Brahmará¹£i is an honorific title used in Indian epics to denote the highest attainments of knowledge of life acknowledged by one’s peers.  Since there is no competition, the achievements are determined through the creative potential of the person.  The logic is that all creativity is due to the maker of the universe Lord Brahmā;  and so, the title would be conferred by Lord Brahmā  in order to reward the work by the individual.  What we may analyze is that Lord Brahmā facilitates the creative potential of the individual and continues to nurture the person for better productivity.  In course of time the person is respected by the mankind for his or her wisdom and scholarship.  When they receive universal respect, they assume the title of Brahmará¹£i.  Because of their immense wisdom, they may never perish.

 

A Brahmará¹£i lives on earth as a human being, but knows the mechanics of the universe and beyond.  Such contemplative knowledge of the unseen objects and future scenes has been termed as “brahma jñāna” in Indian literature.  A  Brahmará¹£i has the ability to visualize the past and has the capacity to foresee the future.  He or she becomes a representative of Lord Brahmā in the present universe.  Though very capable, the person maintains humility displayed in wisdom and operates like any other person.  He or she may have a family and might go for children.  The children would have to cultivate enough disciplinary activities in order to inherit the talents of the Brahmará¹£i.  In Indian system, seven such persons are named in literature.  All happen to be men.  They are credited with the composition of the Vedic hymns.

 

In VālmÄ«ki’s  Rāmāyaṇa, VaÅ›iṣṭha appears as the chief priest in King DaÅ›aratha’s court.  He was the head of an eight member counselor team, who advised the king in matters of personal as well as administrative nature.  Such advice was offered on call, when the King sought such an advice.  As we see in the story, the King mostly took a decision by himself and only reached out when he would get stuck.  The counselors came in play to help implement King’s decisions, than help him make a decision.  All of King DaÅ›aratha’s decisions were his own; VaÅ›iṣṭha came into play only to preside over the rituals.  On his side, VaÅ›iṣṭha did not prod to influence the King on his decision making.  The role of the priest was subservient.

 

VaÅ›iṣṭha endorsed the King’s decision to go for a son at his old age.  The charioteer Sumantra however put in the King’s ears that the proper person to conduct the ritual was the Sage RÅ›yaśṛṁga, who happened to be the son-in-law to the King.   The King did confer with VaÅ›iṣṭha before proceeding to invite the Sage RÅ›yaśṛṁga.  The King ordered the wish-fulfilling horse sacrifice and requested VaÅ›iṣṭha to help organize it.  VaÅ›iṣṭha tasked the staff, instructed the builders and made arrangements for the hospitality for all the invitees.  He knew the rules and called the protocol.  The horse was released under his orders and he acted as the preceptor to the ritual when the horse returned after a year.  All the assembled scholars and the Sage RÅ›yaśṛṁga listened to his instructions.  Interestingly, the priests gave all their collected gifts to VaÅ›iṣṭha with a view that he would make an equitable distribution. He was not only a coach, but he was also a referee!

 

VaÅ›iṣṭha intervened on behalf of the Sage ViÅ›vāmitra when the latter came to ask for Rāma to go with him to guard his ritual location.  From the King’s point of view, it was an absurd request, because Rāma was not even sixteen.  While ViÅ›vāmitra’s intentions are not revealed in the text, VaÅ›iṣṭha saw through the merits of such an outing.  ViÅ›vāmitra did teach Rāma the application of many weapons and mentored him to handle many challenges.  Though the wedding seems to occur as an event in the outing, it is possible that VaÅ›iṣṭha had the foresight of the possible development.  VaÅ›iṣṭha presided over the wedding ritual on behalf of King DaÅ›aratha at Rājā  Janaka’s place in Mithila.

