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Sage Kashyap had a son named Vibhandak. Kashyap created Vibhandak using his mental power. Vibhandak performed lots of austerities and gained huge spiritual powers. Vibhandak had a son named Rishyashring. Vibhandak brought up Rishyashring in forest. Rishyashring was completely devoted to his father. He did whatever Vibhandak asked him to. Under Vibhandak's guidance, he became expert in Vedas.
Meanwhile king Dashrath had a daughter named Shanta. Dashrath wanted son. He had a friend named Romapad who was ruling over a kingdom called Ang. Romapad wanted to adopt Shanta. Dashrath agreed. Thus Romapad became Shanta's father. After Shanta came to Ang, there was famine in Ang. Even in rainy season, there was no rain. Because of no rain, there was lack of food. People started blaming Shanta. They said that Shanta must have brought bad luck. But Romapad's family astrologer said that the famine was because of the anger of a brahmin whom Romapad had cheated in the past. It so happened that Romapad conducted a sacrifice after which he gave donations. To one brahmin he promised a bag containing diamonds. Later on he saw that one diamond was very precious. Romapad did not want to give such a precious diamond to anybody. He replaced that diamond with another less valuable diamond. He gave that bag to the brahmin. From his spiritual power, the brahmin got to know everything. He became very angry and left the place. It was because of his anger that there was no rain. It was just a coincidence that Shanta came to Ang before the famine.
Romapad asked the family astrologer what to do. The astrologer said, "Let sage Rishyashring come to Ang. When he comes here, then there will be rain. Also marry your daughter Shanta to Rishyashring and ask Rishyashring to stay here. When he stays here, then because of his spiritual power, there will be good in your kingdom."
Romapad agreed. Now the question was whom to send to bring Rishyashring. Everybody was afraid of Rishyashring's father Vibhandak. Because of his spiritual power, Vibhandak could burn anybody and any place. It was next to impossible to make Vibhandak send Rishyashring out of the forest. And there was no way Rishyashring was going to do anything against the wishes of his father. After lots of discussions, the ministers of Romapad made a plan. They decided to send courtesans to Rishyashring and that too at a time when Vibhandak was not with Rishyashring.
Beautiful courtesans went to the forest where Rishyashring lived. They camped near Rishyashring's ashram. Vibhandak was not there at that time. Romapad's ministers had already come to know of this from their detectives. While walking, Rishyashring came near the camp of the courtesans. He was amazed because he had never seen any woman till then. Here, he was seeing so many woman and that too exceptionally beautiful ones. The women made friendship with Rishyashring. Rishyashring thought that they also must be sages like him. He received them the way a guest should be received. He offered them fruits to eat. After talking to Rishyashring for some time, the courtesans went back to their camp. Next day, Rishyashring went to that camp. The women welcomed him and gave him sweets to eat. Rishyashring ate the sweets thinking them to be fruits because he had never eaten or even seen man-made sweets till then; he had been living on roots and fruits.
The courtesans said, "Our hermitage is at some distance from here. It is a very good hermitage. You must come with us to see it."
Rishyashring thought that his father would have no objection if he visited the hermitage of any sage. He had been thinking the courtesans to be sages. He did not know that they would take him to city. He was not even aware what urban life was all about because he had never stepped outside forest. He went to Ang with the courtesans. As soon as he reached there, there was rain in Ang. Everybody was happy. King Romapad explained him everything and got Shanta married to Rishyashring. Now Rishyashring found out the truth but he forgave the king because he understood the king's problems.
When Vibhandak came back to the forest, he did not find his son Rishyashring there. He found out everything. He went to Ang and was very angry. Somehow Romapad calmed him down. Then Vibhandak went back to his forest and Rishyashring lived in Ang with his wife Shanta.
On the other hand, king Dashrath wanted putrakameshti yajna to be done so that he could get son. His guru Vashishth and other sages approved of this idea. Dashrath's minister Sumant suggested that Rishyashring should be made the chief priest in the sacrifice. Many years before that, Sanat Kumar(a mind-born son of Brahma) had predicted that Dashrath would get sons if sage Rishyashring performed the sacrifice. Sumant was aware of this prediction and he knew that Sanat Kumar could never go wrong. When Dashrath came to know that none less than Sanat Kumar had predicted this, then he decided to bring Rishyashring to his city Ayodhya. Since Vashishth was Dashrath's guru, Dashrath asked for Vashishth's suggestion. Vashishth agreed.
Dashrath went to Ang. He explained everything to his friend Romapad. Romapad agreed. He sent Rishyashring to Ayodhya. Shanta also came to Ayodhya with him. Rishyashring performed putrakameshti yajna to beget son.
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