Sandilya (Rishi)

Śāṇḍilya (Sanskrit: शाण्डिल्य) was the name of at least two prominent rishis. One of the rishis was the progenitor of the Śāṇḍilya gotra.

The name was derived from the Sanskrit words śaṇ, full and dilam, the moon, with the derivative ya added, meaning the one of the full moon, thereby implying a priest or a descendant of the Moon God.

Progenitor of the Śāṇḍilya Gotra

One rishi was a son of the sage Asita and grandson of the rishi Kashyapa, and the founder of the Śāṇḍilya gotra. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad states that he was a disciple of Vaatsya rishi. ^[1] His other Acharyas include Kaushika, Gautama Maharishi, Kaishorya Kaapya, Vatsya Vaijavap, and Kushri. His disciples include Kaundinya, Agnivesa, Vatsya Vamakakshayan, Vaishthapureya, and Bharadwaj. ^[2] He was also the composer of the Śāṇḍilya Upanishad.^[3] According to the Bhagavata Purana, he was instrumental in settling certain metaphysical doubts of King Parikshit of Hastinapura and King Vajra of Dwaraka.^[4]

Rishi from Śāradāvanam

Śāṇḍilya was a son of the sage Asita, had his hermitage in the Śāradāvanam, or forest of Śāradā, of a village in the Bolair Valley of Kashmir.^[5] The village has been identified with the modern town of Sharda, on the banks of the River Kishanganga, in Kashmir, India. The goddess Śāradā is said to have manifested herself to him, here, after severe penance by him, to confer upon him his yagnopaveetham, an event that was commemorated in the temple of Sharada Peeth in the town.

References

1. Joshi, Mahadevshastri (1979), Bharatiya Sanskriti Kosh (Marathi: भारतीय संस्कृती कोश) 9, Bharatiya Sanskriti Kosh Mandal
2. Chitrav, Siddheshwarshastri Vishnu (1968), Bharatavarshiya Prachin Charitra Kosh (Marathi: भारतवर्षीय प्राचीन चरित्र कोश) (3 ed.), Pune: Bharatiya Charitra Kosh
4. http://nitaaiveda.com/Compiled_and_Imp_Scriptures/Shrimad_Bhagavatam/Bhagavata_Mahatmya/1._Shandilya_Describes_Vraja.htm
5. http://archives.chennaionline.com/columns/downmemorylane/diary132.asp