The Story of Kashyapa’s Son, Rishyashringa – Stories from Aranyaka Parva

When the Pandavas and Rishi Lomasa reached the sacred region of River Kaushiki, the rishi said that Kashyapa’s ashram was located on the same banks. Rishi Kashyapa lived with his son Rishyashringa, a great ascetic who ended the drought in King Lomapada’s kingdom. 

Rishi Lomasa narrated the story when Yudhistira asked for details. 

Kashyapa was in a great lake when he saw Urvashi, the apsara bathing there. Seeing her, his semen slipped into the water. Unknown to anyone, a deer drank the water from the lake along with the semen and gave birth to a boy child. The rishi named the child Rishyashringa, as he had a single horn on his head. Kashyapa took care of his son alone and brought him up, teaching everything he knew. Rishyashringa never saw another human except his father. His heart and mind were innocent as he followed his father’s directions to become a great ascetic. 

Meanwhile, King Lomapada of Anga faced a dire situation. Due to his greed for wealth, he insulted the rishis and lied to them. All Brahmins left the kingdom. After this, drought hit his kingdom. There was no rain for many years. His citizens were suffering. Lomapada went to his friend, King Dasharatha, for advice. Dasharatha told him to make amendments with the Brahmins. Otherwise, Indra wouldn’t shower rain on his kingdom. He advised Lomapada to invite Rishyashringa to his kingdom. If someone like Rishi Rishyashringa stepped on his land, it would end the drought. 

After discussing the matter with his advisors, Lomapada called the courtesans in the kingdoms and gave them an offer to tempt and bring Rishyashringa to his kingdom. Everyone was afraid as they didn’t want to be cursed for their actions. One woman, however, agreed to do so. He gave her a lot of gold and wealth as a gift. The woman took a few others with her and went into the forest where Rishyashringa lived with his father.

She got an ashram built on a boat and decorated it to resemble a small island with plants, flowers, etc. She sent men to find out the routine of the rishis and made her plans. When Kashyapa left his son and went somewhere, the courtesan summoned her daughter and sent her to Rishyashringa.

The girl went to Rishyashringa and inquired about his welfare and studies. The rishi was stunned to see a third person, that too, someone who looked very different from his father and was extremely beautiful. He didn’t even know that she was not a man. Rishyashringa asked who ‘he’ was and where ‘his’ ashram was. She replied it was three yoganas away. 

When he offered to wash her feet (and treat her how ascetics were treated), she refused. Instead, she shared the food she brought with her. She hugged him a few times and played with flowers and garlands. After a while, she said it was time for her to go back. 

Rishyashringa didn’t know why but he felt sad at her departure and missed her. When his father returned, he told him everything about how a man who looked very different from them and described his physical appearance, Kashyapa understood. Rishyashringa said he wanted to visit the new rishi and know more about him. However, Kashyapa told his son that the visitor was not a rishi but a rakshasa in disguise and distracted ascetics from their true paths. He forbade his son to think about the visitor. 

Kashyapa then searched for the woman for three days. However, he couldn’t find anyone in the vicinity. The next time Kashyapa went to gather fruit, the courtesan returned. Rishyashringa was delighted to meet her again and told her that they should go to her ashram before his father returned. They went to the ashram on the boat and it set sail to Anga. 

In the meantime, the king had a beautiful hermitage on the riverbank. When Rishyashringa stepped on the land and walked into the ashram, it rained in the kingdom. Then, the king got his beautiful and pious daughter, Shanta, married to Rishyashringa who was happy to stay in the new location and meet more people. 

The king knew Kashyapa would be furious when he found out. He didn’t want the rishi to curse him. So, Lomapada got new villages developed along the path he knew Kashyapa would take. He brought new cattle and built houses for caretakers. He instructed everyone to say that the wealth belonged to Rishyashringa. 

As predicted, an angry Kashyapa stalked to Champa, the capital of Anga, intent on cursing the king and burning the place down. However, he encountered beautiful villages and people on his way. Whenever he asked, they told him they worked for his son and all the wealth belonged to him. This happened until Kashyapa reached Champa. By then, his anger had subsided. He saw his son and daughter-in-law shining bright the lightning. 

Kashyapa told his son that he should return to the forest after doing what his father-in-law wanted and having a son with his wife. Rishyashringa agreed. Shanta followed him to the forest and lived in the sacred ashram beside the River Kaushiki.