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वसिष्ठ (vasiSTha)

 
शब्दसागरः
English
वसिष्ठ
m.
 (-ष्ठः) A celebrated Muni.
E.
 वस् to abide, (in the practice of
religious austerities, )
aff.
 णिनि, वसिन्, superlative
aff.
 इष्टन् added
pre-eminent amongst the ascetics
also वशिष्ठ &c.
Capeller Eng
English
व॑सिष्ठ (superl. ) most excellent, best, richest
m.
N.
of an ancient Ṛṣi, deified as a star in the Great Bear.
Yates
English
वसिष्ठ (ष्ठः) 1.
m.
 A celebrated sage.
Wilson
English
वसिष्ठ
m.
 (-ष्ठः) A celebrated Muni.
E.
 वस to abide (in the practice of religious austerities),
aff.
 णिनि,
वसिन् superlative
aff.
 , इष्टन् added, pre-eminent amongst the ascetics
also वशिष्ठ, &c.
Apte
English
वसिष्ठः [vasiṣṭhḥ], (also written वशिष्ठ)
N.
 of a celebrated sage, the family priest of the solar race of kings, and author of several Vedic hymns, particularly of the seventh Maṇḍala of the Rigveda. He was the typical representative of true Brāhmanic dignity and power, and the efforts of Viśvāmitra to rise to his level from the subject of many legends
cf.
 विश्वामित्र.
N.
 of the author of a Smṛiti (sometimes ascribed to the sage himself).-ष्ठम् Flesh.
Apte 1890
English
वसिष्ठः (also written वशिष्ठ) 1 N. of a celebrated sage, the familypriest of the solar race of kings, and author of several Vedic hymns, particularly of the seventh Maṇḍala of the Ṛgveda. He was the typical representative of true Brāhmanic dignity and power, and the efforts of Viśvāmitra to rise to his level form the subject of many legends
cf. विश्वामित्र.
2 N. of the author of a Smṛti (sometimes ascribed to the sage himself).
Monier Williams Cologne
English
व॑सिष्ठ a
mfn.
 (superl.
fr.
 1. व॑सु
cf.
 व॑सीयस् and under √ 3. वस्) most excellent, best, richest,
RV.
AV.
Br.
ChUp.
MBh.
व॑सिष्ठ
m.
 (wrongly written वशिष्ठ), ‘the most wealthy’,
N.
 of a celebrated Vedic Ṛṣi or sage (owner of the ‘cow of plenty’, called Nandinī, offspring of Surabhi, which by granting all desires made him, as his name implies, master of every वसु or desirable object
he was the typical representative of Brāhmanical rank, and the legends of his conflict with Viśvā-mitra, who raised himself from the kingly or Kṣatriya to the Brāhmanical class, were probably founded on the actual struggles which took place between the Brāhmans and Kṣatriyas
a great many hymns of the
RV.
 are ascribed to these two great rivals
those of the seventh Maṇḍala, besides some others, being attributed to Vasiṣṭha, while those of the third Maṇḍala are assigned to Viśvā-mitra
in one of Vasiṣṭha's hymns he is represented as king Su-dās's family priest, an office to which Viśvā-mitra also aspired
in another hymn Vasiṣṭha claims to have been inspired by Varuṇa, and in another [RV. vii, 33, 11] he is called the son of the Apsaras Urvaśī by Mitra and Varuṇa, whence his patronymic Maitrāvaruṇi
in Manu, i, 35, he is enumerated among the ten Prajā-patis or Patriarchs produced by Manu Svāyambhuva for the peopling of the universe
in the
MBh.
 he is mentioned as the family priest of the solar race or family of Ikṣvāku and Rāma-candra, and in the Purāṇas as one of the arrangers of the Vedas in the Dvāpara age
he is, moreover, called the father of Aurva [Hariv. ], of the Sukālins [Mn. ], of seven sons [Hariv.
Pur.
 ],
and the husband of Akṣa-mālā or Arundhatī [MBh. ] and of Ūrjā [Pur. ]
other legends make him one of the 7 patriarchal sages regarded as forming the Great Bear in which he represents the star ζ See ऋषि),
RV.
&c.
&c.
 (cf.
IW.
 361
402
n.
 1
&c.
 )
N.
 of the author of a law-book and other works (prob. intended to be ascribed to the Vedic Ṛṣi above)
pl.
 the family of Vasiṣṭha,
RV.
ŚBr.
ŚrS.
 (वसिष्ठस्याङ्कुशः
&c.
N.
 of Sāmans, ĀrṣBr. )
N.
 of an Anuvāka,
Pat.
 on
Pāṇ.
 iv, 3, 131,
Vārtt.
 2
व॑सिष्ठ
n.
 flesh,
Gal.
वसिष्ठ b, वसीयस् See
p.
 930.
Monier Williams 1872
English
वसिष्ठ, अस्, m. (superl. of वसु or वसु-
मत्
cf. वसीयस्), ‘the most wealthy, ’ N. of a very
celebrated Vedic Ṛṣi or inspired sage (owner of
the ‘cow of plenty, ’ called Nandinī, offspring of
Surabhi, which by granting all desires made him, as
his name implies, master of every वसु or desirable
object
he was the typical representative of Brāh-
manical dignity, and the legends of his conflict with
Viśvā-mitra, who raised himself from the military
to the sacerdotal class, though probably founded on
the actual struggles which took place between the
Brāhmans and Kṣatriyas, were doubtless mostly in-
vented to impress the mind with the power and
superiority of the priesthood
a great many hymns
of the Ṛg-veda are ascribed to these two great
rivals, those of the seventh Maṇḍala, besides some
others, being attributed to Vasiṣṭha, while those of
the third Maṇḍala are assigned to Viśvā-mitra
in
one of Vasiṣṭha's hymns he is represented as king
Su-dās's family priest, an office to which Viśvā-mitra
also aspired
in another hymn Vasiṣṭha claims to
have been inspired by Varuṇa, and in another [Ṛg-
veda VII. 33, 11] he is called the son of the Apsaras
Urvaśī by Mitra and Varuṇa, whence his patronymic
Maitrāvaruṇi
in Manu I. 35. he is enumerated
among the ten Prajā-patis or Patriarchs produced by
Manu Svāyambhuva for the peopling of the universe
in the Mahā-bhārata he is mentioned as the family
priest of the solar race or family of Ikṣvāku and
Rāma-candra, and in the Purāṇas as one of the
arrangers of the Vedas in the Dvāpara age
in the
first and second chapters of the Raghu-vaṃśa he is
described as releasing king Dilīpa from his curse of
childlessness by directing him to attend upon the cow
Nandinī in atonement for an offence he had uninten-
tionally committed against the parent cow Surabhi
according to one account Vasiṣṭha married Ūrjā,
‘Strength
’ according to another, Arundhatī, one of
the Pleiades, by whom he had seven sons [see
अरुन्धती]
other legends make him one of the
seven great patriarchal sages regarded as forming the
stars of the Great Bear [see ऋषि]
his name is often
written Vaśiṣṭha, q. v., in which case it must be
connected with वश and वशिन्)
N. of the author
of a law-book (perhaps intended to be ascribed to
the Vedic Ṛṣi above)
(आस्), m. pl. the family of
Vasiṣṭha
(वसिष्ठस्याङ्कुश and वसिष्ठस्या-
नुपदम्, N. of two Sāmans.)
—वसिष्ठ-तन्त्र,
अम्, n., N. of a Tantra work.
