A kshatriya who bacame a brahmarishi

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Viswamitra was a kshatriya (Warrior caste) by birth, but has transcended into the brahmin priestly caste with his tough penance.

 

The famous sage Visvamitra was previously known as Maharaja Gadhi of the Candra-vamsa, but became a brahmana through the strength of his austerities. This is explained in Mahabharata, Adi-parva 174:

 

ksatriyo'ham bhavan vipras tapah-svadhyayah-sadhanah

sva-dharmam na prahasyami nesyami ca balena gam

dhig balam ksatriya-balam brahma-tejo-balam balam

balabalam viniscitya tapa eva param balam

tatapa sarvan diptaujah brahmanatvam avaptavan

 

"Visvamitra said to Vasistha: You are a brahmana, endowed with the qualities of austerity and Vedic knowledge. I am a ksatriya, so on the basis of my nature I will forcibly take this cow (Nandini).

 

"Later, when Visvamitra was defeated, he declared that the strength of the ksatriya was inferior to that of the brahmanas. He thus decided that the performance of austerities was the only way to empower one with superior strength.

 

"The greatly effulgent Visvamitra thus performed all kinds of austerities and attained the position of a brahmana."

 

It is well known that Visvamitra was a brahmana by conversion, yet he was also a guru with many disciples. Amongst his most famous disciples who received mantra from him were Lord Sri Ramacandra and His brother Sri Laksmana, Sunasepha, and Galava. At present many brahmana families in India trace their gotra (lineage) to Visvamitra. Furthermore, Visvamitra is the rsi (seer) of many mantras of the Rg Veda including the brahma-gayatri which is chanted by all brahmanas thrice daily.

 

In Chapter 30 of the Anusasana-parva of Mahabharata, the story is given of Maharaja Vitahavya who was originally a ksatriya king who became a brahmana by the mercy of Bhrgu Muni. His son, Grtsamada became a brahmacari and a brahmana sage who was equal to Brhaspati. Suceta, the son of Grtsamada, also became a brahmana. In this dynasty was born the sage Pramiti and Saunaka Rsi. Saunaka wrote many works on the Rg Veda and also wrote the Brhad-devata. He was also the guru of Sage Asvalayana. Asvalayana's disciple was Katyayana, and his disciple was Patanjali Muni.

 

The caste of Satyakama Jabala was unknown, yet his guru Gautama Rsi accepted him as a brahmana simply due to his truthful nature. Satyakama went on to initiate many disciples, out of which Upakosala was the most prominent.

 

Agnivesya Muni was born as the son of the king Devadatta, and the brahminical dynasty known as the Agnivesyayana sakha appeared from him.

 

Both Medhatithi and Kanva Muni were born in the ksatriya dynasty of Puru.

 

The sage Citramukha was born a vaisya, yet he became a brahmarsi with many disciples.

 

There were also other great personalities in Vedic history that were not born in brahmana families, but acted as gurus. In the Padma Purana, the original brahmana, Lord Brahma says:

 

sac-chrotriya-kule jato akriyo naiva pujitah

asat-kstrakule pujyo vyasa-vaibhandukay yatha

ksatriyanam kule jato visvamitro'sti matsamah

kesyaputro vasisthas ca anye siddha dvijatayah

yasya tasya kule jato gunavaneva tairgunaih

saksad brahmamayo viprah pujiyah prayatnatah

 

"If one is born in a family of brahmanas who are absorbed in hearing divine sound, but has bad character and behavior, he is not worshipable as a brahmana. On the other hand, Vyasa and Vaibhandaka Muni were born in unclean circumstances, but they are worshipable. In the same way, Visvamitra Muni was born a ksatriya, but he became a brahmana by his qualities and activities. Vasistha was born of a prostitute. Many other great personalities who manifested the qualities of first-class brahmanas also took birth in similar humble circumstances, but they are also called perfect. The place where one takes birth is of no importance in determining whether one is a brahmana. Those who have the qualities of brahmanas are recognized everywhere as brahmanas, and those who have such qualities are worshipable by everyone." (Padma Purana, Srsthi-kanda 43.321,322, Gautamiya-samskarana)

 

A similar verse is found in the Vajrasucika Upanisad of the Sama Veda:

 

tarhi jatir brahmana iti cet tan na tatra jatyantara-jantusu aneka-jati-sambhava maharsayo bahavah santi rsyasrngo mrgah kasuikah kusat jambuko jambukat valmiko valmikat vyasah kaivarta-kanyayam sasa-prsthat gautamah vasisthah urvasyam agastyah kalase jata iti srutatvat etesam jatya vinapyagre jnana-pratipadita rsayo bahavah santi tasman na jatih brahmana iti

 

"Does birth make a brahmana? No, this is also not the case. Many great sages have been born of other living entities. Rsyasrnga was born from a deer, Kausika was born from kusa grass, Jambuka was born from a jackal, Valmiki was born from an ant-hill, Vyasadeva was born from a fisherman's daughter, Gautama was born from the back of a rabbit, Vasistha was born from Urvasi and Agastya was born from a pot. Apart from these personalities, there are many other wise persons born from other castes who became sages. Therefore birth does not make a brahmana."

 

Benefits of Gayatri Japa -

Gayatri is the mother of the Vedas and the destroyer of sins. There is nothing more purifying on the earth as well as in the heaven than the Gayatri. The Japa of Gayatri brings the same fruit as the recitation of all the four Vedas together with the Angas. This single Mantra if repeated three times a day brings good. It is the Mantra of the Vedas. It destroys sins. It bestows splendid health, beauty, strength, vigour, vitality and magnetic aura in the face.

Gayatri destroys the three kinds of Tapa or pain. Gayatri bestows the four kinds of Purushartha viz., Dharma (righteousness). Artha (wealth), Kama (desired objects) and Moksha (liberation or freedom). It destroys the three Granthis or knots of ignorance, (Avidya), Kama and Karma., Gayatri purifies the mind. Gayatri bestows Asta Siddhis. Gayatri makes a man powerful and highly intelligent. Gayatri eventually gives liberation or emancipation from the wheel of birth and death.

The mind is purified by constant worship. It is filled with good and pure thoughts. Repetition of worship strengthens the good Samskaras. As a man thinks, so he becomes. This is the psychological law. The mind of a man who trains himself in thinking good, holy thoughts, develops a tendency to think of good thoughts. His character is moulded and transformed by continued good thoughts. When the mind thinks of the image of Gayatri during worship, the mental substance actually assumes the form of the image. The impression of the object is left in the mind. This is called Samskara. When the act is repeated very often, the Samskaras gain strength by repetition, and a tendency or habit is formed in the mind. He who entertains thoughts of divinity becomes himself transformed actually into the divinity by constant thinking and meditation. His Bhava or disposition is purified and divinized. The meditator and the meditated, the worshipper and the worshipped, the thinker and the thought, become one and the same. This is Samadhi. This is the fruit of worship or Upasana.