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Thathisee
 The Mahabaratam says that
Thathisee Maharishi, son of Brihu Maharishi was made of the essence of all the substances of the Earth. (Salyaparvam, chapter 51, 83rd
slokam).
Thathisee
set up an ashram at the banks of the Saraswati river and performed penance there. Seeing this, Lord Indra sent an Apsaras to disturb his penance. The maharishi fell into the trap on seeing the beauty of the apsaras and fell in love with
her. But River Saraswati carried the baby and gave birth to a son and Thathisee named him
Saaraswadhan.
Thathisee gave Saaraswadhan a boon that he could bring rain at any place, at any point of time.
There is a story in the Rig Veda that Indran taught
Thathisee, Pravarkiya skill and Madhu skill. Indra warned Thathisee that if he taught what he had learnt to others he would cut off his head.
But the Aswini brothers pestered
Thathisee and gave in to them and taught them the skills. Fearing Indran's
threat the brothers cut off Thathisee's head and fixed the head of a horse to Thathisee. (Rig Veda 1.116.12)
Thathisee
continued to lead his life with the horse head. Indra made his personal weapon, the Vajrayuda, with the bones of
Thathisee's head and killed Vrithikasura with it, says the Rig Veda. (Rig Veda 1.84.13)
In the later ages there is a
different story about a Thathisee Maharishi. According to that story, when Asuras, under the leadership of Vritikasuran, attacked the Devas, Indran sought Brahma's advice. Brahma had asked Indran to make a weapon out of the spinal cord of
Thathisee Maharishi to win the battle against
Vritikasuran.
Indran went to
Thathisee's ashram and told him about his need. Acceding to his request, the maharishi attained yoga samadhi to help Indran take his spinal cord and makes the Vajrayuda. Indran was able to vanquish the Asuras with the weapon (Mahabaratham, Vanaparvam,
chapter 100).
There is a temple for Thathisee
Maharishi in Mishrik, near Lucknow. This place was once known as Naimisaranyam. The people of the village have an interesting story about
Thathisee. They say that Earth, in the form of cow, licked the muscles of Thathisee
Maharishi; his exposed bones were used to make the Vajrayudha for Indra, Gandeebam (bow) for Arjuna,
Sarangam for Lord Vishnu and Pinaka for Lord Siva.
In the temple there is an
ideal of a cow licking the left hand of Thathisee Maharishi and Indran is
found seated with folded hands to his right.
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