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1. Shukraachaarya and Kach
2. Shukraachaarya and Raajaa Yayaati
3. Shukraachaarya and Raajaa Bali
4. Shukra in Astrology

Shukraachaarya Jee is neither a character nor a witness in either Mahaabhaarat or Raamaayan. He is mentioned in MBH, Aadi Parv, Ch 76 in relation to Yayaati. A detailed account of Shukra is available in the Mahaabhaarat, Matsya Puraan, Devee Bhaagvat, Skand Puran (Kaashee Khand) and other Puraan.

He is in the lineage of Maharshi Bhrigu. And Maharshi Bhrigu is Brahmaa's one of the ten Maanas sons - Angiraa, Atri, Bhrigu, Daksh, Kratu, Mareechi, Naarad, Pulah, Pulastya, Vashishth. Maharshi Bhrigu was married to one of the nine daughters of Kardam Rishi : Khyaati. Bhrigu and Khyaati had two sons: Dhaataa and Vidhaataa; and one daughter : Shree (Lakshmee who was married to Vishnu). Dhaataa and Vidhaataa were married to Meru Rishi's two daughters: Aayati and Niyati. They had two sons :  Mrikand and Praan. Mrikand had a son named Maarkandeya Rishi, and Praan had a son named Vedshiraa.

Bhrigu Jee had a son named Kavi also who had a son named Ushanaa or Bhaargavaachaarya or Shukraachaarya. Because of being the son of Kavi, he was called Kavya also. Thus he is the grandson of Bhrigu. Why is he called Shukraachaarya, to know this read the story of Andhakaasur. He was appointed as the Guru of Daitya, as Brihaspati Jee is the Guru of Devtaa. Thus Shukraachaarya is a descendant of sage Bhrigu and his original name was Ushanaa. He wrote Ushanaa Samhitaa which details about marriages and also another book, Ushanaa Smriti.

My Note
Some say that Shukraachaarya Jee was the son of Maharshi Bhrigu and his wife Ushanaa - Ushanaa or Ushaa being the daughter of Hiranyakashyap - we have never heard that Bhrigu married a girl from Asur family. Maybe, when it is said that "Bhrigu had another son named Kavi....". Does it mean that Kavi was from his this second wife Ushanaa - See Bhrigu?

According to Bhaagvat Puraan, 5/1, Shukraachaarya Jee was married to Oorjswatee, the daughter of Priyavrat (Manu's son). He had four sons Chand, Amark, Twaashtra, Dharaatra and one daughter Devayaanee from her. He had another daughter named Arajaa who was molested by Dand (read this incident "Shukraachaarya and Raajaa Dand".

Why Shukra is Called Shukra
As all the descendants of Bhrigu Rishi are called Bhaargav. Once sage Bhaargav (Shukraachaarya - Parashuraam Jee was also known as Bhaargav being in the lineage of Bhrigu) did Tapas for 5,000 years at Kaashee (Vaaraanasee) invoking the grace of Lord Shiv after which Lord Shiv granted him the Mrit Sanjeevanee Vidyaa and also gave a boon that he would be born as his son later. He also made Shukra as the foremost of all planets and gave another boon that all marriages would be performed when Shukra star would rise and would be benefited if performed during that period. Thus Shukra became the Kalatra Kaarak for men and all men became manly and are able to get sons with the grace of Shukra. That is why Venus or Shukra is the god of sexual affection, love, education and magnanimity . Shukra is also sharp in mind and very intellectual. We could see Shukra in the early morning sky as a very bright star.

Later when Pramad Gan of Lord Shiv were fighting with Daitya, Shukraachaarya was helping all dead Raakshas become alive which made Lord Shiv angry and Lord Shiv swallowed Shukraachaarya. After staying inside Shiv's body for sometime, sage Shukraachaarya prayed Shiv to com out of his body. Shiv got him out of his body in the form of his semen. At this Lord Shiv granted a boon that he be treated as a son of Lord Shiv. Since the semen  is called Shukra in Sanskrit, he got the name of Shukra and became famous from the same name.

Mahaabhaarat has a little different story to tell about Bhaargav's birth. Shukra is said to have deceived Kuber into losing money so Kuber lodged a complaint with Shiv. Shiv then swallowed Shukra only to release him later. As he happened to come out of Shiv's body, he is considered to be cosmic couple's son and they blessed him to look brilliant.

According to Skand Puraan, 4, both Shukrachaarya and Brihaspati were educated by Angiraa. But Shukra, to his dismay, noticed Angiraa's undue favor towards his son Brihaspathi. Shukra left to enroll himself with sage Gautam.

Devee Bhaagavat tells how Shukra became angry from his demon-disciples. After Shukra had gained Mrit Sanjeevanee Vidyaa from Shiv, he used it to bring Asur alive died in Dev-Asur war. To distract Shukra from the revival of demons Indra deputed his daughter Jayantee to win him over with her charm. Jayantee succeeded in winning over Shukraacharya and they spend their time together in a remote Heaven for years together.

With this backdrop, those men and women not getting married or not having children are advised to worship Lord Shiv and do Abhishekam with milk to Shiv Lingam so that planet Shukra's benefic results start happening the soonest. Remedies like these are very simple and doable even by poor people to get benefic results from planet Shukra.

