Re: SUKRACHARYA PART -1
Rajaram Krishnamurthy
Chapter 11 - On Śukrā’s going to Mahādeva to get the Mantra
Book 4
1. Vyāsa said :-- When the Devas retired from the battlefield, Śukrācārya addressed the Demons thus :-- O best of the Demons! Please hear, what had been told to me by Brahmā in days of yore.
2-3. Janārdan Viṣṇu is coming here to slay all the Demons, He killed before Hiraṇyākṣa, the king of the Asuras, in His Boar incarnation. He killed Hiraṇyakasipu by assuming His Man-Lion appearance; now too, he will kill all the Daityas, no doubt, with great enthusiasm.
4-5. Now my mantra force will not be of any avail before Śrī Hari. And without my help you will not be able to conquer the Devas. Therefore, O Demons, wait for some time for me; I will start today to the presence of Śiva Mahādeva to obtain from him the Mantra Śakti.
6. I will return, as early as possible, getting the Mantra from Śrī Mahādeva; and with the help of the power of those great Mantras I will be able to protect you thoroughly.
7. The Daityas said :-- O best of the Munis! We are now defeated and our forces are well nigh exhausted; how will we be able to stay on this earth and expect your return for so long a time?
8. Those who were of great strength amongst us, they all are slain; now we are left very few in number. In this crisis it is not advisable and auspicious for us to remain here in this battlefield.
9. Śukrācārya said :-- Better you all stay here until I return, getting the requisite Mantra; remain peaceful and engaged in asceticism.
10. The heroes apply one or other of the following four measures :-- conciliation, alliance, gifts and bribery, partitions and sowing dissensions and punishment or open attack according to the conditions of time, place strength and circumstances.
11. Intelligent and well wishing persons do serve their enemies even in time of distress; but no sooner they find that their strength and army have increased, than they try at once to kill all their enemies.
12. Now, therefore, pretend your meekness and allegiance and adopt peace and remain in your own place until my arrival.
13. O Demons! I will come back with the Mantra from Mahādeva. I will fight again with the Devas, by that veritable mantra power.
14. O king! Thus firmly making up his mind to have the Mantra, Śukrācārya went to Mahādeva.
15. The Dānavas sent Prahlāda to the Devas for conciliation. The Devas regarded Prahlāda truthful and they all trusted on him.
16. Prahlāda with Asuras addressed thus the Devas with gentleness and humility.
17. O Immortals! We all have abandoned our weapons and armour. Now we desire to wear barks of trees and practise asceticism.
18. The Devās took Prahlāda’s words to be true and deserted from further fight; were freed of anxiety and felt all delighted.
19. On the Daitya’s leaving their weapons, the Gods desisted from battle, went to their respective places and freely gave themselves up to pleasure and amusements.
20. The Daityas controlled themselves and practised asceticism in the Kaśyapa’s hermitage, expecting the return of Śukrācārya.
21. Śukrācārya went to Kailāsa and made respectful obeisance to the God Mahādeva. Mahādeva enquired of the cause of his coming.
22. Śukrācārya said :-- I ask for Mantras, O Deva! from you that are not possessed by Bṛhaspati, for the defeat of the Devas, and the victory of the Asuras.
23. Vyāsa said :-- On hearing his words, the all-knowing Śaṅkara Śiva began to think what He would do in this matter.
24. Certainly, this is with the revengeful object of attacking the Devas, for their defeat and for the victory of the Asuras that this Muni has come.
25. The Devas ought to be protected by me; thus thinking, Śaṅkara Maheśvara advised him an entirely difficult tapasyā to practise.
26. Full one thousand years he would practise tapasyā with feet upwards and head downwards, he will have to inhale the smoke of burnt husk. Then he will get the Mantra and his desires will be fulfilled.
27. That would be done; thus saying to Śaṅkara, Śukrācārya practised that excellent vow, peaceful and inhaling the smoke of husk to get that Mantra.
28-29. The Devas came to know that Śukrācārya is practising his vow and the Daityas have become arrogant. They then counselled.
30. And came to the conclusion, took up weapons and arms and went to the Daityas, ready to fight.
31. The Daityas, seeing the Devas dressed in armour and holding weapons and coming from all sides, became very much afraid and anxious.
