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Bhrigu
Maharshi Bhrigu is one of the ten Maanas Putra (brainchild) of Brahmaa Jee -
Mareechi, Atri,
Angiraa, Pulastya,
Pulah, Kratu, Bhrigu,
Vashishth,
Daksh and
Naarad, and one of the Saptarshi and is related
with most important events related that has happened in this Cosmos since
its inception. He is the head of compiled astrology which involved close
to million predictions under the name of Bhrigu Sanhitaa. He has been a
prime writer on subjects like astronomy, archery and warfare (Dhanur Ved) -
Engineering and high end studies related to mind. He is referred in Ling
Puraan, Padm Puraan, Bhagavad Geetaa and in most of the 18 Puraan. The
Bhagvad Geetaa says "Among Rishi I'm Bhrigu" All Rishi under his
lineage are called as Bhaargav which includes many Gyaanee. He is associated
with wealth and hence deities like Mahaa Lakshmee and Shukra are also connected
with him. His Dhan Aakarshan technique implemented in Tirumalai makes this
evident.
According to
Mahaabhaarat, 0/14, "Bhrigu was born ripping Brahmaa's right breast.
Bhrigu' Children
Bhrigu was married to one of the nine daughters of Kardam Rishi : Khyaati.
He had a son named Shukra who became Daitya Guru and the planet. He led the
life of a Brahmchaaree. He divided himself into two and became spiritual
Guru of both Devtaa and Daitya.
After Shukra, Bhrigu had another son named Chyavan
(Birth of Chyavan). He came out from his
mother's womb in anger and freed his mother from Raakshas' grip."
During that incident Bhrigu cursed Agni Dev also.
He had a Maanas Putra (brainchild) named
Dadheechi too.
Bhavishya Puraan,
4/10 says that Bhrigu and Khyaati had a daughter named Lakshmee whom he
married to Naaraayan.
In Bhavishya
Puraan, 4/31, Krishn Jee tells Yudhishthir that in Sat Yug, Bhrigu Jee had
a daughter named Deekshaa
*,
whom he married to Sumantu Muni
**
.
* She died with fever and Sumantu married again with a woman named Karkashaa.
** One of the descendents of Vashishth Jee - it is not clear from the description
that he was the same Sumantu who was Ved Vyaas' disciple or somebody else.
Some Stories About Bhrigu
(1) Who is the Greatest Devtaa?
Once many Muni gathered together and a discussion broke among them that
who was the greatest Devtaa among the three - Brahmaa, Vishnu and Shiv.
After a long discussion when they could not reach on ay conclusion, they
put this responsibility on Maharshi Bhrigu to find out as who was the
greatest Devtaa among the three. Bhrigu accepted this and started his
journey.
First he went to Brahmaa Jee. Brahmaa Jee was sitting in his court and was
enjoying. he did not pay much attention to his son.
Next he came to Shiv. Shiv was sitting with his wife Paarvatee Jee. He saw
him sitting with her in a pose that he did not like to see him.
In the last he came to Vishnu. Vishnu Jee was lying on the bed of Shesh Naag and His
consort Lakshmee Jee was caressing His feet with great love. As he arrived there, he
hit his foot on Vishnu's chest. Vishnu Jee got up immediately and asked Maharshi
politely - "Hey Rishi, Is your foot unhurt? Why did you take so much trouble to
come here, you would have called me, I myself would have come to you."
Hearing this Bhrigu Jee had decided
that only Vishnu is the greatest Devtaa among the three.
Extended Version of This Story-Curses to Brahmaa, Vishnu, and Braahman
The above story extends like the following, that "When Bhrigu Jee came
to Brahmaa's court and he did not pay any attention to him, he cursed him
that he would not be worshiped on Prithvi. That is why nobody worships
Brahmaa Jee on Prithvi. When he saw Shiv in an undesirable pose with Paaravatee
Jee, he cursed him that "not very noble people will worship him, he will
be worshiped in a Ling form, he will be worshipped by low class people, his
offerings will not be consumed as his blessings. For the same reasons, Shiv
Jee is normally worshipped in Ling form, only low level people worship him and
whatever is offered to him is neither eaten nor taken back home. When he came
to Vishnu and he hit His chest with his foot, Vishnu said to Maharshi politely - "Hey
Rishi, Is your foot unhurt? Why did you take so much trouble to come here, you
would have called me, I myself would have come to you." But Lakshhmee Jee
got angry at his behavior, so She cursed him that She would not stay with Braahman.
