The great sages of India -1

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My dear friends and like minded persons

 

Reg: The great Sages of India and History of some of them – No 1 -Shri

Jaimini Maharishi

 

The great sages of India were born with an intention of serving the Mankind

and keeping the generations duty minded. Since the very purpose of their birth

is for a noble cause, they never tried to get themselves popularized for

material means of satisfaction.

 

Since the great sage Jaimini happened to be a directive force for the recently

held Shri Aswamedhayaagam, and since he happened to remain very close to the

great grand father Shri Veda Vyas Bhagavan, I had chosen him to be the first one

to write about.

 

I am not able to trace out the parental chart of Sage Jaimini at the same time

I can confidently write about the sage as one of the disciples of Bhagavan Veda

Vyas, who divided the Vedas into four parts and taught Rig Veda to Sage Paila,

while Yajurveda was taught to Sage Vaisampaayana. Sage Jaimini was taught Sama

Veda and in turn he taught the same to his son Sage Sumanta. Sage Sumanta taught

Adharva Veda and gradually Sage Pippalaayana took lead to spread this part of

Veda.

 

On one occasion Sage Jaimini approached Sage Markandeya and requested to

enlighten him on the secrets of Mahabharata. Sage Markandeya expressed his

inability to spare much time and he requested Sage Jaimini to reach Vindhya

Hills where four great birds namely Pingaaksha, Virata, Vruta, Sumugha are

living who are capable of explaining what it is. The four great birds were born

to female bird by the name of Tarkshi and male bird Drona. During the time of

Mahabharata War the female bird was nearer to Suprateek named elephant of Raja

Bhagadatta and incidentally Arjunaas arrow hit the womb of the bird at which

time the bird was pregnant. Four eggs came out of the womb and they fell on the

ground at the same time the bells of the elephant fell on the earth and covered

the eggs to their safety. Some time later, after the end of the war the four

birds listened carefully the conversation between Dharmaraja and Bhishma. One

day Sage Sameeka was passing through the area and heard the voices of the bird

and to his surprise he found four birds beneath the bells and took them to his

Ashram. The Markandeya Puran described this most philosophically narrating this

incident that when Lord wishes to grant life, he can do so by all means and even

if one runs out of the battlefield to cover his life, he can not do so if HE –

the ultimate wishes.

 

Sometime later the four birds narrated their history to Sage Sameeka about the

curse they received from their father Sage Sukrusa. Sage Jaimini learnt the

secrets of Mahabharata from the four birds. Perhaps this is the only sage who

described about the heaven and the hell and their nature to King Subahu. Sage

Jaimini also wrote Mahabharat and gave explanation to some parts of it while

describing the same to King Janamejaya. This sage got Chakri Yaaga performed by

the king and he is the person responsible for getting the Aswamedhayaaga

performed by King Janamejaya and this is one of the most important Yaagaas

during the post war period.

 

The principles of Poorva Meemamsa were taken up by Sage Jaimini while Uttara

Meemamsa by Bhagavan Veda Vyas. He narrated totally sixteen principles. He is

primarily responsible for Astrological theories and translation relating to

Chandogya. He is the author for Jaiminiya Sroutha Sutra and Gruhya Sutra. He is

also the author of Smriti Meemamsa.

 

And therefore he retained a very important position in Ancient India and

Indian Philosophy.

 

I shall be back again soon with another sage of Ancient India. Yours affly

HARA HARA MAHADEVA DR P V SESHA SAI ASWAMEDHAYAAJI

 

Dr P V Sesha Sai Aswamedhayaaji

1-9-52/F/3, MCH No 2859, Road No 19, Ramnagar, Hyderabad 500020

Camp: 200 Farington Street # 109, TERRE HAUTE, Indianapolis USA

E mails shodasisai, shodasisai, shodasisai

 

13th December 2006