Was Rishi Vashishta born to a prostitute?

Question

Is this really a true statement? After the supreme court verdict on prostitution. I read in newspaper referring to Vashishta as prostitute's son and today I read an article claiming the same.

Many ancient sages and rishis also came from humble backgrounds. Parasurama was a Brahmin by birth but a warrior by profession. Vishwamitra was a warrior by birth but practiced austerities like a brahmins and became a great rishi. Sage Parashar, the famous law giver, was the son of an outcaste (chandala). Rishi Vashishta was born to a prostitute, while sage Vyasa, the original author of the Mahabharata, was born to a fisherwoman. Rishi Valmiki the original composer of Ramayana came from a tribal family of traditional hunters. Some composers of the Vedic and Upanishadic hymns belonged to either lower castes or mixed castes. Satyakama Jabala was born to a prostitute who could not tell him who his father was. Karna, the famous character from the Mahabharata was brought up by low caste family, while Drona, the teacher of the Pandavas, was a Brahmin by caste but excelled in marital arts.

Are there any Vedas or scripts claiming same?

Answer 1

उ॒तासि॑ मैत्रावरु॒णो व॑सिष्ठो॒र्वश्या॑ ब्रह्म॒न्मन॒सोऽधि॑ जा॒तः । द्र॒प्सं स्क॒न्नं ब्रह्म॑णा॒ दैव्ये॑न॒ विश्वे॑ दे॒वाः पुष्क॑रे त्वाददन्त ॥

Verily, Vasiṣṭha you are the son of Mitra and Varuṇa, born, Brahmā, of the will of Urvaśī, after thes eminal effusion; all the gods have sustained you, (endowed) with celestial and Vedic vigour in the lake.

7.33.11

स प्र॑के॒त उ॒भय॑स्य प्रवि॒द्वान्त्स॒हस्र॑दान उ॒त वा॒ सदा॑नः । य॒मेन॑ त॒तं प॑रि॒धिं व॑यि॒ष्यन्न॑प्स॒रस॒: परि॑ जज्ञे॒ वसि॑ष्ठः ॥

He, the sage, cognizant of both worlds, was the donor of thousands; he was verily donation; wearing the vesture spread spread by Yama, Vasiṣṭha was born of the Apsaras.

7.33.12

स॒त्रे ह॑ जा॒तावि॑षि॒ता नमो॑भिः कु॒म्भे रेत॑: सिषिचतुः समा॒नम् । ततो॑ ह॒ मान॒ उदि॑याय॒ मध्या॒त्ततो॑ जा॒तमृषि॑माहु॒र्वसि॑ष्ठम् ॥

Consecrated for the sacrifice, propitiated by praises, they, Mitra and Varuṇa, poured a commone effusion into the water-jar, from the midst of which Māna arose, and from which also, they say, Vasiṣṭha was born.

7.33.13

Rig Veda Mandala 7, Sukta 33, Mantras 11-13 state that Vasishta's mother was Urvashi, and his fathers were Mitra-Varuna who poured their seminal fluid into a water pot, from which Vasishta came.

Urvashi was an Apsara (A celestial nymph). They are dancers in Indra's court. They are married to the Gandharvas.

There are stories of Apsaras seducing Rishis like Vishwamitra. But they didn't do it for reasons of lust. We can't call them Prostitutes.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

Answer 2

There are three stories of his birth. In Devi Bhagwatam he was a mind brn son of Lord Brahma.

12. Next Marīci, Nārada, Atri, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Dakṣa, and Vaśiṣṭha were created by Brahmā; these are the Brahmā’s mental sons (sons created by the sheer power of mind).

In Shiva Purana, it is written that he was born from Lord Brahma's vital breath.

4-7. I created Marīci from my eyes, Bhṛgu from my heart; Aṅgiras from the head and the great sage Pulaha from the vital breath Vyāna. I created Pulastya from Udāna; Vasiṣṭha from Samāna; Kratu from Apāna; Atri from the ears and Dakṣa from the Prāṇa. I then created you from my lap and the sage Kardama from my shadow. Finally, I created, out of my conception, Dharma which is the means for the achievement of everything. O foremost among sages, creating thus, thanks to the favour of Mahādeva, these excellent Sādhakas I became contented.

Brahma Puarana also say that he was born from Lord Brahma.

43-45. He held the Earth floating on the waters. He created ten quarters, as well as mind, speech, love, anger and pleasure. Desirous of evolving creation befitting these, he created Prajāpatis[15] (Lords of subjects) viz. Marīci, Atri, Aṅgiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu and Vasiṣṭha. Thus the lord of great refulgence created seven mental sons.

But there is an another story that how due to curse of King Nemi had to born from pot.

When they said thus, Urvaśī became attached to them; and, under their control, began to stay in the house of Mitrā Varuṇa. When Urvaśī began to remain there, strongly attached to them, the semen of Mitrā Varuṇa dropped in an uncovered jar. And the two beautiful sons of the Ṛṣis were born out of that; Agasti was the first child and Vaśiṣṭha the second.

Answer 3

Sage Vasishta was born of Apsara (celestial nymph) Urvashi.

Vajrasuchika Upanishad.:

तर्हि जाति ब्राह्मण इति चेत् तन्न । तत्र जात्यन्तरजन्तुष्वनेकजातिसंभवात् महर्षयो बहवः सन्ति । ऋष्यशृङ्गो मृग्याः, कौशिकः कुशात्, जाम्बूको जाम्बूकात्, वाल्मीको वाल्मीकात्, व्यासः कैवर्तकन्यकायाम्, शशपृष्ठात् गौतमः, वसिष्ठ उर्वश्याम्, अगस्त्यः कलशे जात इति शृतत्वात् । एतेषां जात्या विनाप्यग्रे ज्ञानप्रतिपादिता ऋषयो बहवः सन्ति । तस्मात् न जाति ब्राह्मण इति ॥५॥

Then is a class the brAhmaNa ? No . Since many rishis have sprung from other castes and orders of creation - RishyashRi.nga was born of deer; kaushika, of kusha grass; jAmbuka of a jackal; vAlmiki of valmIka (an ant-hill); vyAsa of a fisherman's daughter; gautama, of the posteriors of a hare; vasishtha of Urvasi (a celestial nymph in the court of Indra); and agastya of a water-pot; thus have we heard . Of these, many rishis outside the caste have stood first among the teachers of divine wisdom; therefore a class is not the brAhmaNa. (5).

I hope this clarifies your queries.