Vashistha

Vasishtha (Sanskrit वसिष्ठ Vasistha m. " The wealthiest " ) is one of the seven wise men ( Saptarishi ) in Hinduism. In the classical Indian scriptures can be found by Vasishtha countless stories that contradict each other often. He is like the other seven ways one of the seven stars of the Great Bear.

Myth

In the 7th Mandala of the Rigveda, is given as its author Vasishtha, the myth is told by Vasishtha second birth. After that Vasishtha was advisor to the King Ikshvaku. His son Nimi cursed the wise, that he should lose his body, which was done. Vasishta was incarnated again after sperm of the two gods Mitra and Varuna dripped into a pitcher at the sight of apsaras Urvashi. For this then Vasishtha and his brother Agastya came out.

Vasishtha married Arundhati, by their fidelity to the husband and by their asceticism the other women surpassed and was therefore verstirnt the only woman of the seven wise men, as a horseman in the Great Bear, while Vasishta is seen in Mizar. Otherwise, the assignment of the seven stars in the Big Dipper to the seven sages is given not uniform.

Vasishta was with Vishwamitra advisor at the court of King Suda, who preferred the Vasishtha, which caused the envy of Viswamitra. The Indian epic Mahabharata relates how the king's son Viswamitra Kalmashapada led them to kill the hundred sons of Vasishtha. This was the Wunschkuh Nandini, who tried unsuccessfully to bring Viswamitra in his power also in possession. However, the legends about the two rivals are narrated quite different.

According to the South Indian tradition Vasishtha asceticism consists in the fact that he remains in the yoga position of the tree ( vrikshasana ) and will constantly screams.