Table of Contents
Jaimini was a bit surprised. What kind of a fight was this?
The birds began talking about the fight.
A Deep Dive into History
"After Rohitasva was crowned the king of Ayodhya, Harishchandra and Saivya left the earth for ever. Vishvamitra began the guardian for the young king. Sage Vasishta was the guru for the kings of the solar dynasty, the dynasty to which Harishchandra belonged. For twelve years, he had mastered his breath, endured the pressure of the water and had submerged himself in the river Ganga. he had settled in the bottom of the river, and there he had meditated undisturbed.
Vasishta Learns the News
After the period of twelve years were over, he came out of the river. He was greeted by his disciples who told him what had happened in the last twelve years.
The sage was disturbed when he heard what Vishvamitra had done. He was shocked to hear that Harishchandra had been forced to become a chandala, and even sell his wife and son in the process.
Rivalry Explodes
Vasishta was happy that Yama had come as a Chandala and had helped Harishchandra, else Vishvamitra would have cursed him surely.
Vasishta and Vishvamitra had never gotten along. Vishvamitra had caused the death of Vasishta's sons. To take him mind away from that grief, for that, Vasishta had performed many sacrifices, many penances. Hearing about Harishchandra, he remembered his old pain. "Harishchandra was innocent. He could not recognize Vishvamitra under the influence of an asura. For that he had to go through all this? If Vishvamitra wanted, he could have taken the kingdom and left the king. No, Vishvamitra crossed his limits. He needs to be taught a lesson. he is a great sage? He just acts like one. This is exactly like a crane does and the fish think, the crane is meditating. I curse him, let him turn into a crane."
Vishvamitra heard about this curse. He could not control his anger. "It was because of me that Harishchandra got his name. I acted as a catalyst bringing out the good in Harishchandra and for that Vasishta curses me? If so, I curse him, let him become a heron."
Transformed
These were cursed of two powerful sages, and it took effect.
Both Vasishta and Vishvamitra died and took birth as birds, Vasishta becoming a heron and Vishvamitra a crane.
Though they were birds, they had been sages once. They had retained their spiritual powers. They also retained their memories.
Epic Bird Fight
One day the two birds came to face with each other. It was in a paddy field. An Indian Pond heron was sitting near the field. A sarus crane was flying and seeing the spot landed there. The crane was none other than Vishvamitra. He recognized the heron as Vasishta. Seeing the crane, the heron began growing in size. The sarus also increased its size. Soon they were giant birds, their heads touching the skies. The crane led out a sharp cry and flapping its wings, it rose in the sky. The heron, though smaller in size, was not ready to yield. With s sharp cry, it also launched itself in the air.
Chaos on Earth, Concern in Heaven
The flapping of the wings caused dust storms. Dark clouds formed in the sky. With every jump they took, the earth began to tremble. Mountains shook. The birds were not bothered; they kept trying to attack each other.
The chaos created was a burden on earth. It began shaking causing earth quakes everywhere. People began running around to save themselves. The gods saw this. They were not sure how to rectify this. The anger of the sages was causing the earth to fall down into Patala, the nether world. They all assembled in Indra's court, trying to find a solution. They then went to Brahma. Brahma with the other gods arrived where the birds were trying to attack each other with their beaks. Brahma asked the birds to stop. It is not that they had not heard Brahma, it is just that their rage was beyond control. They refused to stop.
Brahma's Intervention
Seeing they were listening; Brahma changed their forms. From birds they stood there as sages, trying to attack each other. Brahma then asked them what they achieved by all this. "This was only the darkness in your minds that came out in this form. You are great sages. Control your selves. If you behave in this manner, then what will you expect from common people. Vishvamitra did not harm Harishchandra in any manner. What may have looked like a punishment was actually a way of providing liberation to Harishchandra." The sages felt ashamed at their conducts. They bowed down and forgave each other. With this, the sages returned home. With this we end the fight between the birds and also the story of Harishchandra. Is there anything you want us to tell you?
Some More on This
The Tale of Vasishta and Vishvamitra (From Skanda Purana)
This story is there in Ramayana, Mahabharata, Vishnu Purana and Skanda Purana.
What is narrated here is from Skanda Purana. The reason for that is, the story in Skanda Purana is more concise and to the point.
There is no difference in the core stories in the Puranas.
Interestingly both Vasishta and Vishvamitra are sages mentioned in Rigveda.
