Puranic encyclopaedia
by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222
This page describes the Story of Gargya included the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani that was translated into English in 1975. The Puranas have for centuries profoundly influenced Indian life and Culture and are defined by their characteristic features (panca-lakshana, literally, ‘the five characteristics of a Purana’).
Story of Gārgya
(TRIJAṬA) GĀRGA. A famous sage.
Birth.
He was one of the sons of Viśvāmitra. (Śloka 55, Chapter 4, Anuśāsana Parva). (For genealogy see under Viśvāmitra). He became gradually the priest of Gudavas. He has written a famous book called Gargasmṛti. Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa mentions that Gārgya is known as Trijaṭa also.
How he became prosperous.
Sage Gārgya had many children. It was while he was staying in the forest with his wife and children that Śrī Rāma came to that forest for Vanavāsa. The news of the exile of Śrī Rāma spread like wild-fire and many brahmins flocked to the place and Śrī Rāma gave them immense riches. Wife of Gārgya heard the news only late and as soon as she heard the same she called her husband from the fields where he was working and taking away from him the implements sent him post-haste to the place of Śrī Rāma. Trijaṭa as soon as he came to the presence of Rāma told him the purpose of his visit. Huge herds of cows were then grazing on the banks of the Yamunā river. Śrī Rāma told Gārgya to take a stump and throw it with all his strength. He did so and Śrī Rāma gave him all the cows grazing up to the place where the stump fell. It was a big lot and Gārgya became prosperous from that day onwards. (Sarga 32, Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, Vālmīki Rāṃāyaṇa).
Gārgya’s precepts on Dharma.
The following are the precepts laid down by Gārgya on Dharma. (1) Be interested always on entertaining your guests, (2) Do not eat meat, (3) Do not give injury to cows and brahmins, (4) Perform yajña with a pure mind and pure body. (M. B. Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 127).
Gārgya’s place in the line of preceptors.
Vyāsa expounded the Vedas to Vedamitra, Saubhari and Śākalya. Śākalya taught what he learnt to Vātsyāyana, Maudgalya, Śāli, Ādiśiśira, Gokhali and Yātukarṇa, Yātukarṇa taught Nirukta to Bāṣkala, Krauñca, Vaitāla, and Vīraja. Bāṣkala combined all the other branches together and made 'Bālakhilyaśākhā' and taught it to Bālāyini, Gārgya and Saṃsāra. The Ṛgvedācāryas are those from Vyāsa to Saṃsāra. (Bhāgavata, Daśama Skandha).
Indrasabhā and Gārgya.
Gārgya was a shining member of the Indrasabhā. (Śloka 18, Chapter 7, Sabhā Parva, M. B.).