Article is compiled by Rama Chintakunta Sage Bharadwaja falls in the lineage of Sage Angirasa who is his grandfather and Sage Brihaspati is his father. These three sages are known to be trinity (Rishi Traya) of Bharadwaja Gotra which has been extended up to 1400 branches. Human beings hailing from this gotra are known to be Brahma Kshtriyas (which includes descendants from Brahmin and Kshtriya families). Sage Bharadwaja possess ardent inclination to acquire Vedic knowledge since his childhood and it is believed that he is still seeking or acquiring Vedic knowledge even though he has attained the prominent place as one of the Saptarishis in the present Manvatara which stands as a exemplification that learning never stops or in other words a true learner is never happy with his learning content. Sage Bharadwaja is believed to have taken birth twice to acquire Vedic knowledge. As a proof of this one legend goes about him like this. Lord Indra is well-versed in all kinds of learning and also acquired most of the Vedic knowledge created by Lord Brahma. Even though sage Bharadwaja is well-versed in the four Vedas but still not happy or in other words his thirst for knowledge acquisition is not satisfied and hence prays Lord Indra for acquiring some more superior knowledge from him. His body grows weak and he becomes unconscious. Marut Devatas who were on their way notice him and find him with divine radiance. They took pity on him and make him gain his energy. Lord Indra being happy with his penance appears before him and asks what he would do if he blesses him with some more years of life. Sage Bharadwaja then answers him saying that he would spend that time also in acquisition of some more Vedic knowledge. At this, Lord Indra says that Sage Bharadwaja has acquired more knowledge than all Devas (Demi-Gods) and makes three mountains to stand in front of Sage Bharadwaja. Lord Indra then says to Bharadwaja by picking three palms-full of mud from three mountains: “Whatever knowledge you have acquired is equal to three palms-full and still the Vedic knowledge is as immense as you can view in front of your eyes”. Lord Indra further says to him that knowledge acquisition is not enough to have a fulfilled life, what is equally important is spreading/sharing the knowledge to the fellow beings so that all the human beings can enhance in their capability while fulfilling their respective dharmas. Realizing his folly, sage Bharadwaja promises Lord Indra that he would share his knowledge to his fellow beings in every possible way. Sage Bharadwaja, henceforth, made it a point to share his knowledge for all the eligible people and at the same time continued acquiring the Vedic knowledge. Sage Bharadwaja was directed by Lord Indra to attain the mercy of Lord Shiva who can actually make him perform a Yagna through which he can attain the whole Vedic knowledge. As advised by Lord Indra, Sage Bharadwaja makes his way towards Mount Kailas. When he reaches there, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati were emerged in divine dance, so he keeps on waiting for their response, but the dance continues days together and at last he faints. Then Goddess Parvati notices him and makes Lord Shiva aware of it.
PART 2: Sage Bharadwaja was directed by Lord Indra to attain the mercy of Lord Shiva who can actually make him perform a Yagna through which he can attain the whole Vedic knowledge. As advised by Lord Indra, Sage Bharadwaja makes his way towards Mount Kailas. When he reaches there, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati were emerged in divine dance, so he keeps on waiting for their response, but the dance continues days together and at last he faints. Then Goddess Parvati notices him and makes Lord Shiva aware of it. The divine couple then understands the purpose of his arrival and blesses him accordingly. As a part of his learning enthusiasm he became of disciple of Sage Valmiki also. Sage Bharadwaja was the first eye witness of Sage Valmiki uttering the first sloka in Sanskrit when his heart welled up with compassion and pity towards the suffering of Krouncha birds which one of them he killed for his daily living. Thereafter, we know the story of Sage Valmiki becoming a passionate human being and through severe penance became a yogi under the direction of Saptarishis by chanting the sacred “RAMA NAMA”. Sage Bharadwaja has his ashram located near Prayag where the three holy waters from Rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswathi culminate to form the Triveni Sangamam. Sage Bharadwaja hosted Lord Rama, Sita Devi, and Lakshmana when they are on their way to Chitrakuta to live a life of Sanyasashram under the direction of King Dasharata while passing through many ashrams of Sage Agastya, Gauthama and Valmiki. Ashram of Sage Bhradawaja still exists even today in Prayag near Allahabad. After the death of King Dasharata, when Bharata was on his way to bring back Lord Rama to Ayodhya, Sage Bharadwaja hosted him and his companions, and helped them to locate Lord Rama’s