Shukracharya

According to Hindu mythology, "Bhargav" is the other name of "Shukracharya", who is a teacher of devils in hell.

BEST OF SHUKRANITI

The mere mention of a woman’s name delights a person and his thoughts are filled with lust, then why not by looking at a beautiful woman who makes her eyebrows dance.

Why not a woman, who is clever enough to have her food alone, who talks softly and delightfully, who can taunt affectionately, will capture the heart of any man.

The lust for ‘other women’ has caused destruction to many men like Indra, Dandakya, Nahusha and Ravana.

A king should never have lust for ‘other women’, should never have greed for ‘other’s wealth’, should never give punishment to his subject in anger because ‘Lust’, ‘Greed’ and ‘Anger’ are the causes for downfall.

If there is a fear of the food being poisoned, then it should be examined by the help of a monkey, cock etc. The mere sight of the poisoned food makes a swan (Hansa) to totter, the black bee begins to make a noise, the peacock begins to dance, the cock begins to ‘crow’, the Heron (KRAUNCH PAKSHI) gets intoxicated, the monkey begins to pass ‘filth’ and urine, the mongoose (BABHRU) gets excited, the ‘starling’ (SAARIKA PAKSHI) starts vomiting- These are the ways to examine the poisoned food. The king and his administrators must examine the food, whether it is poisoned or not, before consuming it.

One should not clean his nostrils by inserting fingers in it, should not draw lines on the earth suddenly or should not dig the earth. One should not scratch his head with both the hands.

One who ignites fire and causes destruction, one who gives poison, one who is Eveready to kill intoxicated by the power of his sword, one who plunders others wealth, one who overtakes others farm and woman- should be considered as a TYRANT.

One must not be indifferent towards his wife, his son, diseases, servants, domestic animals, wealth, knowledge and studies and doing service to a gentleman for a moment. One must always take care of them.

One should accept the good qualities of even the enemies and should salute him but on the other hand even if his teacher has bad qualities, he should reject them.

A misadventurist, who tries to do any work in a haste without giving much thought, and without knowing the consequences, gets only sorrow either because of the work itself or because of the consequences of that work.

A man who is under the influence and control of women, who is a debtor, struck by extreme poverty, a demander without any quality and wealth- such a man is worse than a dead man, though being alive.

One should maintain secrecy of his age, wealth, demerits of his home, Hymn (mantra), copulation, medicine, charity, respect and disrespect i.e. he should never tell others of these nine things.

Karma is the cause for our SUGATI- happy conditions and DURGATI- miseries in this world. PRAARABDHA- providence, destiny is nothing else but our KARMAS (deeds, good and evil) of PURVAJANAM (our previous birth regeneration). Can any one live for a second without doing a KARMA.

In this world, no one is a Brahmin (BRAHMA), KSHATRIYA (a warrior caste), VAISHYA (caste doing trading/business) and SHUDRA (low caste) by birth but on the basis of quality (GUNAA) and deeds and actions (KARMA) Brahmin (Brahmana) is created by having following qualities like GYAANKANDA (having yearning for the Holy Scriptures), KARMAKANDA (knowledge of performing YAGNA (HOMA) and UPASANA (WORSHIP). He is also engrossed in worship of the deities, is gentle, has controlled his senses and is kind.

One who cleverly protects his subjects, is brave, has control over his senses and whose nature is to punish the wrong doers is called a KSHATRIYA.

One who is efficient in KRAYA (purchasing) and VIKRAYA (selling) daily earns his livelihood by his business, one who does PASHU PAALANA (animal husbandry and farming are called VAISHYA in this world.

Those who are in the service of the DWIJA (BRAHMA, KSHATRIYA AND VAISHYA, brave, gentle have control over their senses, carry plough (HALA), KAASHTHA (WOOD) and TRINA (grass) are called SHUDRA.

Those who abandon their own DHARMA (RELIGION) lack kindness, cause harm to others, possess excessive anger and are violent are called MLECCHA and they lack the power of REASONING (VIVEKA).

