The great sage had a cow named Nandini. Nandini was a Kamadhenu, i.e. a wish fulfilling cow. Nandini used to provide any food or other articles needed by Vasistha for his worship, for performing Vedic rituals and for serving guests and gods. When Viswamitra with his large troops came exhausted, looking for refreshments, Nandini provided the excellent food and drink. Viswamitra was surpirsed by obtaining such quality of food in a hermitage and asked Vasistha that how he, a poor Brahmin, could get such good food for all. Vasistha replied that it was Nandini who provided everything that he needed.

Viswamitra asked Vasistha to give him that cow in exchange of then thousand other cows or even a kingdom. But Vasistha refused saying that the cow had provided everything that he needed for his rituals. Therefore he would not be able to part with the cow for all the treasures in the world. Viswamitra then said that a poor Brahmin should not possess a wish fulfilling cow and he as the Kshatriya king had every right to take the cow by force if he so wished. Vasistha told him to do whatever he deemed fit as per his dharma or scriptural obligations. Viswamitra then with the help of his army siezed the cow by force and dragged it away from the hermitage.

Nandini was at first very astonished by this treatment. She came to Vasistha and asked sorrowfully, "Lord, have you foresaken me willingly or are they taking me by force? Why are you not preventing me from being taken?"

Vasistha replied, "Daughter, I have no wish to part with you, but I am a Brahmin Rishi established in non violence. The king is all powerful. He can take anything that he wants. I am unable to protect you, being established in my dharma. Now its upto you if you want to go with the king or not. I surely would not like to give you away. But a Brahmin's dharma is forgiveness and therefore I cannot resist the king."

Vasistha then said again, "Look, you calf is tied to a rope and is being dragged by the army of the king. But if you want you can stay."

When Nandini heard all that Vasistha said, esp. his word of "stay", and when she saw her calf being tied to a rope, she became extremely enraged. She assumed a terrible form. She lowered her head and bellowed loudly. Burning charcoals flew everywhere from her tail. From her body numerous armies of Yavanas, Sakas, Mlecchas, Keral, Chin, Savaras, Kiratas, Paundras, Pulindas, Dravida, Pallavas, Singhalas, Huns and other non Aryan tribes, armed with various weapons came out and attacked the army of Viswamitra. One soldier of Viswamitra was surrounded by five or six of the forces of Nandini and they were heavily outnumbered. They panicked and not being able to bear the onslaught, fled from there. Nandini's soldiers however did not kill anybody but just drove them away. Viswamitra was defeated and was humiliated. Ashamed by the defeat in the hand of Brahmin, Viswamitra realized that however mighty a Kshatriya be, a Brahmin is more powerful on account of the ascetism and the virtuous life. Therefore he resolved to become a Brahmin, renounced his kingdom and went to forest for penance. He practised ascetism which was impossible for a mortal and thereby he acquired the status of a Brahmarshi (a Brahmin Rishi obtaining Brahma Loka, i.e. the world of Brahma, the Lord creator, which is also the highest heaven). He was honoured by none other than Indra, the king of gods who allowed him to drink Soma juice along with the gods in the sacrifice.