Sage Brihaspati, the Guru of Devtaa, had a son named Kach who approached Shukraachaarya as a Shishya (disciple) and learnt Mrit Sanjeevanee Vidyaa. (see their story below) Shukraachaarya with his powers helped Hiranyakashyap also rule the world for some 730 million (73 Crore) years and also helped Raajaa Bali rule the world for some 21 million (2.1 Crore) years. It is pertinent to note that in Hindu mythology, there is equal representation of gods, sages, kings and even demons (Raahu and Ketu) who are all allocated planetary status and they keep giving their service to the universe in the same form.

Shukraachaarya Jee knew the art of making dead people alive, while Brihaspati Jee did not. So as the war went on Shukraachaarya brought most dead Asur alive in Dev-Asur war. Since Dev Guru Brihaspati did not know the art of making dead people alive, Devtaa lost many Devtaa while Asur were not dying. So Devtaa decided that somebody should go to Shukraachaarya Jee to learn this Vidyaa. Brihaspati's son Kach was chosen to learn this Vidyaa from Shukraachaarya, so they requested Brihaspati Je to send him there. After some hesitation he got ready to send him there and he was sent there.

Kach went to Shukraachaarya Jee's Aashram and said - "I am the grandson of Maharshi Angiraa, and the son of Dev Guru Brihaspati, I implore you to accept me as your disciple. I promise you to live as Brahmchaaree and serve you for 1,000 years." Shukraachaarya Jee got very pleased with the humility of Kach, so he accepted him as his disciple. He said - "I will treat you as I treat my old friend Brihaspati. I feel honored to have you as my disciple." Kach started his studies. He used to serve his Guru with a great care. In the meantime he took a great care of Shukraachaarya's daughter Devayaanee also.

Thus 500 years passed. When Asur came to know about the real reason of his coming to their Guru, they got scared of being Devtaa more powerful than them. So they planned to kill Kach. One day when he was grazing cattle of his Guru, Asur killed him and fed his body to wolves. In the evening when cattle returned home, Devayaanee didn't see Kach. Devayaanee who was now in deeply love with Kach got very alarmed and worried and asked her father to do something about him as she feared that he was killed. She said to her father - "Please use your knowledge, and bring back my Kach, I cannot live without him."

Shukraachaarya who himself was very fond of Kach, saved his life. He recalled all his pieces by his Vidyaa. They came out of the stomachs of the wolves tearing them apart and he put life back in them. After a few days Asur again killed Kach and on Devayaanee's request he again breathed life in his dead body. The third time Asur killed Kach and burnt his body. Then they took his ashes, mixed in wine and requested Shukraachaarya Jee to drink the wine. Shukraachaarya Jee didn't know anything about Kach's killing so he drank it.

When Kach didn't return in the evening, Devayaanee again requested him to make Kach alive. As Shukraachaarya read the Sanjeevanee Mantra, Kach spoke from Guru's stomach that he was in his own (Guru's) stomach and could not come out of the stomach as it would kill his Guru. Shukraachaarya said - "Son, you are a great ascetic and very dear to me and my daughter. If you are not Indra and if you are a Braahman then I will teach you Sanjeevanee Vidyaa. And I know that you are not Indra, because only Braahman can survive in my stomach for so long. I will teach you this Vidyaa, so that you can come out of my stomach and since you will know ten this Vidyaa, you can breath life into me."

Kach said - "I have lived in your stomach, so I am like your son. You have taught me Sanjeevanee Vidyaa which is like Amrit (Ambrosia), so I am your disciple. I will behave like a good son and a good disciple because those who do  not respect their Guru fall in Hell."

Shukraachaarya Jee was very displeased with himself at drinking wine so he prohibited wine to Braahman and that they would acquire the sin of Brahm Hatyaa (killing of a Braahman) if they did drink it. Kach did the same as he was told. He breathed life in Shukraachaarya after coming out of his stomach.

He completed his 1,000 years and now he was ready to go home. As Devayaanee was in love with him, she proposed for her marriage to him and take her along. He said - "Sister, I have lived in the same stomach from which you are born that is why I am your brother. Besides I cannot marry you since you are my Guru's daughter and it would be a great sin to marry Guru's daughter.

My Note:
Here Kach says that to marry Guru's daughter is a sin, while in Mahaabhaarat Raajaa Viraat wants to marry his daughter Uttaraa to her Guru Arjun, but Arjun said that since she was his student, and she was like his daughter he could not marry her, but if Raajaa wouldn't mind he could accept her for his son Abhimanyu. In this case Uttaraa was also marrying her Guru's son. Are these two relations different in any way? Any ideas?

On his refusal she gave him Shaap that whatever he had learned from her father, it would be of no use to him for the purpose he had learnt it. Kach accepted her Shaap and said that he would not use it himself, but at least he teach this Vidyaa to others for the benefit of others.  He further said - "You did not consider that I was bound with my rules of conduct and gave me Shaap just like that therefore no Braahman will marry you." And he went home and taught this Vidyaa to others for the benefit of others.

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