This curse made them poor. Then Bhrigu Jee wrote Bhrigu Sanhitaa, the first book
on astrology, took it to Her and asked Her to bless it saying - "Your
curse is at its place, but please bless this book." Lakshmee Jee blessed that
book and Braahman can make some money out of it to live upon.
(2) Bhrigu's Shaap to Vishnu : Why Vishnu Had to Incarnate 10 Times?
Bhavishya Puraan,
4/21, tells a story of Bhrigu giving Shaap to Vishnu to incarnate on Prithvi
ten times. "Krishn said to Yudhishthir - "Bhrigu had a wife named Divyaa.
She was very faithful to her husband and did her house work very affectionately.
Once Asur got very afraid of Vishnu, so they came to Bhrigu Rishi to get
refuge. So Bhrigu Rishi gave them refuge and he himself went to take Sanjeevanee Vidyaa to Himaalaya.
In the meantime Vishnu came there and He killed all Daitya. Seeing this Divyaa got
very angry and she was about to give Shaap to Vishnu that He cut Divyaa's neck with
His Chakra. At the same time Bhrigu also came back from the woods. Seeing all Daitya
and his wife dead, he became very angry at Him and gave Shaap to Vishnu, "You
will be born on Prithvi ten times." That is why to keep Muni's words true and
to save the world I keep coming on Prithvi."
(3) Bhrigu's Shaap to Vaaman : Why Raam Could Not Live With Seetaa
Sumantra continued telling Lakshman the
story that Durvaasaa Muni had told Dasharath once: "Once, a very big battle
ensued between the demigods and the demons. The demons were defeated and went to
the wife of Bhrighu Jee to take shelter; and, being very merciful, she gave them
shelter. The demigods went to Bhagavaan Vaaman and told him that Bhrigu's wife had
given shelter to demons. Vaaman Bhagavaan went to Bhrigu's Rishi Aashram and looked
for those demons. He did not see them there, He saw only Bhrigu's wife. He
asked her "Where are the demons?" She replied - "Demons are here,
they are in my refuge, and this is Aashram, you cannot kill them here." Vaaman
said - "They are the enemies of Devtaa, I have to kill them." But Bhrigu's
wife plainly refused to hand over them to Him, so Vaaman took out His Chakra and
beheaded Bhrigu's wife.
Bhrigu was not in the Aashram at that
time, but he came there at the same time and saw Vaaman cutting his dear wife's head.
Bhrigu got very upset at this and cursed Vaaman Bhagavaan saying, "You are
responsible for my wife's death. I loved her very much. Now I will have to suffer so
much in separation from her. For this I curse you that you will have to suffer in the
same way in the future. You will have a very beautiful wife who will serve you in every
way, you will be fully satisfied and completely enamored with her feminine grace and
charm, and her saintly qualities, but then you will be separated from her, and you will
always suffer immensely from that pain of separation." Hearing this, Bhagavaan
Vaaman happily accepted the curse. He knew that in the future the whole world would be
benefited by this.
(4) Bhrigu's Shaap to Dansh Asur
This story comes in
MBH, 12-Shaanti/1. The worm that bit Karn, and because of whom he was recognized
as a Kshatriya, he was an Asur named Dansh. As soon as Parashuraam Jee looked at him,
he dissolved in the blood of Karn and appeared as an Asur in the sky thanking Parashuraam
Jee. On asking why did he thank to him, he told that he was an Asur in the times of Bhrigu
Rishi in Sat Yug. Once he took away Bhrigu Jee's wife forcefully so he gave Shaap to him,
"subsisting on urine and phlegm you live in Hell. On asking "when I will be free
from this", he said that "Raam born in my lineage will free you, that is why I
did this mean act." After saying this and bowing his head to Parashuraam Jee he went
away. It is so sad that because of this Asur only, Karn had to have the Shaap of his
Guru
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