Bharathiya Rishi Parampara: ( 10/04/2013. )

  Dattatreya : Wednesday, March 17, 2021. 07:24.AM. Anasuya is generally quoted as the model of chastity. She was the wife of Atri Maharishi, a great sage and one of the Sapta Rishis. She was well established in Pativrata Dharma. She served her husband with intense devotion. She did severe Tapas for a very long time in order to beget sons equal to Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. Once Narada took a small ball of iron—the size of a gram-grain—to Sarasvati and said to her, "O Sarasvati Devi! Please fry this iron ball. I will eat this iron-ball-gram during my travel". Sarasvati laughed and said, "O Rishi Narada! How can this iron ball be fried? How can this be eaten?". Narada afterwards went to Mahalakshmi and Parvati and requested them to fry the iron ball. They also laughed at Narada Rishi. Then Narada said, "O Devis! See, I will get it fried by Anasuya, wife of Atri Maharishi, a great Pativrata who lives in the earth-plane". Then Narada came to Anasuya and request...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Sunday, March 07, 2021. 07:36. AM. Rishi Yajnavalkya - Sri Swami Sivananda ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The name of Yajnavalkya of Mithila stands distinguished both in the Srutis and in the Smritis. Yajnavalkya is especially known for his unsurpassed spiritual wisdom and power. The seer of a Veda Samhita from Bhagavan Surya, the revealer of Brahma Jnana to Janaka, Maitreyi and others, Yajnavalkya hails supreme among sages of sacred memory. As to his obtaining the Shukla Yajurveda Samhita from Bhagavan Surya, there is the following history. Yajnavalkya was the son of the sister of Mahamuni Vaishampayana, the Vedacharya of the Taittiriya section. He was studying the Taittiriya Samhita from Vaishampayana who was also his Guru. Vaishampayana had many other disciples too and they all were students of the Taittiriya Shakha. Once all the Rishis decide...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sunday, February 07, 2021. 07:20. AM. Vyasa maharishi’s life is a unique example of one born for the dissemination of spiritual knowledge. His writings inspire us and the whole world even to this day. May we all live in the spirit of his writings! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In ancient days, our forefathers, the Rishis of Aryavartha, went to the forest to do Tapasya during the four months following Vyasa Purnima—a particular and important day in the Hindu calendar. On this memorable day, Vyasa, an incarnation of the Lord Himself, began to write his Brahma Sutras. Our ancient Rishis did this Tapasya in caves and forests. But times have changed and such facilities are not common nowadays although Grihasthas and Rajas are not wanting who are able and willing to place at the disposal o...

    Sri Rama Hears His Own Story         The boys grew up day by day and advanced in their education in Valmiki's ashrama. Sri Rama's reign continued. He thought of performing the great sacrifice of Ashwamedha. In those days an Ashwamedha Yaga was no small matter. It was the greatest aim and ambition of many a king. Only the most heroic of kings in the world would be able to perform that sacrifice successfully. A king desirous of undertaking it would worship a horse of a fine breed. As the horse was free to roam, if any other king tied up the horse he had to be conquered in a war. Thus the king who wanted to perform Ashwamedha had to conquer all kings on the earth and become an emperor. After the horse roamed over all countries and returned home, the owner could perform the Ashwamedha sacrifice. Sri Rama undertook such a venture. All other kings on earth offered their tributes and gifts, and accepted him as Emperor. Then he performed the g...

    A Queen Comes To a Hermitage       After Sri Rama killed Ravana in a great war to regain Seetha, he returned to the city of Ayodhya with Seetha and Lakshmana. He was then crowned King of the Kosala country. Seethadevi was now the Queen. They were happy. All his subjects were also very happy and joyful. After some years Seethadevi became pregnant. Sri Rama was very pleased that his line would continue. He said to her, "Seetha, you are now with child and you may have some desire or the other. Tell me whatever it is, and I shall fulfil it."       Seetha smiled and said, "My lord, what other wish can I have? I only desire your happiness and your love. Still there is a small thing I would like to mention. When we were in the forest years ago, we used to go to the hermitages of the Rishis. But I could not give anything to the wives of the sages at that time. Can I go there now, and offer them gifts to my heart's content? I wo...

    The 'Ramayana' in Slokas         Like the story of Valmiki's becoming a sage, the story of his composing the Ramayana' is also very interesting. One day the sage Narada came to Valmiki’s ashrama. Valmiki was very happy. He showed him great courtesy, offered milk and fruits. Valmiki and his disciples sat with folded hands before Narada. Then Valmiki said to the divine sage, "Sire, you visit all the three worlds, and therefore know what happens anywhere. You can certainly answer my questions. Please tell me, who is the most virtuous person among all the human beings on the earth? One who always speaks the truth, and is always calm? Who is he, who desires the well being of everyone, and is loved by all? Who the man, whose words and actions are praised by the gods? Who is famous as the greatest hero and the noblest of men in the world?"         In answer to Valmiki's question, Narada mentioned the name of Sri ...

Out of the Ant-hill       Valmiki was not the name that his parents chose for the poet. His real name was Ratnakara. The word 'Valmika' in Sanskrit means an ant-hill. Since he came out of an ant-hill, he got the name of Valmiki. But how strange! How did he come out of an ant-hill? Now, that is a wonderful and delightful story.       Valmiki also lived in the age of Sri Rama - called the 'Treta Yuga' (the Age of Treta). In those days, there was a thick forest all along the banks of the river Ganga. Many sages built their hermitage in that forest for their 'tapas' ; that means they meditated on God. Among them was a sage by the name of Prachetasa. He had, a son called Ratnakara. When he was very young boy, one day he went into the forest. While playing he lost his way and began to cry. Just then a hunter came there looking for a prey. He saw the chubby boy and fondled and pacified him. The hunter had no children. He took the boy to his hut...