Our ancient India is gifted with many pious people like sages, saints and Rishikas ( Female Sages). Out of some of the female sages, Ma Ratri Bharadvaji is a pure Rishika, who has observed chastity, purity and adjustability throughout her lifetime and it is believed that after the end of her life, due to her good karmas, she has attained the position of star goddess, and still she shines brightly on the skies.
BIRTH
RatriBharadvaji is the daughter of the great Rishi Bharadvaja, and she has composed a few hymns in the Rig Veda (10.127), and it is believed that her birth name was Kashipa Bharadvaji. She had incarnated in this earth during the end of the Dwapara Yuga, and she was supposed to have taken birth somewhere in North India. Similar to her father Bharadwaja, she contains in-depth knowledge in Vedas, Shastras and other Hindu Holy texts. Her name was mentioned in the Rig Veda and in that she was praised as an excellent Rishika. Till her young age, she stayed at the Ashram of his father Bharadwaja, and during that time, she used to cordially invite all the guests to the Ashram, and used to provide sumptuous food to them.
LIFE
After attaining teenage, Ma Ratri Bharadvaji began to travel to various sacred places like Kashi, Badrinath and Kedarnath in order to worship the deities present in those temples and also to perform meditation on those places. She was considered as one of the best female Vedic sages in the ancient India,also called as Bharat during that time.She was the grand- daughter of Deva Guru Brahaspati, and her mother was Susheela. And her siblings were
Dronacharya, Gargaand Katyayani. She didn’t marry anyone, and remained as a strict “BRAHMACHARINI” throughout her life.
She met her brother’s son Asvathama, when he was cursed by Lord Krishna, and blessed him, and also asked him to recite the powerful Durga Mantra, in order to get relieved from his curse.
Ma Bharadwaji used to participate in the debates held with various scholars, and she is also expert in Ayurveda, Yoga and Meditation.She is considered as a chaste, holy and a powerful female rishi, who had removed the sins of her devotees, and also healed their diseases.
LITERARY CONTRIBUTION
1. Commentary on Vedas.
2. Bharadvaji Samhita.
3. Books on Ayurveda.
4. Books on Yoga.
5. Natya Shastra
6. Krishna Bhakti.
7. Ways to attain salvation.
SIGNIFICANCE
She was mentioned in the Mahabharata, and she also met Lord Krishna before the end of his avatar. During her period, she performed religious discourses amongst the people, and advocated the “BHAKTI PATH”, in order to make them to get freed from this difficult earth.
According to her, spirituality can be attained by the people, only if they get adequate training on worshipping the god in various manners, like meditation, regular prayers, doing pujas and realization of god on their soul. She also suggests the people to worship the god in a simple manner like chanting frequently the names of the god, singing his songs, dancing with full of happiness by permanently keeping the god on our mind.
Let us worship this great wonderful woman rishi, Ma Ratri Bharadvaji, and let us be blessed.
“OM MA RATRI BHARADVAJI NAMAHA”
WRITTEN BY
R.HARISHANKAR