Parasara was born to Saktri and his wife Adrisyanti. Parasara‘s father Saktri was eaten by a rakshasa (night-wandering demon) before he was born. So Parasara grew up with an immense hatred for Rakshasas. So this great sage of the sacrificial lore performed a mighty sacrifice (yaga) that began destroying all rakshasas. Thousands died in the fire pit. His grandfather, the Maharishi (great sage) Vasishtha, felt sorry for the rakshasas and advised his grandson to abandon the yaga. Vasishtha said that anger burned up a lifetime of honorable deeds and austerities so it was best abandoned. Brahma was so pleased with Parasara for obeying Vasishtha that he sent his son, the Maharishi Pulastya, to tell Parasara of the boon he would receive. When Vasishtha saw Pulastya, he honored him with the customary flowers and water (arghya), and then both of them blessed Parasara. He was told that he would become the author of the Purana Samhita.
Parasara was the father of the sage Vyasa, who was born to him by a fisher- woman called Satyavati. Some of the chapters (suktas) in the first book (man- dala) of the Rigveda were said to have been written by him. Parasara became known as the founder of the most important of the lineages of teachers (guru parampara).