32. The Daityas, seeing this all on a sudden, were attacked with fear and began to address the Devas, proud with their army, in words, full of good meanings and morals.
33. O Devas! We have abandoned our arms; we are now armless; our spiritual guide is in his tapasyā, you gave us words of fearlessness; why then you have come now dressed in full armour and with armies to kill us.
34. O Devas! Where is your truth. And where is your religion acccording to Śruti? It is stated in Śruti never to kill the weaponless, the fear stricken, and the refugees.35. The Devas said :-- You sent your good Śukrācārya, out of pretence to acquire the Mantras; your asceticism is veiled under a deceitful object. Therefore we will fight with you certainly.
36. Be ready now and dress yourself with your arms and ammunitions, “Lo! Whenever you get any loop hole in your enemies, catch hold of it and kill your enemy.” This is the eternal religion.
37. Vyāsa said :-- On thus hearing the reply from the Devas, the Daityas after consideration quitted that place and fled away with terror.
38. And they took refuge under the Śukrācārya’s mother. She saw the Daityas very much fearstricken and at once guaranteed to them protection from fear.
39. The mother of Kāvya Śukrācārya said :-- Don’t fear; don’t fear; cast away fear. O Dānavas! In my presence, no fear can overtake you.
40. The Asuras on hearing her words were free from anxiety and pain and remained in that hermitage, in no way now bewildered or agitated, though they had no arms.
41-42. Here the Devas, seeing the Daityas flying away, pursued them and entering the hermitage were ready to kill the Daityas, not taking into account what strength they gained there. The mother of Śukrā warned the Devas not to kill; but, inspite of her hindrance, they began to slay the Daityas.
43. Seeing the Daityas thus attacked, the mother was furiously irritated and told them she would make all of them overpowered by sleep by her tapas strength, clarified intellectual force.
Note :--Is it by the asphyxiating gas? Or, by poisonous vapours or liquids?
44. So saying she sent the Goddess of sleep who at once overpowered the Gods and made them all lie down on the grounds senseless. Indra with the other Devas lay there dumb, and miserable.
45. On seeing Indra thus stupefied by sleep, the Bhagavān Viṣṇu told Indra to enter into His body. He would then carry him to another place and he will be better.
46-47. Indra entered into the Viṣṇu’s body; and, under His protection, he became free from sleep and fear. On seeing Indra thus sheltered by Viṣṇu and fearless, the mother of Kāvya spoke.
48. O Indra! I will devour you with Viṣṇu today by my Tapas force. All the Devas will presently see all this and my extraordinary power.
N.B.: Is it by making the earth go down, causing a fissure, thus engulfing the whole army? Or by blowing them up? Or by showering jets of poisonous gas or hot water or vapour from all sides.
49. Vyāsa said :-- O king! No sooner the mother spoke thus, than both Indra and Viṣṇu were both stupefied under her magical spell, superior thought power, and a thorough learning of the art of warfare.
50. The Devas, seeing them very much overpowered and bewildered, were greatly struck with wonder; they became desperate and began to cry aloud.
51. Indra, on hearing the Devas cry aloud, told Viṣṇu, O Madhusūdana! I am more bewildered in particular than yourself.
52. O Mādhava! No need of any further consideration. Before this wretch, inflated with pride by her tapasyā, burns us, better cause her death as early as possible.
53. When thus requested by Indra who was very much perplexed, Bhagavān Viṣṇu quickly remembered his Sudarśana disc, casting aside the thought that it is hateful to kill a woman.
54-55. The disc, the ever obedient weapon of Viṣṇu appeared instantly at his remembrance; and Viṣṇu, becoming angry as prompted by Indra held the disc in His hand, and, hurling it off on the Śukrā’s mother, severed off her head quickly. The god Indra became very glad at this.
56. The Devas became free from sorrow, got very much pleased and heartily exclaimed victory to Hari and worshipped Him and began to chant His praises.
57. Indra and Viṣṇu then became free from all troubles; but they began to fear that Bhṛgu (Śukrā’s father) would curse them terribly and without fail.
Here ends the Eleventh Chapter in the Fourth Book of Śrī mad Devī Bhāgavatam, the Mahā Purāṇam of 18,000 verses by Maharṣi Veda Vyāsa, on Śukrā’s going to Mahādeva to get the Mantra.
