Story of Vāmadeva

An ancient hermit.

Vāmadeva and Śala.

Three sons named Śala, Dala and Bala were born to King Parīkṣit by his wife Suśobhanā, a princess of Maṇḍūka. In due course, King Parīkṣit anointed his eldest son Śala as King and went to the forest for penance.

Once Śala went to the forest to hunt. While chasing a deer, the King asked his charioteer to bring horses capable of overtaking the deer. The charioteer told the King that such horses were available at the hermitage of Vāmadeva. They went to the hermitage of Vāmadeva and got the horses on condition that they would be returned.

After the hunting, Śala reached his capital. Seeing the beauty and the vigorous nature of the horses, the King did not like to part with them. Vāmadeva sent his disciple to the court of the King to take the horses back. But the King sent him back empty-handed. Vāmadeva got angry. He came in person and demanded his horses. The King replied that Brahmins did not require such horses. While these two were quarrelling with each other, some fierce giants came there and pierced Śala with a trident and killed him. (Mahābhārata Vana Parva, Chapter 192).

Other information.

(i) He was a friend of Vasiṣṭha and a priest of Daśaratha. (Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bālakāṇḍa. Sarga 7, Stanza 3).

(ii) Maṇḍala 4 of Ṛgveda was composed by Vāmadeva.

(iii) Vāmadeva was a hermit who had praised the Aśvinīdevas when he was in his mother’s womb. (Ṛgveda, Maṇḍala 1, Sūkta 119).

(iv) Once Vāmadeva tried to eat the flesh of a dog because of hunger, with a view to save Brahmins. (Manusmṛti, Chapter 10, Stanza 106).

(v) He was a prominent member in the assembly of Indra. (Mahābhārata Sabhā Parva, Chapter 7, Stanza 17).

(vi) Once Vāmadeva gave advice about righteousness to King Vasumanas. (Mahābhārata Śānti Parva, Chapter 92).