Parashara

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Parashara in Javanese Wayang

Parāśara is a Rigveda Mahārśi and author of many ancient Indian texts. Parāśara was the grandson of Vasishtha, the son of Shakti-muni, and the father of Vyasa.

There are several texts which give reference to Parāśara as the author/speaker. Modern scholars believe that there were many individuals who used this name throughout time. Hindus believe that the same Parāśara taught these various texts and the time of writing them varied. The actual sage himself never wrote the texts, he was known as a traveling teacher, and the various texts attributed to him are given in reference to Parāśara being the speaker to his student.^{[citation needed]}

Genealogy

Brahma created Vasishtha and with Arundhati had a son named Shakti-muni who had Parāśara. With Satyavati, Parāśara had Vyasa. Vyasa had Dhritarashtra, Pandu and Vidura through his dead brother's wives. He had Śuka through his wife, Jābāli's daughter Pinjalā (Vatikā)^[1]. Thus parashara was the great-grandfather of both the warring parties of the Mahābhārata, the Kauravas and the Pāndavas.

Life

Mahārśi Parāśara was raised by his grandfather, Vasishtha, because he lost his father at an early age. His father, Shakti-muni, was on a journey and came across an angry Rakshasa (demon) who had once been a king but was turned into a demon feeding on human flesh as a curse from Vishwamitra. The demon devoured Parāśara’s father. In the Visnu Purana, Parāśara speaks about his anger from this: ^[2]

"I had heard that my father had been devoured by a Rakshasa employed by Vishwamitra: violent anger seized me, and I commenced a sacrifice for the destruction of the Rakshasas: hundreds of them were reduced to ashes by the rite, when, as they were about to be entirely exterminated, my grandfather Vasishtha said to me: Enough, my child; let thy wrath be appeased: the Rakshasas are not culpable: thy father's death was the work of destiny. Anger is the passion of fools; it becometh not a wise man. By whom, it may be asked, is any one killed? Every man reaps the consequences of his own acts. Anger, my son, is the destruction of all that man obtains by arduous exertions, of fame, and of devout austerities; and prevents the attainment of heaven or of emancipation. The chief sages always shun wrath: be not subject to its influence, my child. Let no more of these unoffending spirits of darkness be consumed. Mercy is the might of the righteous.”

- [ important life detail to be added] Advice to Jamadagni and Parāśara's Ashram being burned.

Sage Parashara, on one of his travels across the country, halted for the night in a little hamlet on the banks of the river Ganga. He was put up in the house of the village chief. When dawn broke, the chief asked his daughter, Satyavati, to ferry the sage to his next destination. When in the ferry, Parashara was offended by the stench of raw fish. According to legend, the Ganga has no fish within her waters. He asked Satyavati as to from where the foul stench was emanating. Satyavati was a fisherman's daughter, and pursued the same occupation. It was from her the stench emanated. Realising this, Parashara gave her the epithet "Matsyagandha", meaning "one with the smell of fish". Satyavati was thoroughly ashamed. Parashara felt sorry for his cruelty, and instantly granted her the boon, that the finest fragrance may emit from her person.

Parashara grew attached to Satyavati, and in due course, they had a son, by name Vyasa. But Parashara's wandering ascetic life did not suit Satyavati, and the couple separated. While parting, Parashara granted Satyavati another boon; that she may have her lost virginity back. Satyavati returned to her father after this, and in due course, married Shantanu. - [important life detail to be added] The birth and teaching of his son Vyasa, his son's marriage arrangement and the three vedas becoming four, rewriting the smriti, ...

Parāśara was known as the "limping sage". He had his leg wounded during the attack of his ashram. When a rishi dies he merges back into an element or an archeype, Sage Jaimini was trampled by wild elephants, Sage Gautama was eaten by Cannibals, etc. When Sage Parāśara was walking through a dense forest he and his students were attacked by wolves. He was unable to get away in his old age with a lame leg he left this world merging into the wolves ^[3].

The birth place of Parashar Muni is believed to be at Panhala fort in Kolhapur district of Maharashtra. A cave supposed to be of Parashar Muni is present at the fort.

Rgveda

In the Rgveda Parāśara, son of Sakti-Muni (Parāśara Śāktya), is the seer of verses 1.65-73 which are all in praise of Agni (the sacred fire), and part of 9.97 (v.31-44) which is in praise of Soma. Below is 1.73.2

devo na yaḥ savitā satyamanmā kratvā nipāti vṛjanāni viṣvā
purupraṣasto amatirna satya ātmeva Sevo didhiṣāyyo bhūt

He who is like the divine Sun, who knows the truth (of things), preserves by his actions (his votaries) in all encounters; like nature, he is unchangeable and, like soul, is the source of all happiness: he is ever to be cherished.^[4]

Texts attributed to Parāśara

• Author of verses in the Rgveda: recorded as the author of RV 1.65-73 and part of RV 9.97.
• Parāśara Smriti (also called Parāśara Dharma Samhita): a code of laws which is stated in the text to be for the present Kali Yuga.
• Speaker of Visnu Purana considered by scholars as one of the earliest Puranas. ^[5]
• Speaker of the Bṛhat Parāśara Horāśāstra , also written as BPHS. It is considered a foundational text of astrology. The Sanskrit in which it is composed dates to the 7th or 8th centuries CE
• Speaker of the Vrksayurveda ("the science of life of trees"), one of the earliest texts on botany.[1]. This text was considered to be an ancient botany primer for students of Traditional IndianMedicine

See also

• Parashara Bhattar, the son of Kurattazhvan (Kuresa), by Ramanujacharya, a disciple of Yamunacharya (12th century).

References

1. ^ Skanda Purāṇa, Nāgara Khanda, ch. 147
2. ^ Wilson, H. H. The Vishnu Purana: A System of Hindu Mythology and Tradition.
3. ^ Munshi, K.M. "The Book of VedaVyaasa: The Master".
4. ^ Rgveda 1.73.2 Translation by H.H.Wilson
5. ^ Flood, Gavin. An Introduction to Hinduism.

• Flood, Gavin (1996). An Introduction to Hinduism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-43878-0.
• Ganguli, Kisari Mohan. "The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa" published between 1883 and 1896, http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m12/m12c049.htm
• Monier-Williams, Sanskrit Dictionary (1899).
• Munshi, K.M. "The Book of VedaVyaasa: The Master". Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay, 1971.
• Wilson, H. H. (2006). The Vishnu Purana: A System of Hindu Mythology and Tradition. Cambridge: Read Country Books. ISBN 1846646642.