A Muslim king ruled Vidur. He was very cruel and hated the Hindu community. He would slander the Brahmin community and the holy Vedas. He would invite Brahmins and pay them money to get the Holy Vedas read in the royal court. He would arrange for discussions on the Holy Vedas and poke fun at both, the Brahmins and the Holy Vedas alike. Therefore the Brahmins with high integrity would never go to the royal court to read the Holy Vedas. Those attending the royal court would get money, but only at the cost of defaming the Hindu religion.
For the lure of money Brahmins from far–off places started coming to Vidur. For this same reason, two Brahmins from a distant place came to the royal court. They were greedy and their only intention was to make money. They were very arrogant and at the same time they did not have deep knowledge about the Vedas. They would debate on the holy Vedas with other Brahmins and defeat them. Then they would collect Victory certificate from the defeated Brahmins to prove their superiority.
They collected several such victory-certificates and finally arrived at the royal court of the King of Vidur. They told the King “We are fully conversant with all the four holy Vedas. We have reached here after defeating the Brahmins of every village. Please see these victory-certificates. Now we would like to challenge the Brahmins of your Kingdom. Invite all the learned Brahmins of your Kingdom and lets see the result”. This turned out to be a great opportunity for the King to slander the holy Vedas and the Brahmin community. Therefore, he arranged for a special court regarding the holy Vedas and invited all the Brahmins of his Kingdom. Then he addressed them “These two learned Brahmins have come to our kingdom. Whoever defeats them in the debate on the holy Vedas, would be presented with lots of money and respect. Else these two Brahmins would be honoured as having the most authority on the holy Vedas”.
The Brahmins of the kingdom observed that these two Brahmins were arrogant and hypocritical. In addition, it was their (the two Brahmins) excessive greediness for money, which made them ignore righteousness and get ready to recite the holy Vedas in the royal court. With this awareness, the Brahmins of the royal court decided not to take part in the debate and told the king “these two Brahmins are really superior to us. So please go ahead and honour them”. Then the king honoured those two Brahmins with lot of money, clothes, and further respected them with a royal treatment on a well-decorated elephant ride. With all this honour, the two Brahmins became more intoxicated with arrogance.
After a few days, the two Brahmins decided to roam through the entire Kingdom and hold discussions on the Holy Vedas with other Brahmins. Therefore, they took the necessary orders from the King and set out on a victory-tour. After reaching each village, they would invite the Brahmins and get them to either hold a debate on the holy Vedas or accept defeat and hand over a Victory certificate. Thus wandering, these Brahmins reached village Kumasi where Trivikram Bharati, the disciple of Sriguru was staying. Both these Brahmins approached Trivikram Bharati. He said, “I am an ascetic. I have not studied the Holy Vedas entirely. How can I hold a debate with you regarding Holy Vedas? For me winning or losing this debate would be the same”. Then those Brahmins demanded for a victory certificate from him.
Trivikram Bharati was trying to convince them, but they started insisting about the victory certificate. Finally Trivikram Bharati addressed both Brahmins “let us go to Ganagapur where my Guru resides. Let us settle about this victory certificate in front of my Guru”. Therefore, he took both Brahmins to Ganagapur. Trivikram Bharati prostrated at the feet of Sriguru, took his blessings, and stated all the facts. Then Sriguru convinced the two Brahmins “Do not be arrogant about your victory. Even God could not reach the depth of the Holy Vedas and Vedanta[1]”. The two Brahmins refused to get convinced and thought that Sriguru is afraid of losing the debate. Therefore, they started to challenge him. They were bent on getting the victory certificate. Then Sriguru said, “It is alright. I will fulfil your strong desire for a debate”. Then Sriguru looked around. He saw a person walking on the other side of the street. Sriguru sent his disciples to bring the person to him. Then, Sriguru asked the person “which caste do you belong to?’ He replied, “Maharaj, I belong to Matanga community. It is my great fortune that I could get your blessings from such nearness”. The person prostrated before Sriguru.
Sriguru asked his disciples to draw seven lines apart, each at an arm’s length distance, in front of the person (Matanga). Then Sriguru spoke to him “Do not be afraid. By crossing these lines, one by one, you would remember you’re past life. Tell me whatever you remember”. On crossing the first line, he remembered that he belonged to the Bhilla community (Hill tribe). On crossing the second line, he attained knowledge. On crossing third line he remembered to be a fisherman. On crossing the fourth line, he said, “I belong to Matang community. I am standing in front of you”. After crossing the fifth line, he said, “I am Somaddatta belonging to Vaisya community (merchantile caste)”. After crossing the sixth line, he said, “I am Govind belonging to Kshatriya community (Military caste)”. After crossing the seventh line he said “I am a Brahmin well versed in Vedas”.
