Viśvámitra

Also known as: Visvámitra · Family: Hermits · Role: sage · First appears: Book I, Canto 14 · Rávan Doomed

In Book I, Viśvámitra came to Daśaratha seeking help to protect his rites from attacking fiends. The king welcomed him and agreed to his request; Viśvámitra then asked for Ráma, promising to shield and strengthen him. Daśaratha entrusted Ráma and Lakshmaṇ to the sage, who taught them spells and celestial weapons, brought them to his hermitage, and protected them on the way to Janak’s court.

Viśvámitra was the son of Gádhi and inherited his throne. At Vaśishṭha’s banquet, friendship gave way to conflict when Viśvámitra tried to take the cow Dapple-skin by force; after his army and sons were defeated, he gave his empire to his surviving son and pursued penance and Bráhmanhood. He clashed with Triśanku, whose ascent he enabled, and cursed sons who defied him. At Pushkar, he blessed Śunahśepha and taught him hymns, but also cursed his own sons when they refused to help the youth.

His austerities brought successive recognition from Brahmá and the Gods, though his penance was interrupted when Menaká stayed with him for ten years. He later cursed Rambhá and renewed his vow; in Book I, Canto 65, the Gods granted him Bráhman rank, confirmed by Vaśishṭha. In Book II, Ráma sent him gifts, and in Book III, Márícha’s account recalls Viśvámitra’s earlier appeal to Daśaratha for Ráma’s aid.