Sages & Others
Vishvamitra
विश्वामित्र
The King Who Became a Brahmarshi
Who was Vishvamitra?
Vishvamitra (विश्वामित्र): The King Who Became a Brahmarshi, one of the sages and supporting figures in the Mahabharata. Born a king, he coveted Vashishtha's wish-granting cow, was humbled by the power of austerity, and gave up his throne to win it - becoming through ages of tapas the only kshatriya ever raised to brahmarshi.
Quick Facts
| Sanskrit name | विश्वामित्र |
|---|---|
| Title / Epithet | The King Who Became a Brahmarshi |
| Faction | Sages & Others |
| Key traits | indomitable, proud, transformed, unsparing of himself |
| Featured in | 4 stories |
About Vishvamitra
Born a king, he coveted Vashishtha's wish-granting cow, was humbled by the power of austerity, and gave up his throne to win it - becoming through ages of tapas the only kshatriya ever raised to brahmarshi. In the twelve-year famine he ate forbidden food from a chandala's hut to stay alive, teaching that survival for dharma's sake outweighs purity.
In Their Words
Between death and defilement I choose defilement - the defiled may be purified, the dead may not.
Vishvamitra
Traits
- indomitable
- proud
- transformed
- unsparing of himself
Story Appearances
Stories Featuring Vishvamitra
3 further tales on this site name Vishvamitra, in canonical reading order.
Places in Vishvamitra's Story
Drawn from the stories Vishvamitra appears in.
Related Characters
Others counted among the Sages & Others.