Maharshi Vishvamitra

01King to Brahmarshi

The Bala Kanda gives the whole katha. King Vishvaratha came with his army to Vasishtha’s ashram and wanted the wish-giving cow. Vasishtha’s brahma-tejas beat back every weapon. The king learned that tapas was the greater power, and he gave up his throne for it. Menaka was sent to break his tapas, and did, for a time. He tried again. After thousands of years, Brahma named him Brahmarshi, and Vasishtha, his old rival, greeted him as one.

02Gayatri and the Ramayana

Rigveda 3.62.10, the Gayatri, is the mantra given at every upanayana. Its seer is Vishvamitra. In the Ramayana he asks Dasharatha for the sixteen-year-old Rama, takes him and Lakshmana to Siddhashrama, teaches them the Bala and Atibala vidyas and the divine astras, and watches them destroy Tataka, Subahu and the rakshasas who defiled his yajna. He then leads them to Mithila, where Rama breaks Shiva’s bow and wins Sita. Shakuntala was his daughter by Menaka, which makes him the grandfather of Bharata, after whom Bharat is named.

Dynasty · Satya and Treta Yugas into the Kali Yuga (traditional reckoning)Suryavansha (Ikshvaku line)The Solar dynasty descends from Vaivasvata Manu through his son Ikshvaku and ruled from Ayodhya. Its kings include Mandhata, Harishchandra, Sagara, Bhagiratha, Raghu and Shri Rama, and the Puranas carry the line down to Sumitra in the Kali Yuga.Read →