—वसिष्ठ-पुत्र,
आस्, m. pl. ‘the sons or descendants of Vasiṣṭha, ’ N.
of the authors of Ṛg-veda VII. 33, 10-14.
—व-
सिष्ठ-प्रमुख, अस्, आ, अम्, preceded or led
by Vasiṣṭha.
—वसिष्ठ-प्राची, f., N. of a place.
—वसिष्ठ-भृग्व्-अत्रि-सम, अस्, आ, अम्, equal
to (the three great saints) Vasiṣṭha, Bhṛgu, and
Atri (all three being reckoned among the nine
Prajā-patis, Manu I. 35).
—वसिष्ठ-संहिता, f.,
N. of a philosophical treatise
= योग-वासिष्ठ।
—वसिष्ठापवाह (°ठ-अप्°), अस्, m., N. of a place
on the Sarasvatī (where that river carried the Ṛṣi Va-
siṣṭha away so that he escaped from Viśvā-mitra).
वसिष्ठ वसिष्ठ। See p. 896, col. 2.
Macdonell
English
वसिष्ठ vás-iṣṭha, spv. [brightest: √ 1. vas] 🞄best, most excellent, wealthiest (V., E.)
m.
 🞄N. of one of the leading Vedic Ṝṣis, 🞄[Page273-3] 🞄composer 🞄of the seventh Maṇḍala of the RV.
in 🞄C. he is regarded as one of the seven Ṛṣis 🞄and is mentioned as a lawgiver (often incorrectly 🞄spelt Vaśiṣṭha).
Benfey
English
वसिष्ठ वसिष्ठ,
m.
 The name of
a Ṛṣi
cf. वशिष्ठ।
Apte Hindi
Hindi
वसिष्ठः
पुं*
 - -
एक विख्यात मुनि का नाम
वसिष्ठः
पुं*
 - -
स्मृति के प्रणेता का नाम
L R Vaidya
English
vasizWa {% m. %} 1. Name of a celebrated inspired sage, (See App. II.), R.i.35
2. name of the author of a Smṛiti
(according to old tradition, this Smṛiti was written by the inspired sage).
Aufrecht Catalogus Catalogorum
English
+वसिष्ठ
Itihāsa.
Gaṇḍāntādidoṣavicāra. Ben. 25.
Grahaśāntipaddhati.
Śāntividhi. Gu. 5. See Vāsiṣṭhīśānti.
वसिष्ठ
Homavidhi.
Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid
English
Vasiṣṭha (= Pali Vāseṭṭha),
(1) n. of a brahman convert to Buddhism (= Pali Vās° 4), associated with Bhāradvāja 2: Karmav 〔157.6〕
(2) n. of a ṛṣi living in Anomiya, q.v., in the Malla country (cf. Pali Vās° 3 in DPPN): Mv 〔ii.164.18〕, etc.
〔195.12 ff.〕
(3) n. of a brother of Bharadvāja 4: MSV 〔i.211.6 ff.〕
Lanman
English
vásiṣṭha, a. most excellent, best
--as m.
Vasishtha, name of one of the most
famous Vedic seers, 78^19N. [formed as
superl. to vasu, fr. √1vas as a verbal
(467), the verbal having the same transferred
sense as the adj. vasu, q. v.]
अभिधानचिन्तामणिः
Sanskrit
--source--
मरीचिप्रमुखाः सप्तर्षयश्चित्रशिखण्डिनः ।
-wordlist-
सप्तर्षि (पुं), चित्रशिखण्डिन् (पुं), मरीचि (पुं), अत्रि (पुं), अङ्गिरस् (पुं), पुलस्त्य (पुं), पुलह (पुं), क्रतु (पुं), वसिष्ठ (पुं)
--source--
वसिष्ठोऽरुन्धतीजानिरक्षमाला त्वरुन्धती ॥ ८४९ ॥
-wordlist-
वसिष्ठ (पुं), अरुन्धतीजानि (पुं), अक्षमाला (स्त्री), अरुन्धती (स्त्री)
Mahabharata
English
Vasishṭha (Vaśiº C.), a ṛshi, son of Varuṇa (or of Mitra and Varuṇa), one of the Saptarshis, husband of Arundhatī (Akshamālā), father of Śakt(r)i and grandfather of Parāśara. [Sometimes V. is reckoned among the Prajāpatis (spiritual sons of Brahmán)]. § 61 (Sarpasattra): I, 55, †2110 (ºvat).--§ 130 (Aṃśāvat.): I, 67, 2710 (ºsya śāpena, all. to § 164).--§ 134 (Viśvāmitra): I, 71, 2923 (ºṃ yaḥ putrair ishṭair vyayojayat, cf. § 224).--§ 153 (Pūruvaṃś.): I, 94, 3732 (ṛshiḥ), 3735 (became the purohita of Saṃvaraṇa, whom he installed).--§ 161 (Mahābhishop.): I, 96, 3853 (śaptāḥ…Vºena, sc. the Vasus, cf. § 164), 3854.--§ 163 (Bhīshmotpatti): I, 98, 3914 (ºśāpadosheṇa, all. to § 164).-§ 164 (Āpavop.): I, 99, 3924 (ºnāmā sa muniḥ…Āpavaḥ) (the Vasu Dyaus stole the homadhenu of V.
