The Height of forgiveness

Vishwamitra wanted Vashishtha to call him “Brahmarshi”,a title given to a person who has attained the absolute highest. But Vashishtha refused to use that title when he was speaking to Vishwamitra. This was sufficient to irritate Vishwamitra .He said, "If he did not confer the title of Braharishi then I shall kill all your children one by one." Even then Vashishtha would not address him by that title, so Vishwamitra killed Vashishtha's one hundred disciples. Still Vashishtha would not declare that Vishwamitra had achieved the status of Brahmarshi. His wife, Arundhati, requested him that he should change his decision. In spite of his wife's request, Vashishtha remained firm. One night Vishwamitra had come to kill Vashishtha. As he stood in front of the door to Vashishtha's cottage, he overheard Vashishtha's wife say, "Why do you not want to tell him that he has realised the highest Truth?". Then he heard Vashishtha's words of reply: "Because I love him. If I tell him at this stage of his life that he has realised the Highest, then it will be a lie. He will think that he has realised the Highest and yet he will not be able to get the results of the Highest. He will not be able to drink Amrit. Since I love him, I cannot tell him a lie." Vashishtha's words touched Vishwamitra's heart, and immediately he fell at Vashishtha's feet. At once Vashishtha forgave him. By touching Vashishtha's feet, Vishwamitra did reach the Highest.