| Sages,Rushis & Saints |
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| Biographies of Great Indians & Hindus |
YAJNAVALKYA |
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| Brahmaratha's
Penance Bore Fruit Sage Brahmaratha was the father and Sunanda Devi was the mother of Yajnavalkya. Brahmaratha was a devout man who practised what he preached. He was a great scholar and had great faith in religious rites and rituals like Yajna and Yaga. He used to worship Yajneshwara (Agni the god of fire). Brahmaratha was also called Yajnavalka or Devaratha. This couple had no children. So they went on offering prayer to god through many religious vows and fasts that they might be blessed with a son. If one tries to attain peace and happiness by means of performing rituals like yajna and yaga, that is called the path of Karma. Brahmaratha had not so much knowledge or interest in the Jnana aspect of the Vedas as he had in their Karma (ritualistic) aspect. What is the mystery behind this world, this body, the life, the birth and death? Is there an eternal Joy beyond these? These are the questions, which the Jnana aspect of the Vedas answers in detail. Brahma means the Supreme. Nothing is greater than that. It pervades the entire universe. It is eternal. The knowledge, which turns our attention to this and teaches us how to realize it is alone the true knowledge, called Brahmavidya. Those who have mastered and assimilated this knowledge are Brahmarshis. The Vedas deal with both the path of Karma or action and the path of Jnana or knowledge. There was need for a great scholar who could interpret these concepts in simple words so as to enable the common people to understand. It was at this time that Brahmaratha was engaged in a penance to get a son by divine grace. The penance bore fruit. A sweet-looking baby son was born to him on the seventh day of the month of Kartik at an auspicious time. This baby born of Brahmaratha who regularly worshipped the god of fire through yajnas and yagas had divine radiance like Yajneshwara. The baby was named Yajnavalkya. |
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