Week Three Story: The Prophecy of Brahma Rishi

Week Three Story: The Prophecy of Brahma Rishi

Image: Actor Rishabh Shukla as Dasharatha in Zee TV's 'Ramayana'
  Courtesy of ZEENEWS.)

It came time for Dasaratha, King of Kosala, to see to the education of his four sons. Although the land was filled with many fine Brahmins, their expertise focused solely on austerities and they knew little about governing.  Gossip of a pilgrimage undertaken by Viswamithra had reached King Dasaratha.  Knowing the path of the pilgrimage would bring the former king near the city of Ayodhya, Dasaratha called on Vasishtha, his royal priest, with the intention of sending him to intercept Viswamithra and inviting the sage to spend a few days of respite within the palace.  Dasaratha hoped that through his offer of hospitality he could convince Viswamithra to become the governor in charge of the young princes.

As Dasaratha was preparing Vasishtha for his journey, a herald approached the king to announce that the honorable Brahma Rishi had come to the palace and requested an audience.  Dasaratha looked at Vasishtha with concern.

"Who is this Brama Rishi," Dasaratha asked.

"He is known as a powerful seer," replied Vasishtha.  "If he is requesting an audience, it is best to accept.  The gods must have an important message for you if he has traveled all this way."  Dasaratha briefly considered the words of Vasishtha.  

"Very well.  You are my most trusted advisor and also a favorite of the gods," Dasaratha turned to the herald and requested that Brahma Rishi be granted an audience and treated as an honored guest.  As the doors opened and the guards escorted in the seer, Dasaratha began laughing warmly as Vasishtha uttered a surprised gasp and rushed toward their visitor.  

"Viswamithra!" shouted Vasishtha. Remembering who he was speaking to, Vasishtha quickly bowed at the feet of the visitor. "I was just preparing to intercept your journey and bring you here at the request of the king!  I do apologize on behalf of all of Ayodhya.  We were informed that the seer Brahma Rishi was our guest.  If you will allow me to place you in the audience of the king, I will arrange a reception more fitting of your station."  Viswamithra matched Dasaratha's laughter as he bent and took the hand of the priest.

"Ah, Vasishtha, my friend!  You honor me more than my new station warrants." Viswamithra pulled Vasishtha to his feet and grasped his shoulders warmly.  "You see, I am the one known as Brahma Rishi.  Retirement grew boring and unfulfilling.  As I focused on my austerities, the gods chose to bless me with this new title along with the gift of prophecy. And you, my oldest friend," Viswamithra turned toward Dasaratha, walking quickly and leaving the guards behind, "the gods have sent me to respond to your request of a governor."  

"Praise the Gods," cried Dasaratha, "but the journey has been long, and we must give you a place to rest."

"That is kind, yet unnecessary," responded Viswamithra.  "My austerities have given me mastery over my body.  I am not in want of food or rest at the moment.  I should like to continue my audience with you.  If Vasishtha could be allowed to stay, I would appreciate his company as well." In spite of Viswamithra's insistence, Dasaratha bid to the guards to bring in couches and refreshments.  Once the three men were lounging comfortably, Viswamithra looked expectantly at the king, waiting for his permission to continue with the business that brought him to Ayodhya.

"So, old friend, you have answered the call to educate my sons," began Dasaratha.  "I can think of no one better to mentor my eldest son Rama in the ways of a king and my other sons in following their austerities." The seer looked thoughtfully at the goblet in his hand, gently swirling the golden liquid inside.  "Ah, I know that face," continued Dasaratha.  Do you still delight your dinner companions with stories, or as Brahma Rishi have you replaced your stories with lectures?"  

"Stories are superior to lectures when passing on wisdom," replied Viswamithra. "There is a story from a country in the west about a man called Abraham who is known as the Father of Nations.  His plight was much the same as your past plight.  He and his wife Sarah were unable to conceive and prayed devoutly to their god to bless them with children.  Sarah was desperate for children, so she gave her servant Hagar to Abraham as a wife.  Hagar became pregnant and bore Abraham a son named Ishmael.  Many years later, although Sarah and Abraham had passed into their evening years, their god performed a miracle and Sarah became pregnant.  After Sarah gave birth to Abraham's son, named Isaac, she became overwhelmed with jealousy.  

'If I am truly your favorite wife, you will drive out Hagar and that thief Ishmael!  He has stolen the birthright that God has intended for Isaac.'  Abraham was distraught, but his love for Sarah caused him to exile Hagar and Ishmael.  He packed supplies for them and sent them into the desert.  Soon, the exiles were out of food and water.  Ishmael became so weak that he collapsed under a shrub.  Hagar, unable to watch the death of her son, crawled away from the shrub and cried.  The depth of her anguish reached the ears of her god and she and Ishmael were provided with a deep cool well to ensure their survival.  Although Isaac received the inheritance of Abraham-the blessing to become a nation, their god provided Ishmael with the same birthright and brought forth a nation through Ishmael on the land that saved his life and the life of his mother."