V. then cursed the Vasus to be reborn (Dyaus as Bhīshma)).--§ 165 (Satyavatīlābhop.): I, 100, 4001 (Bhīshma learnt the Vedas with their Aṅgas from V.).--§ 188 (Madayantī): I, 122, 4736 (Madayantī jagāma rshiṃ Vºṃ…tasmāl lebhe ca sā putram Aśmakaṃ, cf. § 225).--§ 191 (Arjuna): I, 123, 4807 (among the seven maharshis present at the birth of Arjuna).--§ 222 (Tapatyup.): I, 173, 6596 (ṛshisattamaṃ), 6601, 6604 (ṛshiḥ), (6605), 6609, 6610 (maharshiḥ), 6612, 6614 (ṛshiḥ), 6615, 6617, 6619, 6627 (the purohita of Saṃvaraṇa, prevailed upon Sūrya to give Saṃvaraṇa Tapatī in marriage).--§ 223 (Vāsishṭha): I, 174, 6635, 6636, 6638 (Brahmaṇo mānasaḥ putro Vºo 'rundhatīpatiḥ), 6639 (only B., etymology), 6643 (ṛshisattamaṃ)
175, 6649 (Viśvāmitra-Vºyoḥ), 6654 (ºāśramaṃ), 6655 (ṛshiḥ), 6657, (6665), (6668), 6670 (ºsya nandinī), (6672), 6673, (6676), (6678), 6679 (the hostility between V. and Viśvāmitra).--§ 224 (Kalmāshapāda): I, 176, 6701 (ºkulavardhanaṃ, i.e. Śakt(r)i), 6710 (ViśvāmitraVºyoḥ), 6712 (ṛsheḥ putraṃ Vºsya Vºm iva tejasā, i.e. Śakt(r)i), 6736 (ºsyaiva putreshu), 6737 (putrān Vºsya) (when Kalmāshapāda had been cursed by Śakt(r)i and Viśvāmitra had caused a Rākshasa to possess him, Kalmāshapāda devoured Śakt(r)i and the other sons of V.).--§ 225 (Vāsishṭha): I, 176, 6738
177, (6758), 6760 (ṛshiḥ), 6763, (6767), 6769 (ṛshiḥ), 6771 (6775), 6779, 6780, 6782 (maharshiṇā), 6787, 6788 (ṛshiḥ) (from grief V. in vain tried to commit suicide, but, hearing of his daughter-in-law being quick with child, he refrained from his purpose. V. afterwards delivered Kalmāshapāda from the curse, and begat Aśmaka on his queen Madayantī).--§ 226 (Parāśara): I, 178, 6794 (muniḥ, grandfather of Parāśara), 6795 (muniṃ), 6796 (viprarshiṃ), 6802.--§ 227 (Aurvop.): I, 178, (6802)
179, (6826)
180, (6862) (told Parāśara the story of Aurva).--§ 228 (do.): I, 181, 6865, 6868, 6871, 6882 (ye ca Śaktryavarāḥ putrā Vºsya mahāmuneḥ), 6883, 6885.--§ 229 (Vasishṭhop.): I, 182, 6889, 6891, 6907 (ṛsheḥ), 6909, 6912 (on account of a curse denounced upon Kalmāshapāda, V. begat a son on his queen, cf. § 225).--§ 240 (Vaivāhikap.): I, 199, 7352 (yathā…Vºe cāpy Arundhatī, sc. bhava bhartṛshu).--§ 249 (Arjunavanavāsap.): I, 215, 7813 (ºsya ca parvataṃ, near Himavat(?)).--§ 259b (Arundhatī): I, 233, 8456 (Saptarshimadhyagaṃ…muniṃ, his wife, Arundhatī, became jealous of him).--§ 270 (Brahmasabhāv.): II, 11, 436 (among the prajānāṃ patayaḥ in the palace of Brahmán).--§ 327 (Draupadīparitāpav.): III, 31, 1171 (among those ṛshis who have become of pure souls by virtue). --§ 347 (Nalopākhyānap.): III, 64, 2462 (º-BhṛgvAtrisamaiḥ).--§ 358 (Tīrthayātrāp.): III, 82, 4098 (āśrame Vºsya, a tīrtha on the mountain Arbuda).--§ 368 (do.): III, 83, 7050 (ºsyāśramaṃ, at Badarīpācana).--§ 370 (do.): III, 84, 8118 (āśramo Vºsya, a tīrtha at the Niścirā).--§ 376 (do.): III, 85, 8264 (among the ṛshis who expect Yudhishṭhira on his tīrthayātrā).--§ 384 (Agastyop.): III, 102, 8739 (ºsyāśrame).--§ 391 (Ṛshyaśṛṅga): III, 113, 10092 (Arundhatī vā subhāgā Vºṃ…yathā, sc. paryacarat).-§ 410 (Vipāśā): III, 130, 10544 (atra--i.e. in the Vipāśā-vai putraśokena Vºo bhagavāṇ ṛshiḥ baddhvātmānaṃ nipātito vipāśaḥ punar utthitaḥ, cf. § 225), 10553 (Arundhatīsahāyaḥ, obtained tranquillity at Ujjānaka).--§ 439 (Yakshayuddhap.): III, 163, 11855 (sapta devarshayaḥ…Vºpramukhāḥ).-§ 496 (Skandotpatti): III, 224, 14282 (ºpramukhā mukhyā viprendrāḥ).--§ 527 (Rāmopākhyānap.): III, 277, 15981 (º-Vāmadevābhyāṃ).--§ 543 (Rāmābhisheka): III, 292, 16597 (ºo Vāmadevaś ca, anointed Rāma Dāśarathi).--§ 562 (Bhagavadyānap.): V, 83, 2946 (ºo Vāmadevaś ca, worshipped Kṛshṇa).--§ 565 (Gālavacarita): V, 106, 3721 (ṛshiḥ, Dharma assumed the form of V.)
108, 3773 (atra-i.e. in the east--pūrvaṃ Vºsya paurāṇasya, dvijarshabha, sūtiś caiva pratishṭhā ca nidhanaṃ ca prakāśate)
117, 3970 (reme …yathā…Vºś cākshamālayā).--§ 574 (Jambūkh.): VI, 2, 65 (Arundhalī tayā 'py esha Vºḥ pṛshṭhataḥ kṛtaḥ, one of the stars [in Ursa major]).--§ 589 (Droṇābhishekap.): VII, 6, 160 (ºa iva viprāṇāṃ, sc. śreshṭhaḥ).--§ 599 (Jayadrathavadhap.): VII, 94, 3453 (mentioned in a blessing). --§ 602 (Droṇavadhap.): VII, 190, 8727.--§ 615i (Saptasārasvata): IX, 38, 2212 (performed a sacrifice for Kuru in Kurukshetra).--§ 615n (Viśvāmitra): IX, 40, 2302 (ºāśramaṃ), 2303 (Brahmaṇaḥ sutaḥ), 2304 (munisattamaḥ) (V.'s hostility with Viśvāmitra, cf. § 223).--§ 615p (Vasishṭhāpavāha): IX, 42, 2358 (ºsyāpavāhaḥ), 2360, 2361 (āśramo vai Vºsya, in Sthānutīrtha), 2365, 2366 (ViśvāmitraVºau), 2367, 2369 (dvijaśreshṭhaṃ), 2374, 2376, 2377, 2378, 2380, (2381), 2383, 2392, 2393 (ṛshisattamaṃ) (Viśvāmitra ordered the Sarasvatī to bring V. to him that he might slay him).--§ 615y (Badarapācana): IX, 48, 2767 (viprarsheḥ), 2768 (Indra assumed the form of V.).--§ 635 (Rājadh.): XII, 37, 1354 (preceptor of Bhīshma).--§ 637 (do.): XII, 46, 1568 (ºśishyaṃ, i.e. Bhīshma)
47, 1594 (among the ṛshis who surrounded Bhīshma).--§ 641g (Mucukundop.): XII, 74, 2814 (the purohita of Mucukunda)
122, 4499 (īśaṃ viprāṇāṃ).--§ 656 (Khaḍgotpattik.): XII, 166, 6135 (ºāṅgirasau, among the mind-born sons of Brahmán), (), 6142 (º-Gautamāgastyāḥ).--§ 665 (Mokshadh.): XII, 208, 7570 (the seventh of Brahmán's seven sons), (), 7598 (the second of the ṛshis of the north).--§ 677 (do.): XII, 235, 8591 (Rantideva gave lukewarm water to V.), 8601 (avarshati Parjanye sarvabhūtāni bhūtakṛt Vºo jīvayām āsa Prajāpatir iva prajāḥ), 8604 (Mitrasaha, i.e. Kalmāshapāda, gave his wife Madayantī to V. (C. Damayantīṃ), cf. § 225).--§ 693b (Vṛtravadha): XII, 282, 10118 (restored Indra to senses by uttering the Rathantara sāman), (10119), 10124, 10130.--§ 702 (Mokshadh.): XII, 293, 10762
297, 10877 (propagator of one of the four original gotras).- § 705 (do.): XII, 303, 11220 (ºsya ca saṃvādaṃ Karālajanakasya ca), 11221, (11226)
304, (11263)
305, (11317)
306, (11339)
307, (11373)
308, (11418)
309, (11466) (discourse between V. and Karālajanaka), 11511 (obtained the sacred knowledge from Hiraṇyagarbha and taught it to Nārada).--§ 717b (Nārāyaṇīya): XII, 335, 12686 (among the twenty-one Prajāpatis).--§ 717c (Uparicara): XII, 336, 12725 (among the seven ṛshis named Citraśikhaṇḍins).--§ 717b (Nārāyaṇīya): XII, 341, 13040 (among the eight Prakṛtis), (), 13075 (among the seven spiritual sons of Brahmán)
