गन्धर्व उवाच
इदं वासिष्ठम् आख्यानं पुराणं परिचक्षते ॥
पार्थ सर्वेषु लोकेषु यथावत् तन् निबोध मे ॥
कन्यकुब्जे महान् आसीत् पार्थिवो भरतर्षभ ॥
गाधीति विश्रुतो लोके सत्यधर्मपरायणः ॥
तस्य धर्मात्मनः पुत्रः समृद्धबलवाहनः ॥
विश्वामित्र इति ख्यातो बभूव रिपुमर्दनः ॥
gandharva uvāca
idaṃ vāsiṣṭham ākhyānaṃ purāṇaṃ paricakṣate ||
pārtha sarveṣu lokeṣu yathāvat tan nibodha me ||
kanyakubje mahān āsīt pārthivo bharatarṣabha ||
gādhīti viśruto loke satyadharmaparāyaṇaḥ ||
tasya dharmātmanaḥ putraḥ samṛddhabalavāhanaḥ ||
viśvāmitra iti khyāto babhūva ripumardanaḥ ||
The Gandharva said: "This ancient tale of Vasishtha is known in all the worlds; learn it from me as it truly is, O Partha. In Kanyakubja there was a great king, renowned as Gadhi, devoted to truth and dharma; he, righteous of soul, had a son, possessor of an abundant army, renowned as Vishvamitra, crusher of foes."
2b81e19e9cea · published Jul 12, 2026, 5:29:43 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the beginning of the tale introduces its hero -- a mighty warrior-king. It is significant that Vishvamitra, the future great sage, is shown at first as a kshatriya, a "crusher of foes": the tale will trace his path from the might of arms to the might of the spirit. This is a foreshadowing of transformation: he who began as a warrior will end as a brahmarishi. Thus the scripture shows the beginning of an ascent -- from outward strength to inward strength.