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Bhrigu ( sa, भृगु, ) was a
rishi ''Rishi'' () is a term for an accomplished and enlightened person. They find mentions in various Vedic texts. Rishis are believed to have composed hymns of the Vedas. The Post-Vedic tradition of Hinduism regards the rishis as "great yogis" or ...
in Hinduism. He was one of the seven great sages, the Saptarshis, one of the many
Prajapati Prajapati ( sa, प्रजापति, Prajāpati, lord and protector of creation) is a Vedic deity of Hinduism. In later literature, Prajapati is identified with the creator god Brahma, but the term also connotes many different gods, depe ...
s (the facilitators of Creation) created by
Brahma Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...
. The first compiler of predictive astrology, and also the author of ''
Bhrigu Samhita The ''Bhrigu Saṃhitā'' is a Sanskrit astrological (Jyotisha) treatise attributed in its introduction to Bhrigu, one of the "Saptarishis" ("seven sages") of the Vedic period. Its introductory chapter states that it was compiled by the saptr ...
'', the astrological (
Jyotish Jyotisha or Jyotishya (from Sanskrit ', from ' “light, heavenly body" and ''ish'' - from Ishvara, Isvara or God) is the traditional Hindu system of astrology, also known as Hindu astrology, Indian astrology and more recently Vedic astrology. ...
) classic, Bhrigu is considered a '' Manasa Putra'' ("mind-born-son") of
Brahma Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...
. The adjectival form of the name, ''
Bhargava Bhargava () or Bhṛguvamsha refers to a Brahmin race or dynasty that is said to have been founded by the legendary Hindu sage, Bhrigu. Legend In Hinduism, the Bhargavas are the purohitas, the family priests, of the daityas and the danavas ...
'', is used to refer to the descendants and the school of Bhrigu. According to ''
Manusmriti The ''Manusmṛiti'' ( sa, मनुस्मृति), also known as the ''Mānava-Dharmaśāstra'' or Laws of Manu, is one of the many legal texts and constitution among the many ' of Hinduism. In ancient India, the sages often wrote their ...
'', Bhrigu was a compatriot of and lived during the time of
Manu Manu may refer to: Geography * Manú Province, a province of Peru, in the Madre de Dios Region **Manú National Park, Peru ** Manú River, in southeastern Peru * Manu River (Tripura), which originates in India and flows into Bangladesh *Manu Tem ...
, the Hindu progenitor of humanity. Bhrigu had his
Ashram An ashram ( sa, आश्रम, ) is a spiritual hermitage or a monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or a ...
(Hermitage) on the Vadhusar River, a tributary of the Drishadwati River near
Dhosi Hill Dhosi Hill is an important Vedic period site, an extinct volcano, standing alone at the north-west end of the Aravalli mountain range. Its height varies from about 345 to 470 meters from the surrounding lands and 740 meters from the sea level. ...
in the Vedic state of
Brahmavarta The Hindu religious text ''Manusmriti'' describes Brahmavarta as the region between the rivers Saraswati and Drishadwati in India. The text defines the area as the place where the "good" people are born with "goodness" being dependent on location ra ...
, presently on the border of
Haryana Haryana (; ) is an Indian state located in the northern part of the country. It was carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 Nov 1966 on a linguistic basis. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with less than 1.4% () of India's land ar ...
and
Rajasthan Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern si ...
in
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. Along with Manu, Bhrigu had made important contributions to ''Manusmriti'', which was constituted out of a sermon to a congregation of saints in the state of Brahmavarta, after the great floods in this area. As per ''
Skanda Purana The ''Skanda Purana'' (IAST: Skanda Purāṇa) is the largest ''Puranas#Mahapuranas, Mukyapurana'', a genre of eighteen Hindu religious texts. The text contains over 81,000 verses, and is of Kaumaram, Kaumara literature, titled after Kartikeya ...
'', Bhrigu migrated to Bhrigukutch, modern
Bharuch Bharuch (), formerly known as Broach, is a city at the mouth of the river Narmada in Gujarat in western India. Bharuch is the administrative headquarters of Bharuch District. The city of Bharuch and surroundings have been settled since tim ...