343, VII). ††13209 (Hairaṇyagarbhāt, cursed Hiraṇyakaśipu)
350, 13642 (ºsya sutaḥ Śaktriḥ), †13686 (mānasaṃ…Pitāmahasya), 13697 (ºkulanandanaḥ, i.e. Vyāsa).--§ 721 (Ānuśāsanik.): XIII, 3, 183 (ºsya…hataṃ putraśataṃ, sc. by Viśvāmitra), 192 (salile purātmānaṃ majjayan, all. to § 225), 193.--§ 723 (do.): XIII, 6, 296 (ºsya saṃvādaṃ Brahmaṇaś ca, ºsº also C.), 297 (ºsº also C., discourse between V. and Brahmán).-§ 730g (Upamanyu): XIII, 14, 913 (ºs tvam ṛshīṇāṃ, sc. asi, sc. Śiva).--§ 730 (Ānuśāsanik.): XIII, 14, 991. --§ 732 (do.): XIII, 24, 1678 (caturthas tvaṃ Vºsya, sc. Vyāsa).--§ 734 (do.): XIII, 26, 1761 (among the ṛshis who came to see Bhīshma).--§ 746 (do.): XIII, 78, 3732 (the purohita of Saudāsa)
79, (3757)
80, (3785) (instructed Saudāsa about gifts of kine).--§ 747 (do.): XIII, 84, 3968 (devarshiṃ), 3975.--§ 747b (Suvarṇotpatti): XIII, 85, (4104) (related the Suvarṇotpatti), 4183.--§ 748b (Tārakavadhop.): XIII, 85, 4219 (related the Tārakavadhopākhyāna).--§ 749 (Ānuśāsanik.): XIII, 92, 4392. --§ 750b (Bisastainyop.): XIII, 93, 4416 (4439), (4461), (4484) (ºsº also C.), 4484 (do., etymology), (4515).--§ 751b (Śapathavidhi): XIII, 94, †4550, (4563).--§ 759 (Ānuśāsanik.): XIII, 106, 5200.--§ 766 (do.): XIII, 126, 6046 (sapta…ṛshayaḥ…Vºpramukhāḥ), 6047
130, 6102/3 (only B.).--§ 767 (do.): XIII, 137, 6250 (Rantideva made gifts to V.), 6257 (avarshati ca Parjanye sarvabhūtāni devarāṭ/ Vºo jīvayām āsa), 6259 (Kakshasena made gifts to V.), 6262 (Mitrasaha--i.e. Kalmāshapāda--gave his wife Madayantī to V.).--§ 770 (do.): XIII, 151, †7088, (), 7116 (among the seven Dhaneśvarasya guravaḥ in the north), 7158 (), †7160.--§ 772b (Pavanārjunasaṃv.): Vāyu said: Once the gods performing a sacrifice at the Vaikhānasa lake thought of the ṛshi V. Seeing the gods emaciated and reduced in consequence of the dīkshā, the gigantic Dānavas named Khalins desired to slay them. The slain Dānavas plunged into the lake, and in consequence of a boon granted by Brahmán they revived. Taking up mountains, etc., they agitated the lake and caused the water to rise for hundred yojanas. Ten thousands of them attacked the gods who repaired to Indra
Indra repaired to V., who burnt the Khalins and caused the Gangā, who had gone to Kailāsa, to penetrate the lake, thus arose the river Sarayū
the place came to be named after the Khalins (khalino 'bhavat). Name thou a kshatriya superior to V. (XIII, 156): XIII, 156, 7279, 7280, 7289, 7290.-§ 773b (Kṛshṇa Vāsudeva): XIII, 159, †7372 (arose from the seed of the gods, which fell into a jar.)--§ 775 (Ānuśāsanik.): XIII, 166, 7670 (among the ṛshis of the north).-§ 779 (Aśvamedhikap.): XIV, 11, 311 (restored Indra to senses with the Rathantara sāman, cf. XII, 10118).--§ 782b (Brāhmaṇagītā): XIV, 27, 781 (sapta saptarshayaḥ siddhā Vºpramukhaiḥ saha, read pramukhās tathā?).--§ 782g (Guruśishyasaṃv.): XIV, 35, 961. Cf. also the following synonyms:-Āpava, q.v. Arundhatīpati (“the husband of Arundhatī”): I, 6638 (Vº). Brahmarshi (q.v.), Devarshi (q.v.). Hairanyagarbha (“the son of Hiranyagarbha [i.e. Brahmán]”): XII, ††13209 (Vº). Maitrāvāruṇi (“the son of Mitra and Varuṇa”), q.v. Vāruṇi (“the son of Varuṇa”), q.v.
पुराणम्
English
वसिष्ठ / VASIṢṬHA. A hermit who was the son of brahmā.1) The three births of vasiṣṭha. vasiṣṭha with the radiance of brahmā, is very famous in the Purāṇas. He had three births.
i) First birth.
a) Birth. vasiṣṭha is one of the mental sons of brahmā. This is the first birth of vasiṣṭha.
“Nārada was born from the lap, dakṣa was born from the right thumb, vasiṣṭha from the breath (prāṇa) bhṛgu from the skin, kratu from the hand of brahmā.”
In this birth, arundhatī was the wife of vasiṣṭha. arundhatī was known by the name Ūrjā also. There is a Purāṇic story behind the marriage of vasiṣṭha and arundhatī.
In her previous birth the name of arundhatī was sandhyā. She was born from the passion of brahmā. As soon as she was born she grew up. Seeing her exquisite beauty the prajāpatis were filled with excitement. Even brahmā, her father, was some-what excited at her sight. śiva, who understood this, teased brahmā. sandhyā was ashamed. Even after śiva, brahmā, prajāpatis and the others had gone their ways, she remained there blaming her birth. She said to herself: “The moment I was born, I grew up to be a young woman. My father and my brothers looked at me with desire. I also looked at them excitedly. As an atonement for this sin, I will burn my body in fire. I do not want a body desired by my father and brothers. With this decision she went to the mountain Candrabhāga, which is the source of the river Candrabhāgā, and began to perform penance. brahmā who came to know of this, was filled with pity and sent vasiṣṭha to her. He went there in the form of a Brahmin boy and taught her how to perform penance. After the return of vasiṣṭha she continued the severe penance to viṣṇu. Her penance became the subject of talk and wonder everywhere. After a short while viṣṇu appeared before her sitting on his conveyance garuḍa. She praised viṣṇu. viṣṇu was pleased with her and asked what her desire was. She said: “Lord, creatures should not be sexually excited at their birth. They should have sexual desire only when they are grown up. The three worlds must know that I am chaste. In all my births I should not look at anybody except my husband with sexual desire. The man who looks at me with sexual desire should lose his manliness and become a hermaphrodite.”
Mahāviṣṇu agreed to her request. It was from that day onwards that sexual desire appeared in creatures in their grown-up stage only, after they have passed the stages of infancy and childhood. Mahāviṣṇu told her. “It is preordained that this body of yours will be burnt in fire. medhātithi, (Meghātithi), the son of priyavrata is performing the great sacrifice called Jyotiṣṭoma which is to be completed in twelve years. It is coming to a close. There is none equal to him because of this sacrifice. That great hermit's sacrifice is being performed in the basin of this river Candrabhāgā. Unseen by the hermits, you should go there and get into the fire. Because of my blessing you will be born from that fire as the daughter of medhātithi. You should go into the fire thinking of him whom you want to be your husband in this birth.”