Sriguru then sprinkled spellbound sacred ashes on him. Instantly the Matanga turned into a Brahmin and his external appearance, became bright and luminous. Sriguru told him “Hold a debate with these two Brahmins on the Vedas”. Then the Matanga turned Brahmin, offered his salutation to Sriguru, and taking his blessings, started reciting the Vedas. Seeing this great wonder, the two arrogant Brahmins became dumb founded. They panicked and started getting chest-pains. They prostrated at the feet of Sriguru and begged for his forgiveness for the false pride and arrogance, which they had exhibited.
Sriguru told them with compassion, “Both of you have slandered the holy Vedas and the Brahmin community. You have harassed them and committed sins. Hence you will have to endure the fruits of your sinful acts. Both of you will become Brahma-Rakshas80, in next birth and wander along the bank of river Ganga (Ganges). After twelve years a pious Brahmin will arrive and release you from this fate and you shall become Brahmins again”.
The Matanga now felt that he has really become a Brahmin by the grace of Sriguru. He prayed “Bhagwan, I was a Brahmin in my previous life. Then why was I born in this very low class now? ”. Then Sriguru told him as to how a person born in a Superior class, gets reborn in inferior class. Sriguru also explained the various types of births a person gets depending on committing the various types of sins. Further Sriguru said, “In your previous birth you were a Brahmin. However, you had dishonoured your parents and your Guru. Through out the life you had dishonoured them. This is the reason why you took birth in this low class in this life. Now for a month after taking bath in the Sangam74, indulge in Namsmaran81, and then in your next life you will be born as a Brahmin”.
Then the Matanga said “Maharaj, by your blessings I have attained purity as well as divine knowledge. I have started reciting the ‘Holy Vedas’ too. Hence I pray to you to absorb me in the Brahmin community. After attaining purity by your kind grace, how can I re-absorb myself in an inferior class now? ”. Then Sriguru replied, “In this life, you will continue to live in the same community, where you took birth. If I absorb you in Brahmin community, then that community will slander you. Vishwamitra performed penance for a long time but he was born in Kshatriya community. Hence sage Vasistha did not recognise Vishwamitra as a Brahmarshi[2], till Vishwamitra got his body burnt by sunrays and took up a new body. Hence when you are released from this body, you will get birth in a Brahmin community”.
That Matanga did not agree even though Sriguru convinced him. By then his wife and children arrived at the scene. He was not even ready to touch them. Then Sriguru called a greedy tradesman and asked him to give a bath to the Matanga. No sooner the sacred ashes were washed away from the Matanga’s body, the divine knowledge that he had gained due to the sprinkling of the sacred ash, also vanished and the Matanga returned to his original condition. Surprisingly he left with his wife and children. All the people present there were wonderstruck. Then Trivikram Bharati prayed and asked Sriguru “Maharaj, how is it that, this person of low cast acquired the divine knowledge and after giving a bath and washing his body, forgot that divine knowledge and became ignorant once again? ”. Then Sriguru explained to everybody present there in detail, about the greatness of the sacred ash.
[1] Vedanta: The theological part of the Vedas, i.e. Upanishad. Vedanta means the anta or culmination or essence of the Vedas. It is a principal branch of Hindu philosophy. Literally, the end of the Vedas is constituted by the series of literature termed as the Aranyakas (the forest scriptures), of which the Upanishads form the chief constituent. The primary philosophy captured in the Upanishads, that of one absolute reality termed as Brahman is the main principle of Vedanta. The sage Badarayana is supposed to be one of the major proponents of this philosophy and author of the Brahma Sutras based on the Upanishads. The concept of Brahman – the Supreme Spirit or the eternal, self existent, immanent and transcedent Supreme and Ultimate Reality which is the divine ground of all Being – is central to Vedanta.
[2] Brahmarshi: Brahmarshi (from the Sanskrit words Brahma and Rishi) is the highest of the Rishis, the Hindu sages – one who has understood the meaning of Brahman. The title of Brahmarshi was a status defined and recognized in the sacred Vedas of Vedic religion.
A Brahmarshi is the ultimate expert of religion and spiritual knowledge. Below him are the Maharshis (Great Rishis).
The Saptarshis created out of Brahma’s thoughts are perfect brahmarshis. They are greater than the Devas in power and piety. Vishwamitra was the only brahmarshi who rose to the position out of pure tapasya, a journey lasting tens of
thousands of years as explained within Hindu mythology. Originally belonging to the kshatriya caste of kings and warriors, he rose by pure merit to a Brahmarshi. Bhrigu, Angira, Atri, Vishwamitra, Kashyapa, Vasishta, and Agastya are the seven brahmarshis.