on the banks of the Narmada river in
Gujarat Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...
, leaving his son
Chyavana Chyavana () was a sage (rishi) in Hinduism. He was a son of Bhrigu, also known as Bhrigu Varuni in the Upanishads, and is known for his rejuvenation through a special herbal paste or tonic known as '' chyavanaprasham'', which was prepared by t ...
at
Dhosi Hill Dhosi Hill is an important Vedic period site, an extinct volcano, standing alone at the north-west end of the Aravalli mountain range. Its height varies from about 345 to 470 meters from the surrounding lands and 740 meters from the sea level. ...
. He was married to
Khyati Khyati () is one of the 24 daughters of Daksha, born to his wife Prasuti. Her father is regarded to have another 62 from his wife Panchajani (Virini).The Matsya Puranam P-I (B.D. Basu) English Translation Ch #5, Page 17 One of his daughters is c ...
, one of the nine daughters of sage Kardama. She is more popularly known as the Daughter of Prajapati
Daksha In Hinduism, Daksha (Sanskrit: दक्ष, IAST: , lit. "able, dexterous, or honest one") is one of the '' Prajapati'', the agents of creation, as well as a divine king-rishi. His iconography depicts him as a man with a stocky body and a ha ...
. She was the mother of Devi
Lakshmi Lakshmi (; , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism. She is the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity, and associated with ''Maya'' ("Illusion"). Alo ...
as
Bhargavi Lakshmi (; , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism. She is the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity, and associated with ''Maya'' ("Illusion"). Alo ...
. They also had two sons named Dhata and Vidhata. He had one more son with
Kavyamata Kavyamata (), also referred to as Usanas, is a consort of the rishi Bhrigu In Hinduism. She is the mother of Shukra, the god of the planet Venus and the preceptor of the asuras. She is beheaded by the preserver deity, Vishnu, for protecting the ...
(Usana), who is better known than Bhrigu himself –
Shukra Shukra (Sanskrit: शुक्र, IAST: ) is a Sanskrit word that means "clear" or "bright". It also has other meanings, such as the name of an ancient lineage of sages who counselled Asuras in Vedic history. In medieval mythology and Hindu as ...
, learned sage and
guru Guru ( sa, गुरु, IAST: ''guru;'' Pali'': garu'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: traditionally, the guru is a reverentia ...
of the
asuras Asuras (Sanskrit: असुर) are a class of beings in Indic religions. They are described as power-seeking clans related to the more benevolent Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhist context, the word is sometimes translated ...
. The sage
Chyavana Chyavana () was a sage (rishi) in Hinduism. He was a son of Bhrigu, also known as Bhrigu Varuni in the Upanishads, and is known for his rejuvenation through a special herbal paste or tonic known as '' chyavanaprasham'', which was prepared by t ...
is also said to be his son with Puloma, as is the folk hero
Mrikanda Mrikanda is a son of Vidhta, folk hero of the Bhargava Brahmins, a caste of Indian Priest. According to the legend, his Bhargava Brahmins community In mythology and history Mrikanda was the descendant of one of the daughters of Daksha (son of ...
. aha:1.5One of his descendants was sage
Jamadagni Jamadagni ( sa, जमदग्नि, lit=great fire) is a character in Hindu literature. He is regarded in Hindu tradition to be one of the Saptarishi (Seven Vedic sages) in the seventh, and the current age of Manvantara.Avalon, Arthur (Sir J ...
, who in turn was the father of sage
Parashurama Parashurama (), also referred to as Rama Jamadagnya, Rama Bhargava and Veerarama, is the sixth avatar among the Dashavatara of the preserver god Vishnu in Hinduism. He is believed to be one of the ''Chiranjeevis'' (Immortals), who will appear ...
, considered an
avatar Avatar (, ; ), is a concept within Hinduism that in Sanskrit literally means "descent". It signifies the material appearance or incarnation of a powerful deity, goddess or spirit on Earth. The relative verb to "alight, to make one's appearanc ...
of Vishnu.