ashram in that dense forest of Dhandaka Aranya. They are good number of legends of Sage Bharadwaja and famous one among them is, there was a demoniac king by name Vaarshika and he had 100 brothers. They once invaded the kingdom of Abhyavarti near Kashi. Divodosa who was king of Kashi was a friend of Abhyavarti and come for his help in the war. The Vaarshika demons entered into Abhyavarti’s kingdom and started troubling people there. They invaded rishi ashrams and de-sanctified the religious processes and killed many saintly people. Even though both the kings were great warriors, could not stop the destruction of these demons. Hence they approached sage Bharadwaja and asked for his help. Sage Bharadwaja who was official priest of these two kings grew angry at the cowardly behavior of these kings and asked them to go back and fight. Still the kings were not courageous enough to fight back, then sage Bharadwaja consoled them and blessed them that they will be the winners in the war by performing a Yagna to pacify Gods and attain their mercy for the victory of the kings, and then they went back and became victorious against the Vaarshika demons. In later years, when King of Abhyavarti was growing old and did not beget any children, then Sage Bharadwaja blessed him through the performance of Putrakamesti Yagna to have a son who will carry forward his heritage. Sage Bharadwaja also advised King Bharata of Hastinapur to perform a Yagna which made to beget a son by name Bhimanyu (According to some legends, King Bharata is known to be the foster father of Sage Bharadwaja in Dwapara Yuga as he has taken a form a radiant baby on the banks of River Ganges. He was noted by Marut Devatas and being handed over to King Bharata. King Bharata was childless, grew this boy as his own son and wanted to enthrone him as his heir, but Sage Bharadwaja because of his samskara from previous births was not interested to be a King. Hence he forwarded to have an ascetic life but as his foster father was childless, he made him to perform Putra Kamesti Yagna which begot him a son by name Bhimanyu. When Bhimanyu was a young boy, King Bharata passed away. Hence Sage Bharadwaja took the responsibility of his younger brother and has taken care of the kingdom. Once the boy grew up as a young man, he handed over the kingdom to Bhimanyu and made his way to Sanysashram). Sage Bharadwaja is known to be the author of Ayurveda and many hymns from Mandala 6 of Rigveda were framed by him. Mandala 6 of Rigveda is known to be family book of Angirasa lineage. He is also the author of Dharma sutra (these are the manuals codified to have a correct behavior framed based on Vedas) and Srauta sutra (codified rules deals with sacrificial rituals) which can found in Mumbai’s official library in today’s date. He is an ardent grammarian and very good poet. When it comes to scientific ability also, Sage Bharadwaja is well-known as he invented a kind of Spectrometer (device used to measure the property of light to identify the particles in a portion of electromagnetic spectrum) which is known as Dhanvanta Pramapaka Yantra. Sage Bharadwaja was also known to have framed principles for devising various types of vehicles known as Yantrasarwaswa which includes many basic and advanced principles of flying machines (Vymanika Sasthra-Aeronautics-Science of Aeroplanes). According to his principles flying machines can be made from on region of the earth to other region, from one planet to other planet and also from one solar system to other solar system. These were rediscovered by a famous scholar by name Subramanya Sastry (1866-1940) even before Wright brothers. Sage Bharadwaja has a wife by name Susheela. She was a Kshtriya Princess who got married to a sage. They begot a son by name Gargi is also known as a great sage. Sage Gargi even though born to a Sage like Bharadwaja but still inherited many kshtriya qualities from his mother. Sage Bhardwaja also have a daughter by name Devavarnini who married a great sage by name Yagnavalkya. Sage Bharadwaja is father of Dronacharya who is famous as a teacher of Kauravas and Pandavas in the great epic Mahabharata. He was born when his father saw an Apsara by name Ghratachi bathing in a river. He was raised and all his semen was stored in an earthen pot which got transformed into a baby boy named as Drona. The literal meaning of Drona is said to be a being born in an earthen pot. Sage Bharadwaja, connoisseur of knowledge taught him all Vedas and military warship. Later Drona also became a disciple of Agnivesha and Sage Parushurama. Life of Sage Bharadwaja gives us a wonderful evidence of learnedness of ancient seers and sages and he stands as a stalwart of extensive learning but still enthusiastic to learn more. He is a perfect inspiration for the people who always advance through learning to make the World’s well-known Scientist Albert Einstein words true. They go like this: “Less Knowledge, more Ego. More Knowledge, less Ego” as sage Bharadwaja was well-known for his egoless attitude among his contemporaries.
