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
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.
Another Lesser Known Story