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Story Of Rishyasringa Rishi

Sage Rishyasringa was the famous Rishi who performed the Putrakameshti Yagna for Dasharath in the Ramayana. Sri Ram, Bharat, Lakshmana and Shatrughna were born to Dasharath after this yajna. Legend has it that Rishyasringa was born with a pair of horns like deer.

Rishyasringa was the son of Saint Vibhandaka. Legend has it that Sage Vibhandaka was seduced by celestial damsel Urvashi. Semen from Vibhandaka fell into a river and this went into the stomach of a Doe that was drinking water. Rishyasringa was given birth by the Doe (female deer).


After the incident, Sage Vibhandaka had this guilt that he failed control his desire. The visit of Urvashi also disturbed his Brahmacharya and Tapas. Vibhandaka did not want the same fate for his son. So he brought him up without giving knowledge about females. Rishyasringa had never seen a female.

During this period the kingdom of Anga was reeling under severe drought. A Sage predicted that only a yajna conducted Rishyasringa will please the rain gods.

The king of Anga, Lomapada, hired damsels to get Rishyasringa to his kingdom. The damsels gave the young sage knowledge about outside world and lured him to the kingdom.

Rishyasringa conducted yajna and subsequently there was torrential rain in the kingdom. A relieved and happy king gave his daughter Shanta in marriage to Rishyasringa.

The story of Rishyasringa symbolically suggests that nature cannot be kept out. We all are part of nature. Vibhandaka was trying to hide the big truth of nature – females and reproduction from his son. Truth can be hidden for some time but one day it will come out and reveal itself.

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