Parashara

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Parashara (IAST: Parara) was a Rigvedic Maharishi (seer), and the author of many ancient Indian texts.
He is regarded to have been lived around 3100 BCE, although some estimate him as low as 1500 BCE. He is
accredited for being the author of the first Purana: Vishnu Purana (before his Son Veda Vyasa wrote it in its
present form). He was the grandson of Vashista, the son of akti Mahari, and the father of Veda Vyasa.
There are several texts which give reference to Parashara as an author/speaker. Modern scholars believe that
there were many individuals who used this name throughout time whereas others assert that the same
Parashara 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 Parashara being the speaker to his student. He is the third member of the i Parampar of the Advaita
Guru Parampar.
Contents
1 Genealogy
2 Life
3 igveda
4 Texts attributed to Parashara
5 See also
6 Notes
7 References
Genealogy
According to the Vedas, Brahma created Vashista who with Arundhati had a son named [Shakti-muni] who
sired Parashara. With (Satyavati), Parashara fathered [Vyasa]. Vysa sired [Dhritarashtra], [Pandu] and
[Vidura] through his deceased brothers wives. Vysa also sired uka through his wife, Jblis daughter
Pinjal (Vatik).Skanda Pura, Ngara Khanda, ch. 147 Thus Parashara was the great-grandfather of both
the warring parties of the Mahbhrata, the Kauravas and the Pndavas. Parashra is used as a gotra for the
ancestors and their offsprings thereon.
Life
Parashara was raised by his grandfather, Vashista, because he lost his father at an early age. His father, akti
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 Vivamitra. The demon devoured Parasharas
father. In the Viu Pura, Parashara speaks about his anger from this:
[1]
"I had heard that my father had been devoured by a Rkasas employed by Vivamitra: violent anger seized
me, and I commenced a sacrifice for the destruction of the Rkasas: hundreds of them were reduced to ashes
by the rite, when, as they were about to be entirely exterminated, my grandfather Vashista said to me:
Enough, my child; let thy wrath be appeased: the Rkasas are not culpable: thy fathers 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
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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.
Parashara Muni(Sage), at the wish of Lord vishnu, Brahma and Mahadev, the trio of creator of the whole
world, on one of his travels across the country, halted for the night in a little hamlet on the banks of the river
Yamuna. 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. He asked Satyavati as to from where the foul stench was emanating. Satyavati was a fishermans
daughter, and pursued the same occupation. It was from her the stench emanated. Realizing 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 also blessed Satyavati with a Son and named him Vyasa.Leaving Satyavati in the care of Vyasa,
Parashara proceeded to perform Tapas (intense meditation). Later Vysasa also turned into a Rishi and
Satyavati returned to her fathers house, and in due course, married antanu.
Parashara was known as the "limping sage". He had his leg wounded during the attack of his rama. When a
i dies he merges back into an element or an archetype. When Sage Parashara 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.
[2]
The birthplace of Parashara Muni is believed to be at Panhala fort in Kolhapur district of Maharashtra. A
cave supposed to be of Parra Muni is present at the fort.
igveda
In the gveda, Parashara, son of akti Muni (Parashara ktya), 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 yasavit satyamanm kratv nipti vjanni viv
purupraasto amatirna satya tmeva Sevo didhiyyo bht
He who is like the divine Sun, who knows the truth (of all 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.
[3]
Texts attributed to Parashara
Seer of verses in the gveda: recorded as the seer of RV 1.65-73 and part of RV 9.97.
Parashara Smti (also called Parashara Dharma Sahit): a code of laws which is stated in the text
(1.24) to be for Kali Yuga.
[4]
Speaker of Viu Purana considered by scholars as one of the earliest Puras.
[5]
Speaker of the Bhat Parashara Hor stra, 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 Vkyurveda ("the science of life of trees"), one of the earliest texts on botany.[1]
(http://www.infinityfoundation.com/mandala/t_es/t_es_tiwar_botany_frameset.htm) This text was
considered to be an ancient botany primer for students of Traditional Indian Medicine.
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Krishi parasaram, a book that dealt with agriculture and weeds.
See also
Parashara Bhattar, a disciple of Yamunacharya (12th century).
(Dhimal)Dhimal is a Brahman Cast.(Parashara Gotra)
Notes
^ Wilson, H. H. The Vishnu Purana: A System of Hindu Mythology and Tradition. 1.
^ Munshi, K.M. "The Book of VedaVyaasa: The Master". 2.
^ Rgveda 1.73.2 Translation by H.H.Wilson 3.
^ http://www.archive.org/download/ParasharaSmriti/SriParasharaSmrithiPdf.pdf 4.
^ Flood, Gavin. An Introduction to Hinduism. 5.
References
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 1-84664-664-2.
Translation and commentary Brihat Parashara Hora Sastra (http://parashara.net)
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