Mahāviṣṇu touched sandhyā with the tip of his finger. sandhyā walked to the sacrificial hall. Seen by none, she got down into the fire. She was burnt in the blazing fire. By the order of viṣṇu
the God fire placed sandhyā who was burnt in the sacrificial fire, in the Solar region. The sun divided that body into two and placed them in his chariot. The upper portion became the prātassandhyā (dawn) between the day and the night and the lower portion became the Sāyantana sandhyā (the evening twilight). At the end of the sacrifice, from the centre of the sacrificial fire a girl, like the flame of fire rose up. medhātithi took that child in his hands and called her arundhatī. The child became famous throughout the three worlds, as the name stood for the principle that on no reason what-soever will righteousness be obstructed. (rodha means obstruction. So arundhatī is one who cannot be obstructed). In some other Purāṇas arundhatī is given as the daughter of prajāpati kardama and Devahūti.
b) marriage. arundhatī grew up in the hermitage of medhātithi. Candrabhāgā holy bath which was the playfield of arundhatī, is even today, known as Arundhatītīrtha. arundhatī became five years of age. brahmā saw her when she was playing on the ground after having taken her bath. At the instruction of brahmā, arundhatī was entrusted to sāvitrī and bahulā for education. sāvitrī is the wife of the Sun. arundhatī lived in mānasa lake with sāvitrī, gāyatrī, bahulā, sarasvatī, Drupadā and such other celestial women and completed her education. One day arundhatī happened to see vasiṣṭha who was shining with radiance. They fell in love with each other. Parents and relatives and the elders came to know of this. Sāvitri patting arundhatī blessed her to become the wife of vasiṣṭha. The marriage of arundhatī with vasiṣṭha was conducted in the presence of the Gods.
c) Sons. Seven sons, named citraketu, Purocis, Viraca, mitra, Ulbaṇa, Vasubhṛdyāna and dyumān were born to vasiṣṭha by arundhatī. All the seven of them were Brahmarṣis.
d) The meaning of the names vasiṣṭha and arundhatī. The meaning of the name vasiṣṭha is given by vasiṣṭha himself as follows:--
I am known as vasiṣṭha for two reasons. I am ‘Vasumān’. The Śrutis say that Air, Earth etc. are Vasus. I have become vasiṣṭha because I have brought under control the Vasus beginning with Aṇimā (the power of reducing the body to an atom). See what arundhatī herself says, about the meaning of the name arundhatī.
“I consider mountains, earth and heaven as elements in which I live, only after considering my husband as the element in which I live. My husband is the first and foremost element in my life. Moreover I conform (anurodha) with the mind of my husband. So know me as arundhatī.”
e) Conjugal fidelity of arundhatī. The saptarṣis (the seven hermits) once left arundhatī alone in a forest and went to the mountain Himālayas to gather fruits and roots. In those days, due to severe summer, the earth became a wilderness. So the hermits lived in the Himālayas. arundhatī all alone did penance in the forest. On one day śiva took the form of a Brahmin and going near arundhatī requested her for alms. She replied: “There are only Ziziphus fruits here, and nothing else to eat.” The Brahmin asked her to boil them. She placed the pot of Ziziphus fruits on the oven and sat there hearing the good stories told by the Brahmin. Thus without thinking about her hunger or thirst she sat there for twelve years hearing the stories narrated by the Brahmin. When the hermits returned from Himālayas, śiva assumed his original form and said, “Hermits! This woman, sitting in the hermitage, has acquired more penance than you have acquired in the Himālayas. Good woman! What boon do you want?” She requested that that place should be known as the holy place called ‘Badarapacana (cooking of Ziziphus fruits). śiva allowed it. Even today that place is considered a holy place.
f) death. When so many devas were dead at the sacrifice of dakṣa, vasiṣṭha also died along with them. arundhatī followed her husband. After death both of them entered the firmament and became two stars.
g) Seeing arundhatī. In india there is a custom of showing the women, the star arundhatī. arundhatī is the first of the women who took only one husband in her life. The meaning of this custom is this that this mentality of arundhatī should be acquired by the married women of india. Moreover, if the star stands in front of the star vasiṣṭha, it is considered to forebode calamities in the world. (kālikā purāṇa).
ii) Second birth.
General information. vasiṣṭha who died at the sacrifice of dakṣa took birth again from the sacrificial fire of brahmā. akṣamālā was the wife of this vasiṣṭha. akṣamālā was the rebirth of arundhatī. So, in some Purāṇas, both are shown as one. This birth of vasiṣṭha was terminated by the curse of emperor nimi of the ikṣvāku dynasty. (For details see under nimi).(iii) Third birth. In the third birth vasiṣṭha was born from a pot as the son of mitrāvaruṇas. In this birth vasiṣṭha was the brother of agastya. (For detailed story see under agastya, para 2). In this birth the wife of vasiṣṭha was an arundhatī, who was the sister of nārada. Thus according to the Purāṇas, it took three births for vasiṣṭha to complete his life. It is difficult to ascertain, in which particular birth, a particular story, stated in the Purāṇas, took place. It is probable that a large number of episodes might have taken place in the second and third births.
Stories connected with the life of vasiṣṭha are given below:2) vasiṣṭha and viśvāmitra. vasiṣṭha and viśvāmitra were two herm its who quarrelled with each other throughout their lives. The quarrel between vasiṣṭha a Brahmin hermit and viśvāmitra a royal hermit, is given below:(i) Reason for the enmity. viśvāmitra was a King who cared much for the welfare of his subjects. Once he went with his army to hunt. He became tired by the hunt and reached the hermitage of vasiṣṭha who welcomed them with hospitality. He told them that food would be ready when they returned after a bath. The King and his men bathed quickly and when they returned, a grand feast was ready for so many thousands. The King was in great perplexity. After the meals viśvāmitra approached the hermit vasiṣṭha and asked him how he got such a grand feast ready. He replied that the cow kāmadhenu in his hermitage was capable of granting any wish. The king desired to have the cow. He asked the hermit to exchange the cow for a crore of ordinary cows. vasiṣṭha did not agree to this. viśvāmitra said that the noble and superior things of the country belonged to the King. The hermit did not agree to that also. Finally viśvāmitra was about to take away the cow by force. Thus the quarrel began. Understanding the wish of vasiṣṭha kāmadhenu held her horns and tail up and stood as a fierce and cruel figure. From the various limbs of the cow so many thousands of warriors jumped out and a fierce battle ensued in which the hundred sons and the huge army of viśvāmitra met with defeat. At last viśvāmitra tried to launch a direct attack against vasiṣṭha. But the arrows of viśvāmitra were changed to flowers when they touched the body of vasiṣṭha. At last the King admitted that the power of the penance of a Brahmin hermit was the real power and he admitted defeat from vasiṣṭha. From that day onwards a deep-rooted, hatred against vasiṣṭha arose in the heart of viśvāmitra. He left the administration of his Kingdom in the hands of his relatives and went to the south where he erected a hermitage and began to do severe penance. He acquired great powers of penance and became a royal hermit of immense attainments and the quarrel between the two great hermits vasiṣṭha and viśvāmitra began. (vālmīki rāmāyaṇa, Bāla Kāṇḍa, 5 sargas from 51).(ii) Second confrontation. The next contest between the two hermits was due to the king triśaṅku of the Solar dynasty. triśaṅku wanted bodily attainment of heaven. vasiṣṭha tried to discourage the king. viśvāmitra took up the matter. He began to perform a sacrifice to lift up the king bodily to heaven, and triśaṅku began to rise up higher and higher. But indra did not allow him to enter bodily into the heaven. At last viśvāmitra, by the power of his penance created an artificial heaven midway between the heaven and the earth and placed triśaṅku in that heaven. With this the gap between the two hermits widened. (For more details see under triśaṅku).(iii) Third confrontation. By the blessing of varuṇa, a son named lohita was born to hariścandra. He had promised varuṇa to sacrifice his son lohita. But lohita came to know of this and he left the palace. hariścandra was in a difficult situation. vasiṣṭha advised him to buy a son and to sacrifice him. Accordingly a Brahmin boy named śunaśśepha was bought. vasiṣṭha decided to sacrifice him. viśvāmitra said that he could not be sacrificed. hariścandra was loved by vasiṣṭha. So viśvāmitra tried to harm him as far as possible. hariścandra fell in the trap of Vīśvāmitra and lost his country, city, wite, everything and had to live in funeral places. (For detailed story see under hariścandra.)(iv) Fourth confrontation. vasiṣṭha did not like the deception practised by viśvāmitra, on hariścandra. Once viśvāmitra and vasiṣṭha met in the forest by chance. vasiṣṭha scolded viśvāmitra, who had only the guise of a hermit, thus: “You wicked Viśvāmitra! Why do you put the truthful hariścandra into so much misery? You are deceiving him as the stork sits in meditation and deceives the fish. So you will become a stork.”