Dasaratha stared dumbfounded at Viswamithra. "Are you insinuating that I would dare exile my son Rama?  He who is the best of us all? He is the firstborn of my first wife.  There is none who could challenge his birthright!"  

Vasishtha cleared his throat.  Looking down at his hands, he quietly muttered, "have you forgotten the promise you made to the father of your second, and favorite, wife?  Bharatha could challenge Rama if he knew the commitment you made to win the hand of Kaikeyi."

"I would like to mentor young Rama," stated Viswamithra. "I need someone strong and capable to accompany me on my pilgrimage to Sidhasrama."   

"I am not exiling my son based on a story from another land!" shouted Dasaratha.  "Do you expect me to believe that the gods that granted me Rama would send you to take the youth away?"

"This is not an exile.  As I said, I would like to mentor Rama.  His exile will come at some point in the future and the gods have sent me to prepare him to withstand it."  Viswamithra rose from his couch, "I request to take leave of you my king.  I need to prepare to return on my journey, and I would like to give you time to think about my offer."  Dasaratha was staring sullenly out the window, so Vasishtha caught the seer's eye and gave him a slight nod of dismissal. 

 As the door closed, Dasaratha spit the words, "Brahma Rishi!" as if the words were venom.  "He is a dethroned king playing at being a holy man.  He has come to steal my son from me!"

Vasishtha turned and bowed toward the king.  "Your Majesty.  If I may advise you on this situation..."

"Yes, please, Vasishtha.  You have always been a sensible counselor on all matters concerning this court," replied Dasaratha.  

"I would like to remind you that Abraham, Father of Nations is the ancestor of King David.  He was also exiled by his predecessor, but before his exile, he was mentored by a holy man by the name of Samuel and aided by his predecessor's son Jonathan.  David and Jonathan were as close as brothers.  Without Samuels tutelage and Jonathan's unwavering support, I doubt David would be the king he is today.  He is a just ruler that is loved by his people, and I have often heard that he is a man after his god's own heart.  He has delivered his people from the scourge of the Philistines."  Vasishtha paused, weighing his words carefully.  "I have long suspected that Rama is meant to deliver our people from the brutality of the rakshasas.  Do not forget that Viswamithra was once a conqueror of lands, and trained his fiercest warriors himself.  He is the mentor that Rama needs."

"Yes," conceded Dasaratha, "I see your logic.  But who am I to send as his Jonathan?  Bharatha?  Surely that will drive a wedge between the two and quicken the demand of Rama's exile"

"That is a simple decision.  Lakshamana and Rama have been joined at the hip since birth.  Wherever you send Rama, he will refuse to go without Lakshamana.  The same is true if you were to send away Lashamana."

Dasaratha sighed.  "It is settled, then.  Rama and Lakshamana shall be outfitted with the palace's best weapons and sent with Viswamithra on his pilgrimage to Sidhasrama.  In the meantime, I will devise a way to prevent Rama's exile.  It is his birthright.  I shall pay the price for my foolish words, not him."  Dasaratha stood and straightened his garments.  "Guards, send for the Brahma Rishi."

Artist's Note:

I am reading R.K. Narayan's adaptation of The Ramayana.  Leading up to the exile scene, it is obvious that Dasaratha knows that Bharatha will somehow stand between Rama and the throne, so he attempts to distract Bharatha and Bharatha's grandpa while getting ready for Rama's coronation.  I wondered how Dasaratha knew, there's no indication in Narayan's version.

I also want to merge the stories we're reading with stories that we might be more familiar with.  I've always felt sorry for Hagar, even though Ishmael became the father of a nation.  The way that Rama's own mother and stepmother responded to the news of Rama's exile made me think of how Hagar felt when she thought Ishmael was going to die.  Lakashama and Rama's relationship made me think of David and Jonathan's relationship, and since David was also exiled, I decided he was also an important parallel to make.  I don't know when the timeline of King David happens in relation to the timeline of the Ramayana, so I just decided to make David a current king that Dasaratha would be aware of and would respect.  

Yes, I know that this turned out way longer than our writing prompt limit, but I was having fun with it.  I've been working on dialogue in my creative writing, so you guys have to suffer through my drafts while I'm practicing!

Ishmael's story comes from Genesis chapters 16 and 22.  David's story spans through the books of Samuel 1 and 2.  

The image at the head of the post comes from The Ramayana telenovela that was popular in India during the 1980s.  I know Indians don't call their shows telenovelas, but it makes sense to me label it as that genre.

Bibliography

Narayan, R.K. The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. 1972. Penguin Books, 2006.

YouVersion. The Bible. The Message Version. https://www.bible.com/. Accessed January 30, 2020.