bhRgu nandini

[rshankar]

Can some one narrate the story (or provide a link) of how and why lakshmi is considered to be the daughter of the prajApati, bhRgu maharishi?

[ksrimech]

http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archi ... /0098.html

In Archaavataarams , Maha Lakshmi is born as Ayonijaa and is raised by Maharishis like Bhrigu . For Instance , at Thiruvahindrapuram, she was born inside a golden lotus (Hemaabhja Valli ) and was raised by Bhrugu Maharishi and then given in marriage by him to Sri Devanaathan of that Kshetram Hence, Maha Lakshmi has the name of Bhargavi to reveal Her lineage.

I think this story appears in SrI pAdma purANam and SrI brahmANDa purANam. I can confirm and tell you.

[keerthi]

lakSmI was born to bhRgu and khyAti, as herself. Her brothers were dhAtA, vidhAtA and kavi.

When viSNU incarnated as sUrya, she incarnated in the heart of a lotus; [invoking the imagery of the lotus that attains full bloom when the sun rises and kamala-kOmala-garbha-gaurI : one who is complected like the delicate core of the lotus flower.]

When HarI was born as parashurAma, she incarnated as the earth. When he was born as rAma and kRSNa, she was sItA and rAdhA respectively.

Thus whenever hari incarnated, lakSmI too incarnated, changing her form to match his.

- Chap.9, Amsa 1, ViSNu purANa.


The name bhArgavI also indicates that lakshmI was born to bhRgu.



BhRgu's son 'kavi' mentioned before, was none other than shukra, who is an important bhArgava.

Jamadagni and parashurAma are other celebrated bhArgava-s.

[ksrimech]

Thanks Keerti. Your pointer to SrI viSNu purANa now reminds of the saying "kayyilE veNNai irukkum pozhudu neikku alaivAnE". Why looks into other sources when the purANa ratnam is there.

Just one correction. The SrI viSNu purANam SlOkam points to her as coming down as sita along with rAma and rukmiNi along with kRSNa.

[rshankar]

Keerthi/Krishna - Thank you for the explanations!
I am a bit confused about the paraSurAma and earth bit. Isn't bhU dEvi distinct fron Sri dEvi (lakshmi)?

It is interesting that while she has dhAtA, vidhAtA and Sukra as brothers, the lakshmi ashTOttara refers only to her lineage as the daughter of the kshIrAbdhi as 'sOmAmRta sOdari'!
And thanks for the meaning of 'kamala-kOmala-garbha gauri'
By the way, is kavi/Sukra the same as SukrAcArya, the preceptor of the daityas?

[ksrimech]

rShankar - bhUmi dEvi is generally considered as the nizhal (shadow) of SrI dEvi in viSiSTAdvaitam. Yet, She is considered as an independent entity and along with SrI dEvi and nILA dEvi reside with nArAyaNan in nityamaNDalam, SrIvaikuNTAm. Conceptually, the earth is the representative of bhUmidEvi nAcchiyAr in the lIlAvibhUti or the created universe(s). The earth was in place before the varahAvatAra in the 1st amSa in viSNu purANam and 3rd canto in SrImad bhAgavatham.

keerti - can you please explain the relationship between paraSurAmAvatAra and bhumi avatAra?

[PUNARVASU]

rshankar wrote:
"By the way, is kavi/Sukra the same as SukrAcArya, the preceptor of the daityas?"

I know a 'navagraha stotram on sukra, which goes thus
'himakunda mrNAlAbham daityAnAm paramam gurum
sarva shAstra pravaktAram bhArgavam praNamAmyaham.

It refers to the planet, the guru of the asurAs and refers to him as the son of 'bhrgu'-bhArgava.

[keerthi]

I am a bit confused about the paraSurAma and earth bit. Isn't bhU dEvi distinct fron Sri dEvi (lakshmi)?

the visiSTAdvaita theological and Agamic traditions speak of the ubhaya-nAcchiyAr-s, who are srI and bhU; and are often part of the same set as nILA, and are inseparable consorts of hari in vaikuNTA. mahAdEvi or lakSmI, is taken as a mOkSOpaya comparable to hari, and is considered to be equal, in terms of vibhutva (pAramountcy)and as much paramAtman as hari. [vide catusshlOkI of yAmuna]

This is a slightly contentious matter amongst some of the groups among the vishiStAdvaitins, but let that be.