K RAJARAM IRS 24426
--SUKRACHARYA PART -1
Dear friends,
Today I am starting my posting about Sukracharya. The much-known information will be told in my posting in brief. Lesser-known information will be detailed. I compile all information from Google search, sometimes in AI mode and from websites.
The information are vast. I will be posting in parts of around ten pages.
Hope an informative and interesting reading to common members like me.
Gopalakrishnan dated 24-04-2026
Introduction
Sukracharya (or Shukra) is a revered sage and the preceptor (Guru) of the Asuras (demons) in Hindu mythology, also representing the planet Venus.
Son of Rishi Bhrigu, he is known for obtaining the Mrita Sanjeevani Vidya (knowledge to revive the dead) from Lord Shiva, enabling him to bring slain Asuras back to life.
Key Aspects of Sukracharya:
Guru of Asuras: He guided the Asuras in their battles against the Devas (gods), often opposing Brihaspati, the Guru of the Devas.
Sanjeevani Vidya: His ultimate power was the ability to resurrect the dead, a skill he achieved through intense penance to Shiva. Mrita Sanjeevani Vidya: He is famously known for possessing the Sanjeevani Vidya, a secret mantra blessed by Lord Shiva that allowed him to bring the dead back to life. This knowledge made the Asuras nearly invincible in battles against the Devas (gods).
Mrita Sanjeevani Vidya: He is famously known for possessing the Sanjeevani Vidya, a secret mantra blessed by Lord Shiva that allowed him to bring the dead back to life. This knowledge made the Asuras nearly invincible in battles against the Devas (gods).
Astrological Significance: He represents Venus (Shukra), influencing wealth, beauty, luxury, and sexual pleasure. Friday is known as Shukravar in his honour.
Origins: He was the son of Rishi Bhrigu and Kavyamata. According to legends , he was once consumed by Shiva but emerged through his stomach, making him a son-like figure to Shiva and Parvati.
Blinding: He was blinded in one eye by Lord Vishnu (in Vamana avatar) to prevent him from stopping King Mahabali from donating land to the dwarf sage. According to legend, his eye was injured by Lord Vishnu (in his Vamana avatar) while Shukracharya was trying to block the spout of a water vessel to prevent King Bali from making a promise.
Other Roles: In the Mahabharata, he is mentioned as one of the mentors of Bhishma, teaching him political science
Shukra Niti: He is credited with the Shukra Niti, a treatise on politics, diplomacy, and governance.
Family and Notable Disciples
Daughter: His daughter, Devayani, is a central figure in the story of Kacha and Devayani, where Brihaspati's son Kacha tried to learn the Sanjeevani mantra from Shukracharya. Though Kachha hid his details, Sukracharya knew very well , he was son of Brhaspati, his rival. Sukracharya was broad minded to teach Mrita Sanjeevani vidya even to his rival’s son, which shows the magnanimity.
My note- This nature can be seen with those people who are having Venus having strength in their Horoscope to write in nutshell.
Disciples: His most famous disciples include the virtuous Asura king Mahabali and Prahlada
Early life of Sukracharya
Sukracharya, born as Ushana, had an early life marked by deep academic rivalry, personal tragedy, and intense spiritual discipline.
Birth and Lineage
Shukracharya was born on a Friday (Shukravaar) into the illustrious Bhrigu lineage.
Parents: He was the son of the great sage Bhrigu, one of the Saptarishis, and his wife Kavyamata (also known as Ushana or Khyati).
Siblings: Notable siblings included his brother Chyavana and his sister Lakshmi, the consort of Lord Vishnu.
Education and Rivalry
His early education was defined by his competition with Brihaspati, the son of Sage Angiras.
First Gurukul: Both Shukracharya and Brihaspati studied under Sage Angiras.
Sense of Favouritism: Despite being exceptionally brilliant, Shukracharya felt that Angiras favoured his own son, Brihaspati, in their studies.
Gautama Rishi: Dissatisfied with the perceived bias, Shukracharya left to complete his education under Sage Gautama.
Pivotal Tragedy: The Death of His Mother
A defining moment of his youth was the death of his mother, Kavyamata.
During a war between the Devas and Asuras, the Asuras sought refuge in Sage Bhrigu's ashram while he was away.
Kavyamata’s Protection: She used her powers to protect the Asuras, rendering Indra immobile.