Legends

Bhrigu is mentioned in ''
Shiva Purana The ''Shiva Purana'' is one of eighteen major texts of the ''Purana'' genre of Sanskrit texts in Hinduism, and part of the Shaivism literature corpus. It primarily revolves around the Hindu god Shiva and goddess Parvati, but references and reve ...
'' and ''
Vayu Purana The ''Vayu Purana'' ( sa, वायुपुराण, ) is a Sanskrit text and one of the eighteen major Puranas of Hinduism. ''Vayu Purana'' is mentioned in the manuscripts of the Mahabharata and other Hindu texts, which has led scholars to pr ...
'', where he is shown present during the great ''
yajna Yajna ( sa, यज्ञ, yajña, translit-std=IAST, sacrifice, devotion, worship, offering) refers in Hinduism to any ritual done in front of a sacred fire, often with mantras.SG Nigal (1986), Axiological Approach to the Vedas, Northern Book ...
'' of
Daksha In Hinduism, Daksha (Sanskrit: दक्ष, IAST: , lit. "able, dexterous, or honest one") is one of the '' Prajapati'', the agents of creation, as well as a divine king-rishi. His iconography depicts him as a man with a stocky body and a ha ...
Prajapati Prajapati ( sa, प्रजापति, Prajāpati, lord and protector of creation) is a Vedic deity of Hinduism. In later literature, Prajapati is identified with the creator god Brahma, but the term also connotes many different gods, depe ...
(his father-in-law). He supports the continuation of the
Daksha yajna Dakṣayajña is an important event in Hindu mythology that is narrated in various Hindu scriptures. It refers to a yajna (ritual-sacrifice) organised by Daksha, where his daughter, Sati, immolates herself. The wrath of the god Shiva, Sati's hus ...
even after being warned that without an offering for
Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
, it was asking for a catastrophe for everyone present there. In Tattiriya Upanishad, he had a conversation with his father Varuni on Brahman. In the ''
Bhagavad Gītā The Bhagavad Gita (; sa, श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता, lit=The Song by God, translit=śrīmadbhagavadgītā;), often referred to as the Gita (), is a 700- verse Hindu scripture that is part of the epic ''Mahabharata'' (c ...
'',
Krishna Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
says that among sages, Bhrigu is representative of the opulence of
God In monotheism, monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator deity, creator, and principal object of Faith#Religious views, faith.Richard Swinburne, Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Ted Honderich, Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Ox ...
.


