Bhṛgu

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Bhṛgu literally means ‘the roaster’.

Bhṛgu, as per Ancient Literature[edit]

‘Bhṛgu’ is a well-known name that appears in several works, both Vedic and Paurāṇic. Assuming that the word has been derived from the root ‘bhṛj’ or ‘bhrāj’,[1] it could have been the name of the fire-priest by whose magical power the altar fire was kindled. According to a myth, god Mātariśvan brought lightning from the heavens to the earth and taught the art of kindling fire with araṇis or fire-sticks to the Bhṛgus,[2] the Āṇgirasas and the Atharvans.

Roots of Sage Bhṛgu[edit]

  • The sage Bhṛgu has been described as the mānasaputra or mindborn son of Brahmā, the Creator.
  • Sometimes he has been stated to be the son of god Varuṇa or even of Indra.
  • He was the father of Lakṣmi the spouse of Viṣṇu.[3]
  • In other incarnations, he was the father of Śukrācārya[4] and sages like Cyavana.

Attributes of Sage Bhṛgu[edit]

  • He is said to have once tested the Trinity; Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva. He then came to the conclusion that Viṣṇu was the best among them and he alone deserved to be worshiped.
  • He is one of the well-known sages who were ‘gotra-pravartakas,’ originators of gotras or lineage. Hence his descendants are called ‘Bhārgavas.’ Sages Jamadagni and Paraśurāma belonged to this gotra.
  • The Mahābhārata pictures him as a great savant often delivering discourses on abstruse matters.
  • He was one of the four sages, the other three being Marīci, Atri and Kaśyapa, who elaborated the Vaikhānasa Agama precepts followed by some Vaiṣṇava sects.
  • The place where Bhṛgu is said to have performed austerities is known as Bhṛgu-Kaccha. It is situated on the bank of the river Narmadā near its confluence with the sea. It is now known as Bharuch, situated in the Gujarat State.
  • At the place known as the Daśāśvamedha Ghāṭ, the king Bali is said to have performed the horse sacrifice. It was here that he propitiated Vāmana[5] and granted him the boon of ‘land covered in three steps.’
  • The city itself is considered to be very ancient, the original ‘Bhṛgupura’[6] being built by Bhṛgu himself.

References[edit]

  1. ↑ Bhrāj means ‘to burn or to roast’.
  2. ↑ Bhṛgus are also called ‘bhārgavāh’.
  3. ↑ Hence the name ‘Bhārgavī’ has been applied to her.
  4. ↑ Śukracarya was the guru of the asuras or demons.
  5. ↑ Vāmana means the dwarf-incarnation of Viṣṇu.
  6. ↑ Bhṛgupura means city of Bhṛgu.
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

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