Story of a great King turned sage Part -1

 Story of great Sage Vishwamitra

 

 (Note:- In this blog I am writing the Valmiki Ramayana in short stories but this story includes the story of Ramayana )

This great sage was a Kshatriya while born . He was born in the dynasty of Ammavasu . Mahabharat contains the story of Vishwamitra's birth . The Bala kandh starts with story of Vishwamitra . The sage's birth name was Kusha (please don't be confused. He is not Kusha son of Rama). He was the son of Richika in race of the Bhrighu . Richika married Satyavati (not the character from Mahabharat). Richika wanted to have a good child with good qualities. Vishwamitra became the King after Richika.

Conflict with Vashistha and Kaushika makes Vishwamitra a Bhramarishi:-

Once Kaushika (other name for Vishwamitra) went around the whole globe with his huge army . After the long trip the whole army reached maharshi Vashistha's ashram . The sage asked the cow Shabhala  to give food , water , juices, to feed the whole army of Kaushika.

After the sage served the army and Kaushika the king had a feeling of snatching Shabhala from the sage . He  said ' Shabhala rightly belongs to king or a kshatriya.' He offered to give a ten thousand cows in exchange of Shabhala . ' But the sage's reply was a no.

He said that he cannot exchange Shabhala for any thing. Kaushika ordered his soldiers to snatch Shabhala using force. The rishi destroyed Kaushika's whole army including his sons except one Vamadeva. After this the king regretted this sinfull act . He thought of having spiritual power like Vashistha . He gave his son the kingdom and went into jungles to perform penance . 

After thousands of year's Shiva appeared and asked for a boon. Vishwamitra asked for divine weapon's. When he had the weapons he straightly went to Vashistha's Ashram and started to use these weapons . Vashistha neutralized this using his spiritual power. Now Vishwamitra realised that a Kshatriyas might has no match to a Rishi's spiritual power. So Vishwamitra decided to became a Bhrahma Rishi highest post in Rishi's. He went to the northern quater started doing penance on  Brahma . Brahma appeared and addressed him as Rajarishi . He went to the western quater and when Brahma appeared he addressed him as Maharshi . When he went to the southern quater and when doing tapas a divine being who was sent by Indra by from Amaravati (capital of devas). 

Indra was worried about the growing power of Vishwamitra . He sent a divine apsara Menaka . Vishwamitra asked Menaka to stay with him. After ten years Vishwamitra realised that it was a trick sent by Indra. He sent Menaka back . He continued to do penance . This time Indra sent Ramba but Vishwamitra realised that it was a trick. He cursed her to be a stone for ten thousand years. After this he proceeded to the Eastern quater . Indra and the other devas went to Brahma and told that " Oh ! Great deva if you don't give the post of bhramarishi the three world will be burnt. " Now after hearing the devas Brahma appeared in front or Vishwamitra and addressed him as  bhramarishi . Vishwamitra told "let Vashistha address me as bhramarishi ". Vasishtha addressed him as bhramarishi.  

A story of Trishanku and Vishwamitra :-

A king of Surya dynasty Trishanku wanted to ascend heaven with the human body . He went to the royal sage Vashistha. He refused to do. In the next day Trishanku's body was covered with ash. He went to Vishwamitra to do this work. The sage agreed to do this sacrifice. Whole rishis except Vashistha and his sons arrived at the sacrifice place. No devas accepted the offering the sage was very furious . He used his spiritual power and sent Trishanku into heaven. But Indra sent him down . Trishanku fell down . The sage was furious he decided to create a new heaven . But the devas appeared and asked him not do so. The rishi agreed to this . Devas were happy and Trishanku was a star in the northern side .