Patience test of Trimurti

Many great sages gathered at the bank of the river
Sarasvati Saraswati ( sa, सरस्वती, ) is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, art, speech, wisdom, and learning. She is one of the Tridevi, along with the goddesses Lakshmi and Parvati. The earliest known mention of Saraswati as a god ...
to participate in Maha Yagya. All the great saints and sages could not decide that out of the trinity of gods, Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva who was pre-eminent and to whom they should offer the Pradhanta (Master) of that
Yagya Yajna ( sa, यज्ञ, yajña, translit-std=IAST, sacrifice, devotion, worship, offering) refers in Hinduism to any ritual done in front of a sacred fire, often with mantras.SG Nigal (1986), Axiological Approach to the Vedas, Northern Book ...
. With the consent of all the great saints presents there, it was decided that Bhrigu would test and decide who was pre-eminent. Upon being entrusted with the task, Maharishi Bhrigu decided to test each of the Trimurti. He first visited Brahma, who was reciting the Vedas and spending time with his consort,
Saraswati Saraswati ( sa, सरस्वती, ) is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, art, speech, wisdom, and learning. She is one of the Tridevi, along with the goddesses Lakshmi and Parvati. The earliest known mention of Saraswati as a go ...
, and, therefore, ignored the arrival of Bhrigu. Bhrigu got angry and started to insult his father. Brahma also got angry and, in fear, Bhrigu left for
Kailash Mount Kailash (also Kailasa; ''Kangrinboqê'' or ''Gang Rinpoche''; Tibetan: གངས་རིན་པོ་ཆེ; ; sa, कैलास, ), is a mountain in the Ngari Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region of China. It has an altitude of ...
(home of Shiva). Lord Shiva meanwhile was also talking with
Parvati Parvati ( sa, पार्वती, ), Uma ( sa, उमा, ) or Gauri ( sa, गौरी, ) is the Hindu goddess of power, energy, nourishment, harmony, love, beauty, devotion, and motherhood. She is a physical representation of Mahadevi i ...
. Shiva was infuriated, but was calmed by his consort, Parvati. The sage then ran to
Vaikuntha Vaikuntha ( sa, वैकुण्ठ, lit=without anxiety, translit=Vaikuṇṭha), also called Vishnuloka (), and Tirunatu (Tirunāṭu) in Tamil, is the abode of Vishnu, the supreme deity in the Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism,Gavin Flood, An ...
. Now, the only remaining deva was Vishnu, and, to make things even worse, Vishnu wasn't able to see Bhrigu, because he was asleep on his Sheshanaga. Bhrigu kicked Vishnu on the chest to wake him up, as he was enraged by the fact that Vishnu was constantly asleep on the
Shesha Shesha (Sanskrit: शेष; ) , also known as Sheshanaga (Sanskrit: शेषनाग; ) or Adishesha (), is a serpentine demigod (Naga) and Nagaraja (King of all serpents), as well as a primordial being of creation in Hinduism. In the Puran ...
. Vishnu woke up, greeted Bhrigu, and starting massaging his feet, asking him if he had hurt his feet in kicking his chest. In the process, Vishnu destroyed the third eye of Bhrigu that was on his feet, symbolizing his ignorance and ego, and, as soon as it was destroyed, he grew aware of his egotistical outbursts with extreme pain. He begged forgiveness of Vishnu, who readily forgave him. He then declared
Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" within t ...
the greatest among the
Trimurti The Trimūrti (; Sanskrit: त्रिमूर्ति ', "three forms" or "trinity") are the trinity of supreme divinity in Hinduism, in which the cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, and destruction are personified as a triad of de ...
, the triumvirate of gods. Vishnu's consort
Lakshmi Lakshmi (; , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism. She is the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity, and associated with ''Maya'' ("Illusion"). Alo ...
grew angry at Vishnu because the chest was considered as Lakshmi's place (''vakshasthala'') and fled Vishnu to be born on earth as
Bhargavi Lakshmi (; , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism. She is the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity, and associated with ''Maya'' ("Illusion"). Alo ...
.


Tirupati story

A similar story is found in the story of
Tirupati Tirupati () is a city in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is the administrative headquarters of the Tirupati district. The city is home to the important Hindu shrine of Tirumala Venkateswara Temple and other historic temples and is refe ...
. But this time Bhrigu curses Brahma to not be worshipped, Shiva to be worshipped as the
lingam A lingam ( sa, लिङ्ग , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism. It is typically the primary ''murti'' or devotional im ...
, and an angered Lakshmi, cursing the Brahmins, to achieve wealth only by hard work.


