INTRODUCTION
Shandilya is popular rishi. Those who are having the Sandilya gotra are the descendants of Sri Shandilya Maharishi. Most of the people belonging to West Bengal, Assam, Maharashtra, Punjab and Gujarat are considered as the descendants of Shandilya.
He was a son of the sage Asita and grandson of the rishi Kashyapa. He was the disciple of Vaatsya rishi. He also trained in vedas under the great rishis: Kaushika, Gautama Maharishi and Kushri. His disciples were Kaundinya, Agnivesa, and Bharadwaj. He has composed the famous Shandilya Upanishad. According to the BhagavataPurana, he has cleared certain spiritual doubts of King Parikshit of Hastinapura during the previous dwaparayuga.
He lived at his Ashramin the Sarada forest, a village in the present day Kashmir.The goddess Sarada, a form of Mata Parvati is said to have given her divine appearance to him. There is also a temple dedicated for Mata Sharada in that place.
Let us worship the great rishi Shandilya and be blessed.
“OM SREE SHANDILYA MAHARISHIYE NAMAHA”
“OM SREE SARADAMBIGAIYE NAMAHA”
“OM NAMO NARAYANAYA NAMAHA”
WRITTEN BY R.HARISHANKAR