A man is capable or incapable of doing Karmas (good or evil) in his present life according to the Karmas done in his previous birth that is if he has done evil

Karmas or good Karmas in his previous birth, then his mind will change accordingly in his present birth and will do good or evil Karmas to face its consequences.

The mind changes as soon as the time comes to face the consequences of the Karmas.

As the destiny is, accordingly one gets friends (good or evil) All the actions of the world are based on BHAGYA- destiny and PURUSHARTHA- labour, actions committed in the previous birth are destiny and actions committed in this life are called PURUSHARTHA. Thus KARMAS have been differentiated in two ways whichever of the two (BHAGYA and PURUSHARTHA) is powerful forces the other to surrender. The strength cannot be identified merely by analyzing the results of the Karma or by any other means.

It would not have been possible to destroy the evils and evil doers if the destiny was unchangeable that is PURUSHARTHA (labour) can change even the BHAGYA (destiny) If the destiny is unfavourable then the most virtuous of actions gives bad results just like the king Bali who was tied up even after being so charitable and Harishchandra had to serve a MLECHA, even after being a Truthful man.

Good actions give good results and evil actions give bad results, so one must accept good actions and reject evil actions as described in the scriptures.

He was born as the son of Rishi Brighu and his wife Ushana. The feminic natured Shukra is a Brahminical planet. He was born on Friday in the year Paarthiva on Sraavana Suddha Ashtami when Swathi Nakshatra is on the ascent. Hence, Friday is known as Shukravaar in Indian languages especially Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati. He went on to study Vedas under rishi Angirasa but he was disturbed by Angirasa's favouritism to his son Brihaspati. He then went to study under rishi Gautama. He later performed penance to Lord Shiva and obtai ...

Shukracharya - The Guru

In the meantime Brihaspati ends up as the Guru of the divine people Devaa. Out of jealousy, Shukracharya decides to become the Guru of Asuras. He helps them achieve victory over the Devas and uses his magic to revive the dead and wounded Asuras.

In one story, Lord Vishnu is born as the Brahmin sage Vamana. Vamana comes to take the three worlds as alms from the asura king Bali. Lord Vishnu wanted to deceive the king in order to help the Devas. The sage Shukracharya identifies him immediately and warns the King. The King is however a man of his word and offers the gift to Vamana.

Guru Shukracharya was the son of Bhrigu Rishi and Ushana, also known as Usha, the daughter

of Hiranya Kashyap. Shukracharya was the preceptor of the Asuras, the demons. Shukracharya

had been to Maharshi Aangrish for education but came back on seeing his favoritism towards

his son Brihaspati. He then went to study with Rishi Gautam.

Later, Shukracharya undertook an arduous penance and invoked the blessings of Shiva. He

asked for a mantra which would ensure that the demons never lost. Shiva agreed to do so, but

Shukracharya would have to perform a certain ritual for a thousand years and live only on

smoke during this period. Shukracharya began this ritual in order to get mantra from Shiva.

Meanwhile the devtas (deities) learnt of Shukracharya's plans. They decided to destroy the

demons while Shukracharya was away and before he acquired the divine mantra. As instructed

by Shukracharya, the demons were residing at the hermitage of Sage Bhrigu, Shukracharya's

father. The demons pleaded that they had given up their weapons and were leading a peaceful

life and hence it was unfair for them to be attacked at this time. But the devtas carried on

regardless. Since Bhrigu was away, the demons requested his wife, Usha, to come to their aid.

Summoning her mystical powers she rendered Indra, the King of the devtas, immobile. The

other devtas fled to Vishnu and implored him to rescue Indra. Usha threatened to reduce both

Indra and Vishnu to ashes, but before she could complete the incantation, Vishnu released his

Sudarshan chakra (a disc like weapon which revolves around index finger) and beheaded Usha.

When Bhrigu returned and saw the decapitated body of his wife, he gave a curse to Vishnu.

Since Vishnu was guilty of killing a woman he would have to take birth on earth time and

again. This provided the basis for the incarnations of Vishnu. Bhrigu then used his divine

powers to rejoin the head and body of Usha and gave her fresh life.