Bhrigu and Places

Bhrigu's Ashram 'Deepotsaka' was located at the base of
Dhosi Hill Dhosi Hill is an important Vedic period site, an extinct volcano, standing alone at the north-west end of the Aravalli mountain range. Its height varies from about 345 to 470 meters from the surrounding lands and 740 meters from the sea level. ...
in present-day village Dhosi on the border of
Narnaul Narnaul is a city, a Municipal Council, and location of headquarters of the Mahendragarh district in the Indian state of Haryana. It is located in the National Capital Region of India. History Narnaul is built on a prominent tell, but th ...
district in
Haryana Haryana (; ) is an Indian state located in the northern part of the country. It was carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 Nov 1966 on a linguistic basis. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with less than 1.4% () of India's land ar ...
and
Jhunjhunu Jhunjhunu is a city and capital of Jhunjhunu district in the state of Rajasthan. This city is in the northern state of Rajasthan, India and the administrative headquarters of Jhunjhunu District. History Jhunjhunu is a very old and historical ...
district of
Rajasthan Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern si ...
, from where he migrated to Bharuch. His son Chyavana, known for
Chyavanprash Chyavanprash (), originally Chayavanaprasham, is a cooked mixture of sugar, honey, ghee, Indian gooseberry (Phyllanthus emblica, amla) jam, sesame oil, berries and various herbs and spices. It is prepared as per the instructions suggested in Ayurv ...
also had his Ashram at Dhosi Hill. Bhrigu is also worshipped at
Bharuch Bharuch (), formerly known as Broach, is a city at the mouth of the river Narmada in Gujarat in western India. Bharuch is the administrative headquarters of Bharuch District. The city of Bharuch and surroundings have been settled since tim ...
,
Swamimalai Swamimalai is a panchayat town that is a suburb near Kumbakonam in Thanjavur District in the Indian States and territories of India, state of Tamil Nadu. It lies on the banks of river Kaveri river, Kaveri and is one of the Arupadaiveedu, six ab ...
,
Tirumala Tirumala is a spiritual town in Tirupati district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is one of the suburbs of the Tirupati, Tirupati urban agglomeration. The town is a part of Tirupati Urban Development Authority and located in Tirupa ...
,
Ballia Ballia is a city with a municipal board in the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Uttar Pradesh. The eastern boundary of the city lies at the junction of two major rivers, the Ganges River, Ganges and the Ghaghara River, Gh ...
,
Nanguneri Nanguneri is a panchayat town in Tirunelveli district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Nanguneri is a Taluk Headquarters in the District of Tirunelveli situated at a distance of from the headquarters of the District. Vanamamalai Peruma ...
,
Thiruneermalai Thiruneermalai is a southern suburb of Chennai, India. It lies in the Chengalpattu district. Originally a town panchayat, Thiruneermalai is now a part of Pammal Zone under Tambaram Municipal Corporation. The postal code of the neighbourhood i ...
,
Mannargudi Mannargudi () is a town in Thiruvarur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the headquarters of the Mannargudi taluk. The town is located at a distance of from the district headquarters Thiruvarur, 36 km from Kumbakonam, 40 km fro ...
. An Ashram for Bhrigu is in Maruderi,
Kanchipuram Kanchipuram ('; ) also known as ''Conjeevaram,'' is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu in the Tondaimandalam region, from Chennaithe capital of Tamil Nadu. Known as the ''City of Thousand Temples'', Kanchipuram is known for its temple ...
district in Tamil Nadu. Khedbrahma in Gujarat is associated with Brahma and Bhrigu's legend of testing Trinity. Lastly, Bhrigu migrated to Bhuinj Satara,
Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...
where he took Samadhi. His ashram and his daughter's Laxmi's temple also situated there. His sons Chyavan's ashram and samadhi are also situated on Chyavaneshwar hill near Bhuinj.


Upanishads

In Taittriya Upanishad first six anuvakas of Bhrigu Valli are called ''Bhargavi Varuni Vidya'', which means "the knowledge Bhrigu got from (his father) Varuni". It is in these anuvakas that sage Varuni advises Bhrigu with one of the oft-cited definition of Brahman, as "that from which beings originate, through which they live, and in which they re-enter after death, explore that because that is Brahman".Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, , pages 241-246 This thematic, all encompassing, eternal nature of reality and existence develops as the basis for Bhrigu's emphasis on introspection and inwardization, to help peel off the outer husks of knowledge, in order to reach and realize the innermost kernel of spiritual Self-knowledge.


''Bhrigu Samhita''

Bhrigu decided to write his famous books of astrology, the ''
Bhrigu Samhita The ''Bhrigu Saṃhitā'' is a Sanskrit astrological (Jyotisha) treatise attributed in its introduction to Bhrigu, one of the "Saptarishis" ("seven sages") of the Vedic period. Its introductory chapter states that it was compiled by the saptr ...
''. Maharishi Bhrigu collected birth charts, wrote full-life predictions and compiled them together as ''Bhrigu Samhita''. ''Bhrigu Samhita'' is believed to be one of the first book of its kind in the field of
astrology Astrology is a range of Divination, divinatory practices, recognized as pseudoscientific since the 18th century, that claim to discern information about human affairs and terrestrial events by studying the apparent positions of Celestial o ...
.


References


Sources

* {{Rishis of Hindu mythology Rishis Prajapatis Hindu astrologers