116 Mortals Who Lived Through both Ramayan and Mahabharat periods. Episode 11

Agnivesh—Agnivesh was a Sage. It is believed that he learnt archery and the military arts from Sage Agastay. He was the preceptor and teacher of Dron and Drupad. Agnivesh was son of Richik muni and younger brother of Jamdagni rishi. He was said to be a master of Botony and Ayur Ved. Dron says to Arjun as follows, "Agnivesh, my teacher was the disciple of Agastay, in the art of using bows and arrows and I am his disciple.” Dron had the greatest respect for this guru Agnivesh. Dron also took instructions of Dhanurved and use of other weapons from Parshuram. Angira—Angira was one of the mind born sons of Brahma. He was eleventh Prajapati after Pulastay. His wife Smriti was the daughter of Daksh Prajapati and his son was Brihaspati. Daksh gave his two daughters in marriage to Angira. Angira blessed Dhruv who had been doing penance. He was invited by King Nimi, the son of Ikshwaku, to participate in a Yagya organized on the occasion of creating a new township Vaijyant. He spoke of Shri Krishan thus: “He is the Creator of all beings and worlds. He is given the equilent description to Daksh Prajapati.” Shri Krishan after extreme endurance learnt Pashupat Yog from Angira, at the ashram of Vyaghrapaad, one of the twelve sons of Vasisth. While the Pandavas were in exile in forest, Angira had been chanting and meditating by the shores of river Alaknanda near Badrikashram in the region of the mount Gandhamadan. Along with Agastay he was one of the many eminent and illustrious sages present at the Vaasudev Yagya performed by Shri Krishan and Balram. In the Mahabharat battle an effort was made by Angira and others to dissuade Dron from the battle. However, it was in vain. He visited Bhishm when he was lying on the deathbed of arrows erected by Arjun. He was one of the rishis who cursed Saamb, son of Shri Krishan. It so happened that Saamb along with his friends playfully tried to test the knowledge of rishis. He dressed up himself in female attire and tied an iron pestle to his belly to appear like a pregnant woman. He asked the munis and rishis to predict whether the child born would be male or female. Rishis took this vile trick as offending and cursed Saamb that the child he is bearing is a pestle that will be instrumental in exterminating all the Yadu clan. That iron pestle (musal) was reduced to powder and thrown into the sea. Soon the area where iron powder was scattered became full of reed grass called sarkandas whose stems were as strong as iron. By those sarkandas Yaduvanshis killed each other in a fierce brawl, thence exterminating all Yadus.