After his failure with the demons, Indra turned his attention to Shukracharya. He sent his

daughter, Jayanti, with instructions to either distract Shukracharya using her charms or win

him over with her service. Jayanti's modest behaviour prevented her from seducing the Sage,

so she followed the second option. For the remaining part of the thousand years Jayanti

devotedly served Shukracharya. When the period of the penance was over, Shiva appeared

and taught Shukracharya a mantra that would bring a dead person back to life. This mantra

was known as the 'Mritsanjivni' or 'the one which brings the dead to life'. Having achieved his

mission, Shukracharya turned his attention to Jayanti. He promised Jayanti a boon for the

selfless manner in which she had attended to the needs of his penance. Jayanti asked that he

live with her as her husband for ten years and Shukracharya willingly accepted.

Indra now hatched another plan. He told his teacher, Brihaspati, that the demons were

expecting Shukracharya, but unknown to them Shukracharya was living with Jayanti. Indra

asked Brihaspati to impersonate Shukracharya and live with the demons. Some fortune would

chance upon them sooner or later. Brihaspati did so and over the next ten years he won the

demons over completely. After ten years when Shukracharya returned, he was aghast to see

that an imposter had taken his place. As expected accusations were traded, but Brihaspati had replicated Shukracharya so accurately that it was impossible to tell who was the real

Shukracharya. Finally the demons settled for the man who had been guiding them for the last

ten years and shooed the real Shukracharya away.

Shukracharya could not bear this insult, especially after the thousand-year penance he had

undergone for their benefit. He was a hot-tempered person and immediately cursed the

demons that they would never be able to conquer the devtas (deities). Indra heaved a sigh of

relief; Brihaspati assumed his true form; the demons realized that they had been tricked but

now had no recourse.

Shukracharya had always supported demons. In the battle between the devtas (deities) and

demons, he used to bring back the dead demons to life with the power of his knowledge with

which the devtas (deities) were defeated by demons.

After this, Brihaspati sent his son Kacha to Shukracharya to learn the Mrita-Sanjivani Vidya.

Shukracharya accepted Kacha as his student. But other demons didn’t like it. As the time

progressed Kacha fell in love with the daughter of Shukracharya, Devyani. This irritated the

demons. In the absence of Shukracharya, demons killed Kacha. This news had upset Devyani a

lot. On the request of his daughter, Sage Shukracharya brought back life to Kacha with the

help of “Mritsanjivni” knowledge. From there the love between Kacha and Devyani grew day by

day. One day while Kacha was alone in forest, the demons killed him for the second time. They

burnt his body and mixed his ashes in the drink of Shukracharya. When Devyani came to know

about this she was shocked. She requested her father for the second time. The agony of his

daughter was unbearable for Shukracharya. Again he used his powers to bring life back to

Kacha. As a result Kacha came back to life and came out from inside the stomach of

Shukracharya. But Shukracharya had to give up his own life to bring him out. Now this was

Kacha’s turn to bring life back to his Guru. He did the same. From this day wine is forbidden for

those engaged in the pursuit of wisdom. Realizing his mistake of consuming Sura (wine) and its

after effect, Shukracharya prohibited the Brahmins from consuming it and warned them that it

would destroy their religiousness and that they would acquire the sins similar to that of killing

a Brahmin and would be condemned both in this world and the other world. Devyani was

happy to found both of them alive. But a new problem erupted. Kacha disagreed to marry

Devyani on the grounds that since he was reborn from the stomach of Shukracharya so he

could not marry his daughter Devyani. This was a bitter shock for her. She cursed Kacha that

from now he would never be able to use this knowledge. Even Kacha cursed Devyani that no

Brahmin will marry her.

Shukracharya had another wife named Gou with whom he had four sons. All these four sons

were killed during the battle with the devtas (deities). Shukracharya was very proud of his

knowledge and spiritual power and so he always hated Brihaspati, the guru of the devtas.

There is a mention of Shukracharya in the incidences during the Narsinha incarnation of lord

Vishnu. Hiranyakashyap tried many ways to kill his son Bhakt Prahlad, a devotee of lord

Vishnu. Shukracharya, who was against Vishnu, helped Hiranyakashyap in this shameful act.