As can be seen from the iconography of most vaiSNava temples, there is a separate icon of lakSmI, which is distinct from the icons of srI and bhU. these can be seen as partial manifestations of the omnipotent lakSmI.

keerthi - can you please explain the relationship between paraSurAmAvatAra and bhumi avatAra?

It is necessary in VishiSTAdvaita doctrine to explain an avatAra of the Goddess, to go with each avatAra of hari. Hence, for vAman there is the story of how she merely was represented in the vakSasthala, [he being a brahmacArin and everything!] and how vAmana covered lakSmi with his deerskin, to avoid her glances from falling on bali; because then , even trivikrama would be powerless to take away bali's wealth (post lakSmI's katAkSa-vIkSaNa).

In keeping with the same spirit, the brahmANDa purANa invokes a familiar theme of the Earth approaching hari with a request to reduce bhU-bhAra, and to decimate evil. Hence, hari incarnated as the son of jamadagni, and toured the world 18 (21 acc. to some)times, killing kSatriya-s who were evil. It got out of hand, and he even started killing good kings, and his elders (Rcika et al) intervened and asked ParashurAma to stop.

Rather than take parashurAma and bhUmi avatara, we should see it as his birth being for the uddhAra of bhUmi (like some other avatAra-s)and given his very kSatriya-like behaviour in this avatAra, one can see the aptness of using a title used by kings, like prithivIpati, for parashurAma. He also recovered some lands from the sea.

This reminds us of the recurrent theme of hari as a water-land deity. all the avatAra-s with vedic references stick to this theme.

"By the way, is kavi/Sukra the same as SukrAcArya, the preceptor of the daityas?"

Yes, sukra, or venus is called uSanA kavi. He is the daityaguru. But then, it is possible that the gOtrapati of every generation held the same title, and there could have been several vishwAmitra-s and several kavi-s. The name is used for poets, visionaries and seers.

10.37 of the bhagavad gIta honours shukra, with kRSNa saying 'munInAm apyahaM vyAsO kavInAM uSanA kaviH'


tyAgarAja refers to this in his kalyANI song 'sundari nI divyarUpamunu', in the first carana -

brahmAdi surulu gumpu gUDi kavi-vAsarapu sEva kanugona

Here he refers to friday - the day of venus as kavi-vAsaram instead of the commoner shukra-vAsaram.

dIkSitar, too says kaviM kalatra-kArakaM in his pharas song on shukra.


phew.. very loqacious post!

[rshankar]

Thanks, Keerthi!

[ksrimech]

Keerti,
Thanks for the wonderful explantion. Just to clarify, lakSmi and hari together constitute the paramAtman for us. Ref svAmi vEdAnta dESikan's SrIstuti, svAmi kUrattAzhvAn's SrIstava and svAmi parASarabhaTTar's SrIguNaratnakOSa. No where in viSiSTAdvaita, we have 2 brahmans.

[keerthi]

Keerti,
Just to clarify, lakSmi and hari together constitute the paramAtman for us. Ref svAmi vEdAnta dESikan's SrIstuti, svAmi kUrattAzhvAn's SrIstava and svAmi parASarabhaTTar's SrIguNaratnakOSa. No where in viSiSTAdvaita, we have 2 brahmans.

There are some differences, especially in the commentaries of later scholars on yAmuna's catussloki.There are some scholars who chose to refer to srI as a finite soul. We needn't dwell on that matter here, and I will drop you a mail, with what little information I have of this matter.

[ksrimech]

Yes the tenkalai vadakalai differences. I have heard the lecture of SrI kArpankADu vEnkaTAchariAr svAmi and svAmi SrirangarAmAnuja mahAdEsikan (SrImuSNam AnDavan) on ALavandAr's chatusSlOki. I know what you are talking about. I was stating that based on what the pAncharAtra says about tAyAr.