Tirthayatra Parva — History of Rishyashringa

Vaishampayana said : O best of the Bharata race, then slowly did the son of Kunti to the two rivers Nanda and Aparananda which destroys the dread of fear.

Then going to the healthy mountain called Hemakuta, that king saw there many wonderful and inconceivable sights.

From the wind there were created clouds and showers of thousands of stones for which the people becoming sad could not ascend it.

The wind always blew there and the celestials always poured showers. The sounds of the recitation of sacred scripture were heard, but none was seen.

In the evening and in the morning the exalted carrier of libation (fire) was seen and flies bit men, thus obstructing the practice of austerities.

Men would become sick there and a sadness would overtake their minds. The son of Pandu (Yudhishthira), seeing these various wonderful things, asked Lomasha about those astonishing sights.

Lomasha said : O chastiser of foes, O king, I shall tell detail all that we heard about them before. Hear them with all attention.

Here on this Rishava Kuta (hill) there lived for many hundred years, an ascetic of great wrath, named Rishava engaged in asceticism. you in

He, being addressed by others, spoke thus to the hill in anger, who ever will utter words hero (O hill) throw stones at him."

That ascetic said, “Call the wind, so that no sound is made. Thus if a man utters a word here, he is prevented by the roarings of the clouds.

O king, these were the acts of that great Rishi; some acts he performed from anger and some again he prevented from being done (from anger).

O king, tradition says that when in the days of yore the celestials came to the Nanda men suddenly appeared there with the desire of seeing the immortals.

The celestials with Sakra (Indra) at their head did not like to be seen and therefore they made this place inaccessible by raising up hills.

O sons of Kunti, from that day men could not even look at these hill, what to speak of ascending them.

O son of Kunti, none can look at or ascend this great hill except he who has performed asceticism. Therefore be silent.

O descendant of Bharata, here did the celestials perform those best of sacrifices, their marks are seen even to this day.

O king, this grass is like the Kusha (grass), the whole ground is over-spread with the sacred grass. Many trees here look like the sacrificial stakes.

O descendant of Bharata, the celestials and the Rishis still live here and both in the morning and the evening their carrying of libations (Agni) is to be seen here.

O son of Kunti, if one bathes here his sins are immediately destroyed. O foremost of the Kurus, therefore perform your oblations here with your younger brothers.

Then washing your body in the Nanda, you will go to the Kaushiki where the excellent and severe asceticism was performed by Vishvamitra.

O king, washing his there with all his men, he went to the sacred, charming and blessed Kaushiki of cool water,

O best of the Bharata race, this is the sacred and celestials river Kaushiki. Here stands the charming hermitage of Vishvamitra.

This is the hermitage belonging to the illustrious son of Kashyapa, whose son was the ascetic Rishyashringa of subdued passions.

By his ascetic prowess he made Asava (Indra) to pour rains and from whose fear the destroyer of Bala and Vitra poured down rains during a draught.

That powerful lord, the son of Kashyapa, was born of a hind; he performed a great wonder in the kingdom of Lomapada.

When the crops were restored (by the Rishi who made Indra rain) the king Lomapada bestowed his daughter Shanta on him, as Savita (once) bestowed (his daughter) Savitri.

Yudhishthira said: How was the son of Kashyapa, i Rishyashringa born of a hind? Being born of an irregular intercourse, how was he endued with ascetic merits?

Why from the fear of that intelligent boy the destroyer of Bala and Vritra Sakra (Indra) poured down rain when a draught was raging? ।

What sort of a princess that vow-observing Shanta was, who tempted his heart by becoming at nd? Why did not the chastiser of . foes (Indra) pour rain in the kingdom of the royal sage Lomapada when it is heard that he was very virtuous.

O exalted one, you should narrate to me all this in detail, the incidents of Rishyashringa's life as they happened.

Lomasha said: Hear how the powerful Rishyashringa was born as a son of the Brahmana Rishi Vibhandaka whose soul had been subdued by asceticism, whose seed never failed, who was learned and who was as effulgent as the Creator. He (Rishyashringa) was highly honoured, greatly effulgent and was regarded by old men, though he was but a boy.

Going to the great lake, the son of Kashyapa engaged himself in great austerities. And that celestials-like Rishi became fatigued after a long period of time.

O king, when he was washing his face, he saw the Apsara Urvashi and his seed fell. A hind drank it up, thirsty as she was, with the water (she had been drinking). She thus conceived. As she was formerly told by the exalted creator of the world, (Brahma), that celestials damsel became a hind and was freed by begetting a Rishi. As the words of the creator could not be false. in that hind was born his (Vibhandaka's) son, a great Rishi, named Rishyashringa, who was always devoted to asceticism and who passed his time in the forest.

O king, on the head of that illustrious Rishi there was a born; he therefore became known as Rishyashringa.

O king, excepting his father, he did not ever see anybody else, therefore his mind was fully devoted to the duties of a continent life (Brahmacharya).

At this time there was a king of Anga, known by the name of Lomapada, who was the friend of Dasharatha.

We have heard that he wantonly told a falsehood to a Brahmana. That ruler of earth was therefore abandoned by all the Brahmanas. Thus without having had a priest, the king became sinful and therefore the deity of one thousand eyes (Indra) stopped to shower rain; and thus his subjects began to suffer.

O ruler of earth, he asked the Brahmanas who were intelligent, able and fit how rain might be poured by the lord of the celestials.

(He said), “How can the clouds pour rain, find out a means." Those intelligent men assembling together, gave out each their own opinions.

son Thereupon one great Rishi thus spoke to the king, “O king of kings, the Brahmanas are angry with you. Do something to appease them.

O king, send for the Rishi's Rishyashringa who knows nothing of the female sex, who dwells in the forest and who takes delight in simplicity. If that great ascetic, O king, come to your kingdom, there is not the least doubt that the clouds will instantly pour rains."

O king, having heard these words and resolving to make atonement (for his past misdeeds) he went and came back when the Brahmanas had become appeased.

Having heard of the arrival of the being, the subjects became exceedingly glad. Then the ruler of Anga summoned his ministers, proficient in giving counsel.

He made great efforts to bring Rishyashringa to his kingdom. O undeteriorating one, he at last found out a means in consultation with his ministers.

Who were all versed in the Shastras, who were all exceedingly proficient in worldly matters and ever able in practical matters. That ruler of earth then brought some courtesans, women of the two, clever in everything. To them the king said, “Find out some means to bring the Rishi's son Rishyashringa.

To my kingdom, O beautiful ones, by tempting him and by securing his confidence. Those women were afraid of the king and afraid as well of (the Rishi's) curse. They becamc pale and confounded; and they said that the business was beyond their power (to accomplish). Thereupon one among them, an old woman thus spoke to the king.

"O great king, I shall try to bring here that great ascetic. You should however order to procure for me certain things in connection with it. I shall then be able to bring the Rishi's son Rishyashringa here." The king ordered that everything she wanted should be procured.

He gave her much wealth and various gems and jewels. O ruler of earth, taking with her some young and beautiful women, she then went soon to the forest.