Vashishtha

People in Shastras

Vashishtha was the family guru of the Raghu dynasty of kings. He was a speaker of the truth and a brahmarshi (one who endeavors to contemplate on God continuously while identifying self as Brahman). He was one of the 10 human sons of Brahmā during the Swāyambhuva manvantar (of the 14 Manus that reign the earth during one day of Brahmā, Swāyambhuva manvantar is the duration when the Manu named Swāyambhuva reigns the earth). He married Kardam Rishi’s daughter Arundhati. He had mastered Vedas and Vedant, archery, tattvagnān, etc. He was fond of austerities. He could see the past, present, and the future. He was the main priest for King Dashrath and the administration of Dashrath’s royal duties were conducted according to his advice. Dashrath did not have sons, so Vashishtha advised him to perform a yagna. The fruit of the yagna was the birth of Rām, Lakshman, Bharat, and Shatrughna. Vashishtha taught Rām Vedas, Vedang, archery, system of logic, ethics, and other such fields of knowledge totaling 14. He wrote Yogvāsishtha Rāmāyan, Vashishtha-Smruti, Vashishtha-Samhitā, and other scriptures.