Bhrigu: Difference between revisions

'''Maharishi Bhrigu''' ({{lang-sa|Bhṛgu}}) was one of the seven great sages, the [[Saptarishi|Saptarshis]], one of the many [[Prajapati]]s (the facilitators of Creation) created by [[Brahma]].<ref>[http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m02/m02011.htm Narada said..] [[Mahabharata|The Mahabharata]] translated by [[Kisari Mohan Ganguli]] (1883 -1896), Book 2: Sabha Parva: Lokapala Sabhakhayana Parva, section:XI. '''p. 25''' And Daksha, Prachetas, Pulaha, Marichi, the master Kasyapa, Bhrigu, Atri, and Vasistha and Gautama, and also Angiras, and Pulastya, Kraut, Prahlada, and Kardama, '''these Prajapatis''', and Angirasa of the Atharvan Veda, the Valikhilyas, the Marichipas; Intelligence, Space, Knowledge, Air, Heat, Water, Earth, Sound, Touch, Form, Taste, Scent; Nature, and the Modes (of Nature), and the elemental and prime causes of the world&nbsp;– all stay in that mansion beside the Lord Brahma. And Agastya of great energy, and Markandeya, of great ascetic power, and Jamadagni and Bharadwaja, and Samvarta, and Chyavana, and exalted Durvasa, and the virtuous Rishyasringa, the illustrious 'Sanatkumara' of great ascetic merit and the preceptor in all matters affecting Yoga..."</ref>  The first compiler of predictive astrology, and also the author of ''[[Bhrigu Samhita]]'', the astrological ([[Hindu astrology|Jyotish]]) classic, Bhrigu is considered a ''[[Manasputra|Manasa Putra]]'' ("mind-born-son") of [[Brahma]]. The adjectival form of the name, ''[[Bhargava]]'', is used to refer to the descendants and the school of Bhrigu. According to ''[[Manusmriti]]'', Bhrigu was a compatriot of and lived during the time of [[Manu (Hinduism)|Manu]], the Hindu progenitor of humanity.<ref>{{cite book|title=India through the ages|url=https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada|last=Gopal|first=Madan|year= 1990| page= [https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada/page/78 78]|editor=K.S. Gautam|publisher=Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India}}</ref> Bhrigu had his [[Ashram]] (Hermitage) on the Vadhusar River, a tributary of the [[Drishadvati river|Drishadwati River]] near [[Dhosi Hill]] in the Vedic state of [[Brahmavarta]],<ref>Mahabharta, Van Parv, page 1308, Geeta Press, Gorakhpur</ref> presently on the border of [[Haryana]] and [[Rajasthan]] in [[India]].<ref>Sudhir Bhargava, "Location of Brahmavarta and Drishadwati river is important to find earliest alignment of Saraswati river" Seminar, Saraswati river-a perspective, Nov. 20–22, 2009, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, organised by: Saraswati Nadi Shodh Sansthan, Haryana, Seminar Report: pages 114–117</ref> 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.<ref>A.V. Sankran, ''Saraswati – the ancient river lost in the desert'', Current Science, 1997, Vol. 72, pages 160–61</ref>  

He was married to [[Khyati]], one of the nine daughters of sage [[Kardama]]. She is more popularly known as the Daughter of Prajapati [[Daksha]].

She was the mother of Devi [[Lakshmi]]. <ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-07-02|title=Bhrigu|url=https://glorioushinduism.com/2019/07/01/bhrigu/|access-date=2020-07-04|website=Glorious Hinduism|language=en-US}}</ref> They also had two sons named Dhata and Vidhata. He had one more son with [[Kavyamata]] (Usana), who is better known than Bhrigu himself&nbsp;– [[Shukra]], learned sage and [[guru]] of the [[asuras]]. The sage [[Chyavana]] is also said to be his son with Puloma, as is the folk hero [[Mrikanda]].<ref>{{cite book|title=The Vishnu Purana a System of Hindu Mythology and Tradition Translated from the Original Sanskrit, and Illustrated by Notes Derived Chiefly from Other Puranas by the Late H.H. Wilson: 1|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_rf3DwwYP40UC|year=1864|publisher=Trubner|pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_rf3DwwYP40UC/page/n301 152]–}}</ref> [Maha:1.5] One of his descendants was sage [[Jamadagni]], who in turn was the father of sage [[Parashurama]], considered an [[avatar]] of Vishnu.<ref name="Kapoor2004">{{cite book|author=Subodh Kapoor|title=A Dictionary of Hinduism: Including Its Mythology, Religion, History, Literature, and Pantheon|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HJ6O8nwsFWgC&pg=PA185|year=2004|publisher=Cosmo Publications|isbn=978-81-7755-874-6|pages=185–}}</ref><ref name="Williams2003">{{cite book|author=George Mason Williams|title=Handbook of Hindu Mythology|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9791576071068|url-access=registration|year=2003|publisher=[[ABC-CLIO]]|isbn=978-1-57607-106-9|pages=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9791576071068/page/160 160]–161}}</ref><ref name="BonnefoyDoniger1993">{{cite book|author1=Yves Bonnefoy|author2=Wendy Doniger|title=Asian Mythologies|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r4I-FsZCzJEC&pg=PA83|year=1993|publisher=[[University of Chicago Press]]|isbn=978-0-226-06456-7|pages=82–83}}</ref>

Bhrigu finds mention in ''[[Shiva Purana]]'' and ''[[Vayu Purana]]'', where he is shown present during the great ''[[yajna]]'' of [[Daksha]] [[Prajapatis|Prajapati]] (his father-in-law).<ref>[http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/vp/vp043.htm Vishnu Purana] SACRIFICE OF DAKSHA (From the [[Vayu Purana]].) The ''Vishnu Purana'', translated by [[Horace Hayman Wilson]], 1840. 67:6.</ref> He supports the continuation of the [[Daksha yajna]] even after being warned that without an offering for [[Shiva]], it was asking for a catastrophe for everyone present there. In Tattiriya Upanishad, he had conversation with his father Varuni on Brahman.

Upon being entrusted with the task, Maharishi Bhrigu decided to test each of the Trimurti. Being ignored and attacked by [[Lord Brahma]] and [[Lord Shiva]], he visited [[Lord Vishnu]]. He first visited Brahma, who was reciting the Vedas and spending time with his wife, [[Saraswati]], 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. Lord Shiva meanwhile was also talking with [[Parvati]]. Shiva was infuriated, but was calmed by his consort, Parvati. The sage then ran to Vaikuntha.{{sfn|Satish|2014}}  

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]]. 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]] the greatest among the [[Trimurti]], the triumvirate of gods.{{sfn|Satish|2014}}

==Bhrigu and Places/People associated with him ==

An Ashram for Bhrigu is in Maruderi, [[Kanchipuram]] district in Tamil Nadu. [[Khedbrahma]] in Gujarat is associated with Brahma and Bhrigu's legend of testing Trinity. Lastly, Bhrigu migrated to Bhuinj [[Satara (city)|Satara]], [[Maharashtra]] 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. Sage Bhrigu is the founder of the bloodline and Bhargava Gotra. The Sampangirama family is one of the many families that contains the decedents of Sage Bhrigu. The Sampangirama family goes by many last names, the most notable being Sampangirama, Nagar, and Rao. The Sampangirama family follows the pravara (bloodline): Bhargava, Chyavana, Apnavana, Aurva, Jamadagni, Parashurama.