viśvāmitra looked at the hermit vasiṣṭha who had cursed him and said. “So long as I am a stork you shall be Kingfisher. Thus they cursed each other.
Both of them became birds and went to the shore of mānasa lake and each building a nest on the top of trees began to live there. There was nothing but quarrel between the two birds daily. Both pecked and scratched each other to such an extent that they were covered with bleeding wounds. They looked like an Erythrina tree filled with flowers. Everybody who saw them was filled with sadness. Thus they lived there for a long time.
Once the Kind-hearted brahmā, the father of vasiṣṭha, saw their sorry plight. Having pity on them he came there with the other gods and delivered them both from the curse. (devī bhāgavata, skandha 6).(v) Fifth confrontation. viśvāmitra called the river sarasvatī and asked her to bring vasiṣṭha along with her current. sarasvatī did not like the idea. Still, fearing the curse of viśvāmitra she agreed to do so. The river-basin where vasiṣṭha had been performing penance was pulled down by the current of the river, and taking vasiṣṭha in the current carried him down. sarasvatī did not wish to leave vasiṣṭha at the mercy of viśvāmitra. So when they reached the door of the hermitage of viśvāmitra, she carried him further down in a swift current. viśvāmitra got angry and cursed sarasvatī. “Let blood flow through the river.” With that the water of sarasvatī changed to blood-colour. The gods were perplexed at this. They all gathered on the banks of the river. In the presence of the gods, both the hermits came to a compromise. Thenceforward that place became a holy tīrtha under the name vasiṣṭhāpavāha. (M.B. śalya Parva, Chapter 42).3) Other details. (i) vasiṣṭha changed ilā a woman, into a man. (For details see under ilā I). (ii) Wives and children. Seven sons Rajas, gotra, ūrdhvabāhu, savana, anagha, sutapas and śukra, were born to vasiṣṭha by his wife Ūrjā. These seven pure and just persons were the saptarṣis (seven hermits) in the first manvantara. (viṣṇu purāṇa, aṁśa I, Chapter 10).
(rāja, gātra, ūrdhvabāhu savana, alaghu, śukra (and sutapas are the names given in agni purāṇa, Chapter 20, of the sons of vasiṣṭha born by his wife Ūrjā).(iii) vasiṣṭha and emperor nimi. (See under nimi)(iv) The ṛgveda of vasiṣṭha. There are ten Maṇḍalas in ṛgveda, of which the seventh Maṇḍala was composed by the sages of Vasiṣṭha's hermitage.(v) Cursing rāvaṇa. Once rāvaṇa asked vasiṣṭha to come as his teacher and teach him the Vedas and the other scriptures. vasiṣṭha did not comply with his request. The angry rāvaṇa got vasiṣṭha a captive. But the King Kuvalayāśva of the Solar dynasty, liberated vasiṣṭha from captivity. The rescued vasiṣṭha cursed rāvaṇa. You and your family will be exterminated by those born of the Solar dynasty.” (Kamba rāmāyaṇa, yuddha Kāṇḍa).(vi) vasiṣṭha jumped into the river. See under adṛśyantī.(vii) In uniting tapatī and saṁvaraṇa vasiṣṭha played a very prominent part. (See under tapatī).(viii) It was vasiṣṭha who put a stop to the sacrifice for the extermination of the Rākṣasas (giants) performed by parāśara. (See under parāśara).(ix) vasiṣṭha and mucukunda. See under mucukunda.(x) vasiṣṭha told śrī rāma the history of the dynasty of ikṣvāku. (vālmīki rāmāyaṇa Bāla Kāṇḍa, sarga 73).(xi) The hermitage of vasiṣṭha was situated in the valley of mount mahāmeru. (mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 29, Stanza 6).(xii) The cow of vasiṣṭha was stolen by the eight Vasus See under aṣṭavasus.(xiii) vasiṣṭha was the teacher of bhīṣma. (mahābhārata Ādi Parva, Chapter 103, Stanza 45).(xiv) vasiṣṭha participated in the Birth festival of arjuna. (M.B. Ādi Parva, Chapter 122, Stanza 51).(xv) vasiṣṭha tried to commit suicide. (See under adṛśyantī).(xvi) vasiṣṭha shone in the assembly of brahmā. (M.B Sabhā Parva, Chapter 11, Stanza 19).(xvii) In the bhārata-battle an effort was made by vasiṣṭha to dissuade droṇa from the battle But it was in vain. (M.B. droṇa parva, Chapter 190, Stanza 33).(xviii) vasiṣṭha was one of the hermits who came to visit bhīṣma on his bed of arrows. (śānti Parva, Chapter 47, Stanza 7).(xix) Once rain failed in the world and creatures became miserable. At that time vasiṣṭha fed the creatures. (M.B. anuśāsana parva, Chapter 137).(xx) Once indra lost the Devaloka (the world of the devas) and he became gloomy and miserable. vasiṣṭha went to him and consoled him. (M.B. śānti Parva, Chapter 291, Stanza 91).(xxi) vasiṣṭha was one of the hermits who were Brahmin tribal workers. (M.B. śānti Parva, Chapter 296, Stanza 17).(xxii) Once vasiṣṭha imparted knowledge to King janaka. This exhortation is given in mahābhārata, (Śāntī Parva, six chapters from 302). (xxiii) vasiṣṭha was one of the twentyone prajāpatis. (M.B. śānti Parva, Chapter 334, Stanza 36).(xxiv) vasiṣṭha is considered to be one of the Citraśikhaṇḍīs (saptarṣis--seven hermits) (See under Citraśikhaṇḍīs).(xxv) Once vasiṣṭha talked about Puruṣārthas (the objects of life) to brahmā. (M.B. anuśāsana parva, Chapter 6).(xxvi) vasiṣṭha talked to saudāsa about giving cows as alms. (M.B. anuśāsana parva, Chapter 78, Stanza 5).(xxvii) On another occasion vasiṣṭha gave advice to paraśurāma and talked about the origin of Gold. (M.B. anuśāsana parva, Chapter 84, Stanza 44).(xxviii) vasiṣṭha once told arundhatī how weakness was caused. (M.B. anuśāsana parva, Chapter 93, Stanza 31).(xxix) vasiṣṭha avowed that he was not one of them who had stolen the lotus flowers of agastya. (Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 23, Stanza 114).(xxx) Āpava, Arundhatīpati, Brahmarṣi, Devarṣi, Hairaṇyagarbha, Maitrāvaruṇi, vāruṇi, and such other words are used as synonyms of vasiṣṭha, in the mahābhārata.
