Vasishtha

(Dr-ind. Vasistha - letters. "richest") --
I. In the Vedic-Hindu mythology: one of the seven divine sages - rishi, representing the stars of Ursa Major. V. was the son of Brahma, but due to curse has lost his body and was re-born from the seed of the gods Mitra and Varuna, conceived a passion for the celestial maiden - Apsaros Urvashi. In the hymns of the seventh mandala "Rig Veda" (which he attributed) In. drawn with other gods, and above all - Varuna, accepting him into his house, showing him day and night, who takes with him on the ship. In the Indian tradition in. is ideal Brahmana, he and his descendants, who formed a powerful kind Vasishtha, considered as domestic priests of kings of the Solar Dynasty. According to the Vishnu Purana, "his wife in. was Urdzha, the daughter of Daksha. Other sources call his wife in. Arundhati.
II. Indian astronomer and astrologer III in. BC, the author does not have survived, but preserved in the presentation Varahamihiry astronomy textbook "Vasishtha Siddhanta" (written up to 270 g. BC). Several Indian authors identify in. with a sage mentioned in the Vedas (cm. Vasishtha (I)), and they are taking this fact as an argument in favor of the fact that Indian astrology arose during the mythical antiquity. There is another astrological work, in the name of which appears in the name of. - "Vasishtha Samhita", but it was written much later, her oldest manuscript is dated 1443