Vishvamitra was the king of the land. One day, Vishvamitra went hunting. He went into a forest full of wild animals and hunted and killed many there. Tired he was looking for shelter when he came across the ashrama sage Vasishta. The sage welcomed Vishvamitra and his soldiers. Vasishta the asked his holy cow to provide food for all, which the cow did. Vishvamitra asked Vasishta to give him the cow. Vasishta refused saying brahmans never gave away cows. Vishvamitra then tried to forcibly take the cow away. The cow called out to Vasishta for help. The sage said he had not given her away. Hearing this, the cow produced an army who defeated Vishvamitra's army. Vishvamitra then attacked the cow and was defeated. He then tried to attack Vasishta who showed him the power of spirituality by freezing him.
Vishvamitra went home, crowned his son as king and renounced everything to become a sage.
Initially Vishvamitra wanted to become a sage, gain powers and make an end of Vasishta, but much later he realized the power of spirituality and became a sage.
Killing of Vasishta's Sons
The killing of Vasishta's sons is mentioned in Mahabharata in Adi Parva. This story is told to the Pandavas, just before they go the Swayam Vara, where Arjun marries Draupadi. This story is in a sub parva called Chaitrarathaparva.
This is a continuation of the initial story of Vasishta and Vishvamitra.
There was a king called Kalmashapada. One day, he went hunting. Hungry and thirsty he was looking for shelter. He stood in the forest, exhausted. The spot where he was standing was a path for the travellers. Shakti, son of Vasishta, was passing that way. He saw the king and asked him to step away and give way. The king refused saying as the king, he had the right of the way. Hearing this, Shakti said, a brahman should have that right. Angry, the king hit Shakti with his whip.
Angry at being hit, Shakti cursed the king to become a rakshasa and left. Vishvamitra had been around and had heard this. He saw how Shakti cursed the king. Vishvamitra saw this his opportunity. HE summoned a rakshasa called Kinkara (literally means servant) and asked him to possess the king. The king was possessed. He somehow reached home. A brahman was on the way who asked the king for food. The king asked him to wait saying he would get some meat and serve that.
He asked his cook to prepare meat, and as there was no meat, the king asked him to serve the brahman human flesh. The cook went to the royal executioners, got some human flesh and prepared that. The dish was served to the brahman. The brahman, realizing what he had been served, cursed the king to become a man-eating rakshasa.
One day, the king was in the forest when he came across Shakti. He remembered the curse and said it was because of him that he had to suffer. Saying this, he killed Shakti and ate him.
Vishvamitra then lured the king towards Vasishta and said his sons also needed to be killed. Following Vishvamitra's order, Kalmashapada killed the other sons of Vasishta.
Philosophical Aspects
Dharma and Adharma are beyond Appearances. What seemed like a punishment (for Harishchandra) was in fact a path to liberation.
Despite being enlightened sages, both Vasishta and Vishvamitra fall into ego-driven conflict. Their identification with their pride and old grudges reflects the danger of spiritual arrogance.
Vasishta’s curse arises from personal grief and moral outrage. Vishvamitra retaliates from pride and wounded righteousness.
Vasishta’s 12-year meditation underwater signifies withdrawal from the world, but also detachment from time and space. Yet he is not free from anger.
Becoming birds symbolizes regression into primal instinct. Cranes and herons, often seen as calm and meditative birds, become agents of destruction.
Their battle shakes the earth. This signifies how personal conflicts can have societal consequences.
The crane and heron are birds associated with stillness and apparent meditation. The "crane meditating while catching fish" is a classic Indian metaphor for false spirituality. Ironically, both sages embody it in their bird forms, revealing their own hypocrisy.
Their expansion into giant forms reflects inflated egos.
The environmental turmoil is reflection of the inner turmoil.
The Fight Between Adi and Baka
The Markandeya Purana mentions the birds as Adi and Baka. Adi (आडी)
There is an old metaphorical expression used in poetic traditions— “Adi, Baka yuddha”—which actually means "A massive battle with no outcome" or "A huge effort leading to nothing significant"
It is a mockery of pompous arguments or rivalries, something like “much ado about nothing.”
The sages resolve nothing through their battle.
- Crane signifies Reactive aggression; beware the false sage who appears serene.
- Heron signifies Long-held pride.
- The Battle between the two is a fight between inflated egos.
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