Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.1148

c7.1148

JĀBĀLI I. A famous hermit. In Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 4, Stanza 55, it is stated that Jābāli was one of the sons of Viśvāmitra. They were expounders of the Vedas. Though he was the son of Viśvāmitra his life was mostly connected with Vasiṣṭha. The Purāṇas do not make it clear how this son of Viśvāmitra happened to fall into the circle of Vasiṣṭha who was a foe of Viśvāmitra. He was one of the seven spiritual advisers of King Daśaratha. It is mentioned in Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bālakāṇḍa, Sarga 48 that eight hermits such as Suyajña, Vāmadeva, Jābāli, Kaśyapa Vasiṣṭha and others lived in Ayodhyā in the palace of the King Daśaratha.