Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c23.68

c23.68

We may endeavour to distinguish these two Vasiṣṭhas further as regards their personal names. Kalmāṣapāda’s Vasiṣṭha is called *brahma-kośa*,² and twice *śreṣṭha-bhāj*.³ Either word might be an epithet or name. The former word appears to be an epithet, ‘treasury of sacred lore,’ because it is joined with other epithets,⁴ and is applied to other rishis also.⁵ *Śreṣṭha-bhāj* is rare, and as an adjective, ‘sharing in or possessing the best,’⁶ has no obvious fitness in its context, where it would be quite appropriate as a name; and it is not given to any other rishi as far as I am aware. It may, then, be reasonably taken as a name, and Kalmāṣapāda’s Vasiṣṭha may be distinguished as Śreṣṭha-bhāj.