 

As a Brahmará¹£i, he possibly had intuitive understanding of the likely outcome of events though he would not know the mechanics of the process.  He was convinced that ParÅ›urāma’s obstruction could be succumbed, and he made efforts to calm him down.  He was not successful, but ParÅ›urāma did go his way after recognizing Rāma.  VaÅ›iṣṭha possibly knew the ultimate outcome in Rāma’s exile, but he did object when KaikeyÄ« was insisting that SÄ«tā should put on a forest dweller’s dress.  He did not appear to diagnose that King DaÅ›aratha would be unable to bear the shock of Rāma’s exile.  The situation following the King’s death was chaotic.  The full management of the situation however rested with VaÅ›iṣṭha and he handled it with calmness and proper judgement.  It is possible that he had faced similar situations in his long tenure of serving many kings over the centuries.  He was at his best as a wise manager.

 

VaÅ›iṣṭha exhibited his humility when he presided over the meeting of the wise men following the King’s death.  As the practice had been in the royal courts, divergent opinions were expressed.  The wisdom of VaÅ›iṣṭha was to guide the discussion to a pragmatic solution without creating instability.  He convinced all to the opinion that Bharata should be summoned back.  Knowing however the kingdom and the greed of the kings, he took the decision to advise the messenger that Rāma’s exile must not be reported to Bharata while he was in the Kaikeya kingdom.  It was a political move on his part, but he played it right.  Powerful kings could take advantage of the unstable kingdoms in times of stress.  VaÅ›iṣṭha wanted to protect the Iká¹£vāku clan.  He was the chief custodian to the rulers in Ayodhyā.

 

VaÅ›iṣṭha did not try to counsel Bharata to override his personal decision of not installing himself on the throne.   VaÅ›iṣṭha cooperated with Bharata to create roads in the forest such that all can travel to recall Rāma back in full regalia.  He supported Bharata in his quest and did request Rāma to return to Ayodhyā possibly with the aim of protecting the kingdom.  Rāma’s personal conviction not to violate his father’s words was too powerful against such counsel.  When Bharata failed to convince Rāma and requested that he would install the sandals worn by Rāma to the throne, VaÅ›iṣṭha did endorse such an unusual move.  A brahmará¹£i would not only be wise, he or she got to be pragmatic!

 

The best of VaÅ›iṣṭha showed up when he was confronted by the Sage ViÅ›vāmitra during a visit by the latter during his expedition to be a world conqueror.  ViÅ›vāmitra was learned and intelligent, but at the same time he was competitive and ambitious. He could win others through his skills in wit and warfare, but he remained a victim of sensory indiscipline and irreverence.  He had hard time to get a notice from Lord Brahmā for the highest attainments of the title Brahmará¹£i.  He showed up at the VaÅ›iṣṭha’s small cottage in order to pay respects to the old teacher.  VaÅ›iṣṭha invited him and his whole entourage for a meal.  Discovering that the meal was indeed served to their satisfaction, ViÅ›vāmitra demanded the source of such efficient management. VaÅ›iṣṭha confounded ViÅ›vāmitra by simply pointing to a cow.  ViÅ›vāmitra tried to steal the cow and a fight ensued between the two.  ViÅ›vāmitra brought his enormous skills and potential of warfare which were neutralized by a simple stick by VaÅ›iṣṭha.  While these are described as metaphors by VālmÄ«ki, it points to the assertion that a person with Lord Brahmā’s blessings would always succeed.

 

VaÅ›iṣṭha was an escort and a guardian to the Iká¹£vāku clan.  We do not know how he was appointed, nor do we know how he earned the credentials he had.  What we observe is that he presents himself as a secure wise man, always diligent in his tasks, dutiful to his position.  He exhibits right discrimination at every turn of the event.  He does not predict events, but he acts in a manner such that there is victory of principles versus convenience.  He maintains himself orderly and conducts himself to maintain the righteous order in the world.   The Vedic VaÅ›iṣṭha was a prolific author.  VālmÄ«ki’s VaÅ›iṣṭha was a family man, who gained respect by all where he interacted.

 

Let Sai bless all.