Historical Geography of Ancient India c10.375

c10.375

*Vaśiṣṭhāśrama*.—This hermitage was situated on the Mount Abu in the Aravalli range. Kālidāsa in his *Raghuvamśa* locates the hermitage of Vaśiṣṭha in the Himalayas (*Raghuv.*, II, 26). It was visited by Viśvāmitra. It was beautiful, full of sages, and adorned with various kinds of flowers, creepers and trees. (*Rāmāyaṇa*, Adikāṇḍa, Sarga 51, *vv.* 22-23). Vaśiṣṭha is said to have created out of his fire-pit a hero named Paramāra to oppose Viśvāmitra while he was carrying away his celebrated cow Kāmadhenu. Paramāra was the progenitor of the Paramāra clan of the Rajputs. Dilipa and his wife desirous of having a son started for this hermitage (*Raghuvamśa*, Sarga 1, v. 35).