Devi Ganga had asked Shukracharya not to indulge himself in this sinful act but Shukracharya

did not stop from supporting the demons. Similarly, during the Vaman incarnation of lord

Vishnu, when King Bali was donating the land to lord Vaman, Shukracharya shrunk himself

with his powers and sat in the spout of the vase, from which water has to be poured to seal the

promise to the deity in disguise. Lord Vishnu, in disguise of the Vaman, understood

immediately, and picked a straw from the ground and directed it up the spout, poking out the

left eye of Shukracharya.

Shukracharya, the preceptor of the demons though hated the devtas (deities), the Saints and

devtas respected him because of his knowledge, wisdom and power acquired by religious

austerities. In the Indian tradition of knowledge also Shukracharya is remembered as a great

scholar.

MAHARSHI SHUKRAACHARYAAShukracharya was the son of 'Vidhata', who was the son of Maharshi Bhrigu. Shukracharya was the Guru (teacher) of the demons. He was proficient in the science of Yoga. Though being a Guru of the Asuras, yet he was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. He used to give religious discourses to the 'Asuras' to change their evil nature. Due to his influence, Prahlad, Virochana and Bali, the great devotees of Lord Vishnu were born in the descent of the demons.

Shukracharya knew the art of making dead people alive. Shukracharya brought the demons who got killed by the deities during the battles back to life.

Brihaspati, the Guru of the deities did not have the knowledge of this secret art, so he sent his son 'Kacha' to Shukracharya to learn it. Shukracharya taught him the art of 'Mrita Sanjeevani' with great love.

When, the demons came to know about it, they killed Kacha but Shukracharya saved him. Again the demons killed him but again Shukracharya brought him back to life. One day, the demons killed Kacha and burnt his body to ashes and then mixing those ashes in the Sura (wine) made Shukracharya drink it.

Shukracharya came to know about it by his yogic powers. He said to Kacha: " I will teach you the art of 'Mrita Sanjeevani' even while you are in my stomach by tearing it apart and with the help of that art bring me back to life." Kacha did the same successfully.

Realizing his mistake of consuming Sura and its after effect, he prohibited the Brahmins from consuming it and warned them that it would destroy their religiousness and that they would acquire the sins similar to that of killing a Brahmana and would be condemned both in

this world and the other world.

Shukracharya had warned King Bali against donating the land to Lord Vishnu who was disguised as a dwarf but King Bali did not agree.

Shukracharya had a daughter named Devyani, who was married to King Yayati. Shukracharya was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. He had recognized Shri Vishnu disguised as a dwarf during the time when King Bali was performing 'Yagya' and he said the following lines in his praise: " O supreme Lord! All the mistakes committed during the religious rites like the chanting of mantras and the performance of the tantras get rectified by the chanting of your holy name."

Shukracharya - Birth and early life

He was born as the son of Rishi Brighu and his wife Ushana. The feminic natured Shukra is a Brahminical planet. He was born on Friday in the year Paarthiva on Sraavana Suddha Ashtami when Swathi Nakshatra is on the ascent. Hence, Friday is known as Shukravaar in Indian languages especially Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati. He went on to study Vedas under rishi Angirasa but he was disturbed by Angirasa's favouritism to his son Brihaspati. He then went to study under rishi Gautama. He later performed penance to Lord Shiva and obtained the Sanjivani mantra (a hymn that can revive the dead). He married Priyavratha's daughter Urjaswathi and gave birth to four sons — Chanda, Amarka, Twaashtra, Dharaatra and a daughter by name Devayani.

His brilliance is believed to be on account of his proximity to the Sun.

Shukracharya - The Guru

In the meantime Brihaspati ends up as the Guru of the divine people Devaa. Out of jealousy, Shukracharya decides to become the Guru of Asuras. He helps them achieve victory over the Devas and uses his magic to revive the dead and wounded Asuras.

In one story, Lord Vishnu is born as the Brahmin sage Vamana. Vamana comes to take the three worlds as alms from the asura king Bali. Lord Vishnu wanted to deceive the king in order to help the Devas. The sage Shukracharya identifies him immediately and warns the King. The King is however a man of his word and offers the gift to Vamana.