Birth of Chyavan Rishi

[1-4] Ugrashravaa Soot Jee, the son of Lomharshan, who was present at the Naimish Aranya for the 12-year sacrifice of Shaunak Jee stood before Rishi. He said - "I have briefly described you the story of Uttank which was one of the causes of Janamejaya's Sarp Yagya. What do you want to hear now?" Muni said - "Now we will ask you one by one and you tell us those tales one by one. We are waiting for Shaunak Jee, let him come here then we will ask you what we have to ask, because he knows divine stories related to Asur and gods. He is the chief of this sacrifice. And when he is seated on this high seat then he will ask and then you answer his questions." Soot Jee said - "When he will come then I will tell you the stories on a variety of subjects. After Shaunak Jee had finished his work he came there and said.

[1-5] Shaunak Jee said - "O Son of Lomharshan, Before your father read all Puraan and the Bhaarat with Krishn Dwaipaayan. Did you study them? They contain interesting stories and history of the wise men. First I desire to hear the history of Bhrigu Jee." Soot Jee said - "I have studied all what the wise Braahman have studied, including Vaishampaayan Jee and my father. Listen to the story of Bhrigu's family as described in Puraan. Bhrigu Jee, as we are told, is the son of Brahmaa produced at the fire sacrifice of Varun. Bhrigu had a virtuous son named Chyavan and he loved him  very much. Chyavan had the son named Pramati, Pramati had the son named Ruru - from Ghritaachee Apsaraa and Ruru had the son Sunak - from his wife Pramad-var. He was very virtuous.

Bhrigu had a wife named Pulomaa [daughter of Daksh] whom he dearly loved. Once she became pregnant [with Chyavan]. Bhrigu had gone out to do his daily Yagya duties, that a Raakshas named Pulom came to Bhrigu's Aashram. He saw Bhrigu's wife and lost his senses. Pulomaa entertained the Raakshas with roots and fruits and Pulom carried her away. In fact Pulomaa was betrothed to Pulom by her father only before getting married to Bhrigu. This had wounded his heart that is why as soon as he got the opportunity he carried her away. While carrying her, he saw the sacrificial fire burning in the hut, so he asked him - "Tell me O Fire, Whose wife is she legally? Her father first gave her to me, then she was married to Bhrigu. Is she really Bhrigu's wife? I feel angry when I see her as Bhrigu's wife." He asked Fire this several times and the Fire god was unable to answer. Then he said to Fire again - "Tell me first, is she the wife of Bhrigu? Only after hearing from you I will take her away."

Now Fire god was afraid of both telling lie and Bhrigu's Shaap, so he spoke in a low voice - "This Pulomaa was first chosen by you, but she was not taken by you by holy rites; but she was given to Bhrigu with Vaidik rites in presence of me. This is the truth. Lies are never respected in hits world."

Bhrigu Gives Shaap to Agni

[1-6] Soot Jee said - "Hearing these words from Fire, the Raakshas assumed the form of a boar and took Pulomaa away. Pulomaa's child fell down from her womb, that is why he was called Chyavan. Seeing the child fell down from the womb, the Raakshas loosened his grip from Pulomaa, fell down and was instantly burned to ashes. Pulomaa picked her child and walked away. Brahmaa saw his daughter-in-law in this state and comforted her. Her tears made a river and it started following Pulomaa's footsteps. Brahmaa Jee himself named it "Vadhusaraa". It passes near the Aashram of Chyavan. That is how Chyavan was born.

When Bhrigu came, he saw his beautiful son and his mother Pulomaa and asked Pulomaa - "How did he know you? Who told this to that Raakshas so that I could give him Shaap through my anger?" Pulomaa said - "I was identified by Fire god and he carried me away. Only because of the splendor of this son I was saved. Seeing him falling, he let me go and he himself fell down and turned to ashes." At this Bhrigu got very angry at Fire and he gave Shaap to him - "You will eat everything."

[1-7] Soot Jee said - "Fire god also got angry at this and asked Bhrigu - "What do you mean by this curse? What fault is mine if I spoke the truth? If a witness tells lie, his seven generations go to Hell. Who tells lie even knowing everything, he falls in Hell. I can also give you Shaap, but I respect the Braahman. You know all this but still I will speak all about them. You know that I have many forms - for daily Yagya, for long Yagya, for other ceremonies. When the Ghee is poured in Fire, Devtaa and Pitar are satisfied with that food. Both Devtaa and Pitar are waters. Both have equal rights for Darsh and Paurnmaas rites. Both are the same. Both are worshipped together and separately at the changes of the Moon. They eat what is poured in me, that is why I am their mouth. So being their mouth, how I can eat everything, clean and unclean? And without their Swaahaa and Swadhaa all creatures of the whole world will be much distressed. So tell me now what to do?"

