A peep into Sittu Dasa naanalla by Kanakadasa - Sage Vishwamitra

A peep into Sittu Dasa naanalla by Kanakadasa - Sage Vishwamitra 

Vishwamitra is one of the most revered sages of India. He is the composer of Sri Gayathri Mantra, creator of Trishanku Swarga, a Brahmarishi. There was a king in ancient India called Kusha, whose son was known as Kushabhananda, who was more popular as Gadhi and Vishwamitra is the son of Gadhi. Vishwamitra was the Kanyakubja, which is said to be the present day’s Kannauj. Vishwamitra’s original name was Kaushika. Kaushika was the King of Kanyakubja, which is said to be the present day Kannauj.

In Ramayana, Balakanda, there is quite an elaborated story of Vishwamitra, which opens up with his arrival in the palace of Dasharatha. Srirama was then a boy of twelve-thirteen. Vishwamitra tells Dasharatha that he is about to perform a sacrifice or Yaga. His attempts at completing the Yajna had been thwarted by female demon Tata and her two sons Mareecha and Subahu. Vishwamitra wanted Srirama and Lakshmana to protect the place where the Yajna would be performed so that he could complete it without any obstruction. Dasharatha said that Rama and Lakshmana were small kids and that they would not be able to fight against most notorious demons such as Tataka, Mareecha and Subahu. However, Sage Vasishta advises Dasharatha to send Rama and Lakshmana with Vishwamitra. Accordingly, Rama and Lakshmana accompany Vishwamitra. On the way to the place where Vishwamitra had planned to perform the sacrifice, Rama and Lakshmana were taken to the hermitage of Sage Agastya where Ahalya, the wife of Agastya was lying as a stone statue due to a curse by Agastya. Rama relieves Ahalya from the curse and reunites Agastya with his wife Ahalya. Vishwamitra gifts several special arrows or Astras to Rama and Lakshmana. While Vishwamitra was performing the Sacrifice, Tataka, Mareecha and Subahu, as predicted by Vishwamitra, attack the Sacrificial fire. But, Rama kills Tataka and Subahu. Mareecha was thrown away into Dandakaranya by one of the arrows of Rama, where he starts living like a saint. Later, Rama and Lakshmana were taken to Mithila where Rama breaks the Shiva Dhanus and earns the hand of Seetha. Dasharatha was summoned to Mithila to approve and get the marriage of Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughna performed there.

When he was the King of Kanyakubja, he goes on a joy hunting. It so happened that he and his huge army, which was accompanying King Kaushik, got tired, hungry and thirsty. They saw the hermitage of Sage Vasishtha. King Kaushik requests the sage to give some water to quench his thirst. Sage Vasishtha not only provides water to Kaushik and his entire army but also offers to host them a lunch. King Kaushik said his army was very huge and it may not be possible for a sage in a remote place of forest to serve food for such a large number of soldiers. Sage Vasishtha smilingly insists that he was aware of the size of the army of Kaushik and contends that he would certainly serve delicious food to all, without any trouble. King Kaushik reluctantly agrees and within no time, the food was served to all. What was more astonishing for King Kaushik and his army was the variety and taste of food that was served. Finally, King Kaushik asks Sage Vasishtha as to how he could prepare and serve such a wonderful meal to such a large number of people at short notice. Sage Vasishtha shows Kamadhenu, the Divine Cow, and tells King Kaushik that the Divine Cow could deliver whatever the sage desired. The King became greedy, jealous and furious. The King thought anything that was “special” belonged to the King. He first requests the sage to part with Kamadhenu. In exchange, King Kaushik offered anything and everything to the sage. With the sage not yielding for anything, King Kaushik uses power to pull away the Divine Cow. The Cow on one hand and the Club of Sage Vaishishtha defeat the army of King Kaushik. Baffled by this embarrassing situation, King Kaushik asks the sage the secret behind the power that the sage possessed, besides the Cow and the Club. The sage reveals the power of penance, the power of Brahmarishi and King Kaushik immediately renounces his position as the king. In the war that had gone by, the king had lost all his 100 chil
dren. No King Kaushik begins a fierce penance and transforms into a Rajarishi and finally into Brahmarishi. After attaining the state of Brahmrishi, he came to be called as Vishwamitra, a friend of the Vishwa or the universe. It was during his penance that Lord Indra tried to divert his attention by sending Menaka. Shakuntala was born to Menaka from Vishwamitra. But, when Vishwamitra realises that it was a ploy of Indra to divert the attention of Vishwamitra from the penance, Vishwamitra curses Menaka. Later, Rambha too becomes a victim of the wrath of Vishwamitra. Later, Vishwamitra creates Trishanku Swarga, a separate heaven to Ikshwaku king Trishanku.

Kanakadasa makes a point in this composition that he was not a Sittu Dasa like Vishwamitra, who is not only known as a very distinct sage for knowledge, the originator of Gayatri Mantra but also known for his short temper.