Śakti Maharṣi

Śakti Maharṣi
Shakti (left) curses Kalmashapada to turn into a cannibalistic rakshasa, who later kills Shakti (Scene from the Mahabharata)
Information
Children	Parashara

Śakti Maharṣi was son of Vaśiṣṭha and father of Parāśara. He was one among the Advaita Guru Parampara. According to the Vedas, Brahma created Vaśiṣṭha; who begat Śakti Maharṣi by Arundhati. He is the second member of the Rishi Parampara of the Advaita Guru Paramparā.

Life

Śakti Maharṣi was son of Vaśiṣṭha and father of Parāśara. According to the Vedas, Brahma created Vaśiṣṭha; who with Arundhati begot Śakti Maharṣi.

He is the second member of the Rishi Parampara of the Advaita Guru Paramparā. He died at an earlier age and his son Parāśara was raised by his father Vaśiṣṭha. Once Shakti-muni was on a journey and came across an angry Rakshasa (demon) who had once been a king but was turned into a demon feeding on human flesh as a curse from Vishwamitra. The demon devoured him.

In the Visnu Purana, Parāśara speaks about his anger from this:^[1]

I had heard that my father had been devoured by a Rakshasa employed by Vishwamitra: violent anger seized me, and I commenced a sacrifice for the destruction of the Rakshasas: hundreds of them were reduced to ashes by the rite, when, as they were about to be entirely exterminated, my grandfather Vaśiṣṭha said to me: Enough, my child; let thy wrath be appeased: the Rakshasas are not culpable: thy father's death was the work of destiny. Anger is the passion of fools; it becometh not a wise man. By whom, it may be asked, is any one killed? Every man reaps the consequences of his own acts. Anger, my son, is the destruction of all that man obtains by arduous exertions, of fame, and of devout austerities; and prevents the attainment of heaven or of emancipation. The chief sages always shun wrath: be not subject to its influence, my child. Let no more of these unoffending spirits of darkness be consumed. Mercy is the might of the righteous.

References

1. Wilson, H. H. The Vishnu Purana: A System of Hindu Mythology and Tradition.