After this Agni Dev pondered for a little while and withdrew himself from all around - from the daily Hom, from the holy rites, and from other ceremonies. Now there was no Om and Vashat, no Swadhaa or Swaahaa, so whole body of creatures became much distressed at the loss of their fire. So the Rishi went to Brahmaa Jee and said to him - "Agni Dev has been cursed by Bhrigu. He is the mouth of gods. How can he eat everything?" Brahmaa Jee called Agni Dev and said to him - "You are the creator of the world, you are the destroyer of the world, therefore behave yourself so that ceremonies are not interrupted, and being the Lord of all why do you act so foolishly? You alone are the purest in this Universe. You will not eat everything - clean or unclean. Only your that form which lives in the stomach of creatures, will eat everything. And as everything will be touched by Sun's rays, or burnt by your flames, everything will be pure. So by this power, make Rishi's curse come true." Agni Dev replied, "So be it." All went away. Agni Dev was happy that now he was free from any sin. This was the account of the destruction of Pulom Raakshas and the birth of Chyavan.

Story of Ruru

[1-8] Soot Jee said - "Rishi Chyavan got married to Sukanyaa and had a son named Sumati. Sumati had the son named Ruru from Ghritaachee Apsaraa. Ruru had the son named Sunak from his wife Pramad-vara. Now I tell you about Ruru. Once there was a great kind Rishi called Sthoolkesh. Once Vishwaavasu (King of Gandharv) had intimate relations with Menakaa Apsaraa and she gave birth to a child whom she dropped her near the Aashram of Sthoolkesh. Sthoolkesh discovered the child, it was a female child. He took her away and brought her up with great care. He named her Pramad-vara. Ruru saw Pramad-vara and loved her instantly. He told his father Pramati about her, so Pramati asked Sthoolkesh to give his daughter to his son Ruru. Sthoolkesh fixed her marriage to be performed in Poorvaa-Phaalgunee Lagna.

Now according her fate, once she was playing with her friends that she stepped on a coiled snake. The snake bit her immediately and she fell down unconscious. All came there and saw her dead lying on the ground. They all wept but Ruru could not see her like this so he went away from there."

[1-9] Soot Jee said - "He went to woods and started crying loudly. He said - "It is so sad that she is lying dead. If I have ever done some Punya, let her be alive." As he was lamenting for her like this, a messenger descended from Heaven and said to him - "Your words are ineffective for those whose time has run out on this Earth, so you should not worry for her. Whose days have run out, they never come back to life. Devtaa have provided another means to revive her and if you comply with it, you may revive her." Ruru said - "Tell me soon what gods have ordained for me, so that I can comply with it." The messenger said - "Give half of your life to her, then she can rise." He said - "I give my half life to her, let her rise in the same form, dress and lovable form."

Soot Jee said - "Then the real father of Pramad-vara (Vishwaavasu) and the messenger went to Dharm Raaj and requested him to grant life in exchange of Ruru's life." Dharm Raaj said - "If, O Messenger, it is your wish then let her rise." Soot Jee said - "And as Pramad-vara got up as if she got up from a deep sleep. Then they were married and started living happily. But Ruru also made a vow to finish the serpent race and he started killing any serpent wherever he saw one. One day Ruru saw a serpent of Dundubh family in a forest, he lifted his staff to kill him that the serpent said to him - "I have not done any harm to you, then why do you want to kill me?"

[1-10] Soot Jee said - "Ruru said - "Once a snake bit my wife and she was dead, that is why I have taken vow to kill each and every snake I see." The snake said - "The snakes who bite are quite different from us. We are snakes only for name sake, therefore these types of snakes should not be killed in any case." Ruru noticed that he was trembling with fear, so he did not kill that snake and asked him why he was in that Yoni (species). He said to Ruru - "Formerly I was a Rishi, Sahastrapat, and because of a Braahman's Shaap I was transformed into a snake." Ruru asked - "Who was that Braahman and for how long you will live like this?"

[1-11] Soot Jee said - "The snake continued - "I had a friend named Khagam. He had spiritual powers. Once when he was busy in Agni-Hotra, I made a mock snake from grass and frightened him with that. He immediately fell in a swoon. When he came in senses, he gave me Shaap that since I frightened him with a mock snake, I should be turned into a venomless snake." Since I knew the power of his Tap, I joined my hands and said to him - "Friend, I did this only as a joke, just to make you laugh. I had no bad intention, so please you revoke your Shaap." Hearing my explanation, he moved and sighed, then he said - "My words cannot go untrue, but you listen to me carefully, when Ruru, the son of Pramati will appear before you, you will be free from this Shaap as you will see him. After regaining my original body, I will tell you something for your good."

The snake turned into his original form and said to him - "Since Braahman are created first, they should never take life of others. They should always be mild in his behavior. This is most important teaching of Ved. He should be well versed in Ved and Vedaang and inspire others also to believe in God. He should always be truthful, forgiving and kind to all creatures. The duties of Kshatriya are not yours. To wield the scepter, to rule the subjects are the duties of Kshatriya. Listen to the account of destruction of snakes at the Sarp Yagya of Janamejaya and how Aasteek saved snakes."

[1-12] Soot Jee said - "Ruru asked him - "Why did Janamejaya did this Yagya? And how the snakes were saved by Aasteek?" The Rishi said - "This you will know from Braahman." and he disappeared. Ruru ran after the missing Rishi him but could not find him. He came back to his home and asked his father about it, then his father told him about it."

1-Aadi Parv - Paulom Parv Ends Here