A maharṣi, who desired to worship Viṣṇu not in the Vedic method for which purpose he even wrote a book to propagate non-vedic principles. For the above sinful action he had to live in hell and at last he was born as Jamadagni of the Bhṛgu dynasty. (Vṛddhahārītasmṛti, 180, 193).
ŚĀṆḌILYA I A great maharṣi. Some details about him are given hereunder.
(1) King Śatānīka and his wife Viṣṇumatī, who had no issues approached the maharṣi in great sorrow. As a result of eating rice given by the maharṣi Viṣṇumatī became the mother of a son, who became in later years famous as emperor Sahasrānīka.
[Kathāsaritsāgara, Kathāmukhalambaka, Taraṅga 1] .
(2) A member of Yudhiṣṭhira's court.
[Sabhā Parva, Chapter 4, Verse 17] .
(3) He had an ascetic daughter.
[Śalya Parva, Chapter 54, Verse 5] .
(4) He once opined that the gift of a mere ox-cart was equal to the gift of water in a golden pot.
[Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 65, Verse 19] .
(5) He visited Bhīṣma on his bed of arrows.
[Śānti Parva, Chapter 47, Verse 6] .
(6) King Sumanyu once gave the maharṣi plenty of food materials.
[Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 173, Verse 22] .
ŚĀṆḌILYA II A maharṣi born in the dynasty of Kaśyapa, son of Marīci. As Agni was born in the family of the maharṣi it came to be called ‘Śāṇḍilyagotrīya’ (born in the family of Śāṇḍilya). King Sumanyu once gave him food and other edible things.
[Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 137, Verse 22] .
ŚĀṆḌILYA III A King, a great devotee of Śiva. As a youth he became a philanderer with the result that the honour of women was in jeopardy. The King being a devotee of Śiva even Yama could not punish him. At last, when Śiva came to know of the immorality of his devotee he cursed the King to be turned into a tortoise for thousand years.
ŚĀṆḌILYA V A maharṣi whose Bhaktisūtras (Aphorisms on devotion) are as famous as those of Nārada. He taught bhakti in a scientific way (by Śāṇḍilya science).