Vishwamitra Rishi was the pious soul who gave the Gayatri Mantra to mankind, a mantra that leads to abundance and unlocking of knowledge.
Let’s read his fascinating story
Vishvamitra Rishi and his lineage
Unlike other rishis and the Saptarishi, who were born from Brahma’s mind or were descendants of a Maharishi, Vishamitra Rishi was born as a Kshatriya (a warrior clan). However, he was born from the consumption of rice pudding specially prepared by Ruchika Rishi.
Vishwamitra was a capable prince and ruled his kingdom well after his father, King Gadhi, deceased.
Encounter with Maharishi Vashishtha
Once, while returning from a battle, Vishvamitra came across the hermitage of Maharishi Vashishtha. He got fascinated by Kamdhenu, the celestial cow gifted to Vashishtha Maharishi for his devotion and wisdom, or dharma.
Vishvamitra asked Vashishtha to give it to him in exchange for various other gifts. Vashishtha refused as he knew Vishvamitra would use it for wrong intentions.
This enraged Vishvamitra, and he attacked Vashishtha’s hermitage and his disciples.
The battle got intense and Maharishi Vashistha used his brahma Shashtra, a divine undefeatable weapon gifted to to him by lord Shiva.
Seeing that there was no way he could win defeat Vashishtha, Vishvamitra retreated.
Vishvamitra Rishi decides to forgo his Kingdom
Vishvamitra could not accept that he was defeated by a mere sage and decided that he too would become a rishi and gain the knowledge to be blessed by the divine.
Thus started his journey from a Kshatriya king to becoming a sage and finally a Maharishi.
He left for the jungle to do penance, meditation, and self-atocities, leaving behind his kingdom.
Vishvamitra Rishi has a change of heart
Though Vishvamitra started his penance for the motive of getting back at Maharishi Vashishtha, he experienced a change of heart. While doing meditation and focusing on the self, he realized how shallow and short sighted he had behaved. Realizing this, he imposed more severe atrocity and penance.
The divine Lords were pleased and moved by his devotion towards spirituality and dharma.
Vishvamitra is blessed with the Gayatri Mantra
In Vedic tradition, it is believed that some mantras are not composed, but because they are eternal, they are revealed to the most deserving and pious soul.
It was when doing one such deep meditation that Vishvamitra Rishi was observing that the Sun deity revealed and blessed him to be the seer of the eternal Gayatri Mantra.
Glory to Vishvamitra, who became a Maharishi and was blessed with the Gayatri Mantra. His journey demonstrates how dedication and perseverance can lead to spiritual attainment, regardless of one’s birth caste.
