Bhrigu

Maharishi Bhrigu (Sanskrit: Bhṛgu) was one of the seven great sages, the Saptarshis, one of the many Prajapatis (the facilitators of Creation) created by Brahma. The first compiler of predictive astrology, and also the author of Bhrigu Samhita, the astrological (Jyotish) classic, Bhrigu is considered a 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, the Hindu progenitor of humanity. Bhrigu had his Ashram (Hermitage) on the Vadhusar River, a tributary of the Drishadwati River near Dhosi Hill in the Vedic state of Brahmavarta, presently on the border of Haryana and Rajasthan in India. 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, nearly 10,000 years ago.As per Skanda Purana, Bhrigu migrated to Bhrigukutch, modern Bharuch on the banks of the Narmada river in Gujarat, leaving his son Chyavana at Dhosi Hill.

He was married to Khyati, one of the many daughters of Daksha. They had two sons and one daughter, named Dhata and Vidhata. Their daughter Lakshmi married Vishnu (Narayana). He had one more son with Kavyamata (Usana), who is better known than Bhrigu himself – 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. [Maha:1.5] One of his descendants was sage Jamadagni, who in turn was the father of sage Parashurama, considered an avatar of Vishnu.

Bhrigu finds mention in Shiva Purana and Vayu Purana, where he is shown present during the great yajna of Daksha Prajapati (his father-in-law). 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 the Bhagavad Gītā, Krishna says that among sages, Bhrigu is representative of the opulence of God.

Bhrigu's Ashram 'Deepotsaka' was located at the base of Dhosi Hill in present-day village Dhosi on the border of Narnaul district in Haryana and Jhunjunu district of Rajasthan, from where he migrated to Bharuch. His son Chyavana, known for Chyavanprash also had his Ashram at Dhosi Hill. Bhrigu is also worshipped at Bharuch, Swamimalai, Tirumala, Ballia, Nanguneri, Thiruneermalai, Mannargudi. 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, 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.

Many great sages gathered at the bank of river Sarasvati to participate in Maha Yagya. Bhrigu was arrogant and was filled with ahamkara due to his extreme austerities. All the great saints and sages could not decide that out of the Trinity Lord Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva who is pre-eminent and to whom should they offer Pradhanta (Master) of that Yagya. With the consent of all the great saints presents there, it was decided that Bhrigu will test and decide who was pre-eminent.

Upon being entrusted with the task Maharishi Bhrigu decided to test each of the Trimurti. Being ignored by Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva, he visited Lord Vishnu. Vishnu was asleep and Brighu kicked him in the chest to wake him up. Vishnu smilingly welcomed Bhrigu who realised his egotistical outbursts with extreme pain. He begged for forgiveness and Vishnu forgave him.

After the incident of testing of the trinity, Bhrigu decided to write his famous books of astrology, the Bhrigu Samhita. Maharishi Bhrigu collected birth charts, wrote full-life predictions and compiled them together as Bhrigu Samhita. Bhrigu Samhita is believed to be one of the first book of its kind in the field of astrology.