Vedic Reference
English
Vasiṣṭha is the name of one of the most prominent priestly
figures of Vedic tradition. The seventh Maṇḍala of the
Rigveda is ascribed to him
this ascription is borne out by the
fact that the Vasiṣṭhas^1 and Vasiṣṭha^2 are frequently mentioned
in that Maṇḍala, besides being sometimes referred to elsewhere.
That by the name Vasiṣṭha a definite individual is always
meant is most improbable, as Oldenberg^3 shows
Vasiṣṭha
must normally mean simply ‘a Vasiṣṭha.’ But it is not
necessary to deny that a real Vasiṣṭha existed, for one hymn^4
seems to show clear traces of his authorship, and of his assist-
ance to Sudās against the ten kings.
The most important feature of Vasiṣṭha's life was apparently
his hostility to Viśvāmitra. The latter was certainly^5 at one
time the Purohita (‘domestic priest’) of Sudās, but he seems
to have been deposed from that post, to have joined Sudās'
enemies, and to have taken part in the onslaught of the kings
against him, for the hymn of Sudās' triumph^4 has clear
references to the ruin Viśvāmitra brought on his allies.^6
Oldenberg, ^7 however, holds that the strife of Viśvāmitra and
Vasiṣṭha is not to be found in the Rigveda. On the other
hand, Geldner^8 is hardly right in finding in the Rigveda^9 a
compressed account indicating the rivalry of Śakti, Vasiṣṭha's
son, with Viśvāmitra, the acquisition by Viśvāmitra of special
skill in speech, and the revenge of Viśvāmitra, who secured the
death of Śakti by Sudās' servants, an account which is more
fully related by Ṣaḍguruśiṣya, ^10 which appeared in the Śāṭyāya-
naka, ^11 and to which reference seems to be made in the brief
notices of the Taittirīya Saṃhitā^12 and the Pañcaviṃśa Brāh-
maṇa^13 regarding Vasiṣṭha's sons having been slain, and his
overcoming the Saudāsas. But it is important to note that no
mention is made in these authorities of Sudās himself being
actually opposed to Vasiṣṭha, while in the Aitareya Brāhmaṇa^14
Vasiṣṭha appears as the Purohita and consecrator of Sudās
Paijavana. Yāska^15 recognizes Viśvāmitra as the Purohita of
Sudās
this accords with what seems to have been the fact
that Viśvāmitra originally held the post. Probably, however,
with the disappearance of Sudās, Viśvāmitra recovered his
position, whereupon Vasiṣṭha in revenge for the murder of
his sons secured in some way unspecified the defeat of the
Saudāsas.^16
At any rate it is hardly necessary to suppose that the enmity
of the Saudāsas and Vasiṣṭhas was permanent. There is
evidence^17 that the Bharatas had the Vasiṣṭhas as Purohitas,
while other versions^18 regard them as Purohitas for people
(prajāḥ) generally. It seems that the Vasiṣṭhas were pioneers
in adopting the rule that Purohitas should act as Brahman
priest^19 at the sacrifice: the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa^20 states that
the Vasiṣṭhas were once the only priests to act as Brahmans,
but that later any priest could serve as such.^21 A rivalry
with Jamadgni and Viśvāmitra is reported in the Taittirīya
Saṃhitā.^22 Parāśara and Śatayātu are associated with Vasiṣṭha
in the Rigveda, ^23 being apparently, as Geldner^24 thinks, the
grandson and a son of Vasiṣṭha. According to Pischel, ^25 in
another hymn, ^26 Vasiṣṭha appears as attempting to steal the
goods of his father Varuṇa
Geldner^27 also shows that the
Rigveda^28 contains a clear reference to Vasiṣṭha's being a son
of Varuṇa and the nymph Urvaśī. Perhaps this explains the
fact that the Vasiṣṭhas are called the Tṛtsus in one passage
of the Rigveda
^29 for being of miraculous parentage, Vasiṣṭha
would need adoption into a Gotra, that of the princes whom
he served, and to whom Agastya seems to have introduced
him.
There are numerous other references to Vasiṣṭha as a Ṛṣi
in Vedic literature, ^30 in the Sūtras, ^31 and in the Epic, where
he and Viśvāmitra fight out their rivalry.^32
1) Rv. vii. 7, 7
12, 3
23, 6
33,
1 et seq.
37, 4
39, 7
40, 7
76, 6. 7
77, 6
80, 1
90, 7
91, 7
x. 15, 8
66, 14
122, 8.
2) Rv. vii. 9, 6
13, 4. 21
22, 3
23, 1
26, 5
33, 11 et seq.
42, 6
59, 3
70, 6
73, 3
86, 5
88, 1
95, 6
96, 1
x. 65, 15
150, 5
i. 112, 9.
3) Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgen-
ländischen Gesellschaft, 42, 204 et seq.
Cf. vii. 23, 1 (singular) with verse 6
(plural).
4) Rv. vii. 18. As to vii. 33, Olden-
berg and Geldner differ. See Vedische
Studien, 2, 130. But it is rather doubtful
whether it can possibly be said to be
as early as vii. 18, or to have any claim
to be really an utterance of Vasiṣṭha.
5) See Rv. iii. 33. 53
Muir, Sanskrit
Texts, 12, 328 et seq.
4) Rv. vii. 18. As to vii. 33, Olden-
berg and Geldner differ. See Vedische
Studien, 2, 130. But it is rather doubtful
whether it can possibly be said to be
as early as vii. 18, or to have any claim
to be really an utterance of Vasiṣṭha.
6) Hopkins, Journal of the American
Oriental Society, 15, 260 et seq.
7) Op. cit., 204, n. 3.
8) Op. cit., 2, 158 et seq.
9) iii. 53, 15. 16. 21-24, the last four
verses being the famous Vasiṣṭha-
dveṣiṇyaḥ, which Durga, the commen-
tator on the Nirukta, declines to
explain, because he was a Kāpiṣṭhala
Vāsiṣṭha (see Muir, op. cit., 12, 344
Bṛhaddevatā, iv. 117 et seq., with Mac-
donell's notes). What the verses really
mean is not at all certain. See Olden-
berg, Ṛgveda-Noten, 1, 254 et seq.
10) Cf. Sāyaṇa on Rv. vii. 32, and
Macdonell's edition of the Sarvānu-
kramaṇī, 107
Weber, Indische Studien,
1, 119.
11) See the note in the Anukramaṇī
on vii. 32, where both the Tāṇḍaka
and the Śāṭyāyanaka are quoted (Muir,
op. cit., 12, 328).
