Rishi Padhanjali

Ohm Sivaya Namaha!!! Ohm Sri Sairam!!!

Sri Adhiseshan, the holy seat and Bed of Sriman Narayana once desired to see the
Divine Dance of God Siva. To fulfill his desire he born as child to Athiri Mharishi. when he born the lower part of his body was like that of a snake and because he was son of Athiri Maharishi, he was called Athireya. He was also called as Padhanjali. He reached Chidambaram where Sri Siva perform his pleasant holy Dance, and did penance to have a dharshan of Sri. Nataraja’s Holy Dance. After years of vigorous and sincere penance, Lord Nataraja appeared before him and allowed him to see his Holy Dance, and ordered him to write Yogasutra and Athreya Samhida known as Ayurveda to keep up better health for human beings. During the days of Padhanjali there was confusion about using the language with correct and proper words. Sri Nataraja also ordered Rishi Padhanjali to develop Vyakarana Bhashyam and teach everyone who wants to learn the same.

As news spread that Rishi Padhanjali had written Vyakarna Mahabashyam many disciples came and met Rishi Padhanjali with an intension to learn the Mahabashyam. When counted he found one thousand disciples have come to learn the Bhashyam from him. Pathanjali thought for a moment as to how to teach all the thousand students as it would take so many days to do so and decided to take the form of Adhisesha who has thousand heads and teach all the students simultaneously with his thousand tongues. But except Sriman Narayana no one else can see him direct at his face because his eyes are so powerful, would give out light of a crore Suns. His mouths would spit venomous fire which will burn anybody standing in front of him. .To avoid that he (Kodi Surya prakasam) decided to hang a screen between himself and his disciples and warned the students that they should not try to see him while teaching the Mahabashyam and if they try to do so they would meet their fate and become ash instantly. He also warned that in between the teaching anybody leaving the class without his knowledge and permission would become a Brahmarakshas. Our legend says a Brahma rakshas is cursed Brahmin brahmachari(bachelor) who would eat only well studierd brhmin brahmachari.

But no one can expect all are same. One fellow left the room without the knowledge and permission of the Guru to answer nature’s call. And one curious and foolish disciple, wanted to see how the Rishi teaching, stealthily lifted the screen and saw the Maharishi, and the next moment all the students present in the class were burnt and became heaps of ashes as already warned by Pathanjali, except the one who left without the permission of Rishi Padhanjali. The only escaped disciple was coming back after answering nature’s call thinking nothing wrong in the class room. On seeing him Pathanjali who, was very sad at the loss and sudden death of nine hundred and ninety nine disciples in a single stroke felt little happy also, because he could teach at least this single student. He taught this student the Vyakarna Bashyam. But because of his earlier waning this student, Gouda Padhar, after learning became a Brahma Rakshas and flew away. This Brahma rakshas was hanging on a banyan tree and waiting for a studied Brahmin Pandit with an intension to select a qualified bachelor Brahmin to teach him the Vyakarna Bhashyam as ordered by his Guru Padhanjali. Whenever a well studied Brahmin Bachelor passed that way the Brahma Rakshas (Gouda Padhar) would ask a question. If that brhmin gives a wrong answer, the brahma rakshas will swallow him alive. Days were passing but no one
could answer him correctly. Guru Padhanjali understood what was going on through his yoga sadhana: wanted to help his disciple, now brahma rakshas because unless until he complete the job of spreading the Vyakarna Bhashyam in this world he would not be relieved from his curse and get back his original human form.