Sage Bharadwaja spent his life studying the Vedas, and yet he felt he had more to study and know. Once he did penance, and when asked what boon he wanted, he replied that he wanted his lifespan extended by hundred years.
When asked why he wanted his lifespan extended for so long, Bharadwaja replied that he wanted to study the Vedas more thoroughly, and for that another hundred years were necessary. At the end of the extra hundred years, when Bharadwaja was asked what boon he wanted, he again asked for a further extension of his life by hundred years. And at the end of the second hundred years, he again asked for another hundred years. And at the end of the three hundredth year of his life, he asked for yet another extension. The Lord of the celestials then created three hills. From each of them, he picked up a fist of mud. He then said to Bharadwaja: “This is the extent to which you have studied the Vedas.” Thus even three hundred years of diligent study by a sage of the calibre of Bharadwaja was insufficient to master the Vedas. There is so much to learn and understand from the Vedas, said M.V. Anantapadmanabha chariar.
The greatness of Bharadwaja is seen in many respects. And to understand his greatness, one has to begin with the story with Valmiki. Valmiki was himself so great a rishi that Sage Narada came in search of him. Bharadwaja was Valmiki's disciple. One day, when Valmiki had to go out for his daily rituals, he took Bharadwaja along. When they came to the Tamasa river, Valmiki said to Bharadwaja: “This river is clear and pure like the heart of great men.” Hearing the call of birds, he looked up and saw a pair of birds, happily chirping to each other. But just then a hunter's arrow struck the male bird, and it dropped down dead. Seeing the agony of the female bird, Valmiki cursed the hunter. Upon their return to the ashram, Bharadwaja told all the other disciples of Valmiki what had happened in the forest. Thus, he was the one to kindle their curiosity and make popular the first verse of Valmiki's. And if even such a great sage could not comprehend the Vedas fully in three hundred years, it shows the greatness of the Vedas.