12) vii. 4, 7, 1. In iii. 1, 7, 3
v. 4,
11, 3, also Vasiṣṭha is a foe of Viśvā-
mitra.
13) iv. 7, 3
viii. 2, 3
xix. 3, 8
xxi. 11, 2. The story is alluded to in
the Kauṣītaki Brāhmaṇa, iv. 8, and in
the Jaiminīya Brāhmaṇa, i. 150
iii. 26.
83. 149. 204. In ii. 390 it is definitely
stated, as in the Śāṭyāyanaka (n. 10),
that Śakti was cast into the fire by the
Saudāsas.
14) vii. 34, 9
viii. 21, 11. Cf. Śāṅkh-
āyana Śrauta Sūtra, xvi. 11, 14.
15) Nirukta, ii. 24
Śāṅkhāyana
Śrauta Sūtra, xxvi. 12, 13.
16) Roth, Zur Litteratur und Geschichte
des Weda, 121 et seq., considered that
the Vasiṣṭhas were finally successful in
the effort to remove the Viśvāmitras
from favour. Weber, Indische Studien,
1, 120
Episches im vedischen Ritual, 34,
doubted this, and Muir, op. cit., 12,
371-375, held the problem to be in-
soluble. Roth and Muir, however, both
complicated the question by regarding
the Bharatas as enemies of the Tṛtsus,
which (see Tṛtsu) is not at all probable,
though it is still the view of Bloomfield,
Journal of the American Oriental Society,
16, 41, 42.
17) Pañcaviṃśa Brāhmaṇa, xv. 4, 24
Weber, Indische Studien, 10, 34.
18) Taittirīya Saṃhitā, iii. 5, 2, 1
Kāṭhaka Saṃhitā, xxxvii. 17.
19) Vasiṣṭha was Brahman at the sacri-
fice of Śunaḥśepa, Aitareya Brāhmaṇa,
vii. 16
Śāṅkhāyana Srauta Sūtra,
xv. 21, 4.
20) xii. 6, 1, 41. Cf. iv. 6, 6, 5.
21) Ṣaḍviṃśa Brāhmaṇa, i. 5
Weber,
Indische Studien, 10, 35.
22) iii. 1, 7, 3. Cf. n. 11.
23) vii. 18, 21.
24) Vedische Studien, 2, 132.
25) Vedische Studien, 2, 55 et seq.
26) vii. 55. Aufrecht, Indische Studien,
4, 337, took the hymn to refer to a
lover's visit to a maiden. Cf. Lanman,
Sanskrit Reader, 370
Bṛhaddevatā,
vi. 11, with Macdonell's notes.
27) Vedische Studien, 2, 138. So also
Nirukta, v. 13
Muir, Sanskrit Texts,
12, 231, n. 97
Bṛhaddevatā, v. 150.
151.
28) vii. 33, 11.
29) vii. 83, 8.
30) Rv. i. 112, 9
vii. 88, 4
96, 3
x. 95, 17
181, 1
Kāṭhaka Saṃhitā,
xvi. 19
xx. 9
xxxii. 2 (Indische Studien,
3, 478)
Maitrāyaṇī Saṃhitā, i. 4, 12
ii. 7, 9
iv. 2, 9
Taittirīya Saṃhitā,
v. 2, 10, 5
Av. iv. 29, 4
Aitareya
Brāhmaṇa, vi. 18, 3
Kauṣītaki Brāh-
maṇa, xxvi. 14
xxix. 2. 3
xxx. 3
Jaiminīya Upaniṣad Brāhmaṇa, iii. 3,
13
15, 2
18, 6
Aitareya Āraṇyaka,
ii. 2, 2
Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad,
ii. 2, 4, etc.
31) See Weber, Indische Studien, 10,
89-92
Episches im vedischen Ritual, 35.
32) Muir, Sanskrit Texts, 12, 375-414.
Cf. Ludwig, Translation of the Rig-
veda, 3, 131 et seq.
Weber, Episches im
vedischen Ritual, 31-34
Indian Literature,
31, 37, 53, 79, 123, 162
Oldenberg,
Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenländischen
Gesellschaft, 42, 204-207.
शब्दकल्पद्रुमः
Sanskrit
वसिष्ठः,
पुं,
 (वशिष्ठः । पृषोदरादित्वात् शस्य सः ।)वशिष्ठमुनिः । इति द्विरूपकोषः ॥
वाचस्पत्यम्
Sanskrit
वसिष्ठ
पु०
 वरिष्ठ + पृषो० । ब्रह्मणः मानसपुत्रेषु सप्तर्षिषुमुनिभेदे भा० अनु० अन्याऽपि तन्निरुक्तिर्यथा “वरि-ष्ठोऽस्मि वसिष्ठोऽस्मि वसे वासगृहेष्वपि । वरिष्ठत्वाच्चवासाच्च वसिष्ठ इति विद्धि माम्” ।
Capeller
German
व॑सिष्ठ (Superl.) der trefflichste, beste,
reichste
N. eines alten Rishi u. Gesetz-
gebers (auch Sternbildes).
Grassman
German
vásiṣṭha, a., m. [Superl. vom Verbale der Wurzel 1. vas, dem Sinne nach Superl. zu vásu], 1〉 a., der beste, herrlichste, lichteste
2〉 m., Eigenname eines Sängers der Vorzeit, der dem Sudas in der Zehnkönigsschlacht durch seine Indraanrufungen den Sieg verschaffte, in mythisches Gewand ist er gekleidet in _{549, 1}
3〉 m. pl., das Geschlecht des Vasischtha
die Hymnen des 7. Buches stammen aus diesem Geschlechte.
-a 1〉 agne {517, 8}
indra {227, 1}. — 2〉 {539, 1}
{549, 10}. _{549, 11}
{604, 1}
{612, 1}.
-as 1〉 agnís {200, 1}
(purūrávās) {921, 17}. — 2〉 {525, 6}
{534, 4}. _{534, 21}
{538, 3}
{542, 5}
{549, 6}. _{549, 12}. _{549, 14}
{558, 6}
{575, 3}
{589, 3}
{611, 6}
{891, 15}
{976, 5} (puróhitas, wo vielleicht Bedeutung 1)
{1007, 1}.
-asya 2〉 {549, 5}.
-am 2〉 {112, 9}
{549, 13}
{586, 6}
{602, 5}
{604, 4}.
-ās [V.] 3〉 {549, 3}. _{549, 4}. _{549, 8}.
-ās [N.] 3〉 {523, 7}
{528, 3}
{549, 1}. _{549, 7}. _{549, 9}
{553, 4}
{592, 6}
{593, 6}
{596, 1}
{606, 7}
{841, 8} (pitáras)
{948, 8}.
-āsas 3〉 {539, 6}
{892, 14}.
-ān 3〉 {549, 2}.
-ais 3〉 {555, 7}
{592, 7}.
1234, 31. 30.a v. u.: indra {227, 1}
Burnouf
French
वसिष्ठ वसिष्ठ
m.
 (वसि
स्था
?) ép. du feu et
d'Agni, Vd.
Np. d'un poète védique rival de Viśvāmitra.
Une
des 7 étoiles de la grande-Ourse.
Stchoupak
French
वसिष्ठ-
sup. (de वसु-) le meilleur, le plus éminent
m.
n.
d'un grand sage, maître spirituel des rois de la race solaire
n.
 d'un
législateur
-त्व- nt. excellence, prééminence.