Vishnu’s Intervention: To save the Devas, Lord Vishnu used his Sudarshan Chakra to behead Kavyamata.
Vow of Revenge: Although Sage Bhrigu later brought her back to life, the young Shukracharya developed a lifelong hatred for Vishnu and the Devas, which eventually led him to become the Guru of the Asuras.
Obtaining the Sanjeevani Mantra
Determined to surpass Brihaspati (who became the Guru of the Devas), Shukracharya performed a rigorous penance to please Lord Shiva.
Severe Tapasya: He performed the "Dhumrapana" penance, hanging upside down for 1,000 years while surviving only on smoke.
The Boon: Pleased by his unmatched dedication, Lord Shiva granted him the Mrita Sanjeevani Vidya, the secret knowledge to bring the dead back to life
Sukracharya- family life
Shukracharya’s domestic life was often intertwined with the cosmic rivalry between the Devas and Asuras. He is primarily known for his marriage to Jayanti, the daughter of Indra, and his role as a father to his influential children.
Wives of Shukracharya
Jayanti: The daughter of Indra, king of the Devas, she was sent to disrupt Shukracharya's 1,000-year penance for the Sanjeevani mantra. However, she was so impressed by his determination that she served him devotedly for years. After his penance, Shukracharya married her and they lived together for ten years (or 100 in some texts) before she returned to heaven.
Urjjasvati (Urjaswathi): Often considered his first or principal wife, she was the daughter of the king Priyavrata. Some traditions identify her and Jayanti as the same person, while others list them as separate.
Sataparva: Another mentioned consort, though she is typically described as childless.
Sukracharya-Children
Shukracharya’s children played significant roles in Vedic and Puranic narratives:
Devayani: His most famous child, born to Jayanti (or Urjjasvati). Her unrequited love for Kacha (son of Brihaspati) and her subsequent marriage to King Yayati are major episodes in the Mahabharata.
Sons (Chanda, Amarka, Shanda, and Tvastr): Shukracharya had four sons who served as preceptors to the Asuras, most notably teaching politics (Niti Shastra) to Prahlada in the court of Hiranyakashipu.
Ara (Araja): A daughter mentioned in the Ramayana (Uttara Kanda). After King Danda violated her, Shukracharya cursed his kingdom to become a forest, now known as the Dandakaranya.
Key Family Connections
Through his daughter Devayani’s marriage to Yayati, Shukracharya is an ancestor of the Yadu and Puru dynasties. This makes him a distant ancestor of figures like Lord Krishna and the Pandavas.
Shukracharya’s family life was complex, involving marriages that bridged the gap between Devas (gods) and Asuras (demons). He had several children who played pivotal roles in major Hindu epics like the Mahabharata and Ramayana.
Devi: Identified in some texts as the wife of Varuna’s elder brother.
Notable Sons
Shukracharya’s sons often served as advisors and priests to the Asuras:
Shanda and Amarka: The most famous of his sons, they served as tutors in the court of Hiranyakashipu. They were tasked with educating the young devotee Prahlada in materialistic and political sciences to turn him away from Lord Vishnu.
Tvastr and Dharaatra: His other two sons often mentioned alongside Shanda and Amarka.
Rucaka: In some Puranic accounts, he is listed as a son who had five famous sons of his own, including Purujit and Rukma.
Shukracharya’s sons, Shanda and Amarka, were tasked by the demon king Hiranyakashipu to educate his son, Prahlada, in the ways of materialism and demoniac politics. However, rather than successfully influencing him, their teachings became a backdrop for Prahlada’s unwavering devotion to Lord Vishnu.
Their Mission and Teachings
Hiranyakashipu entrusted Prahlada to Shanda and Amarka at their gurukula (school) with strict instructions to purge any "contamination" of devotion to Vishnu from the boy's mind. They focused on:
The Three Paths of Materialism: They instructed him in Dharma (mundane religion), Artha (economic development), and Kama (sense gratification).
Political Philosophy (Niti Shastra): They taught him the arts of diplomacy and rule, including the four methods of Sama (conciliation), Dana (bribery), Bheda (dividing enemies), and Danda (punishment).
Duality: Their curriculum was rooted in the concept of "friend vs. enemy," teaching Prahlada to view his father as the supreme lord and Vishnu as the foe.
Prahlada’s Response to Their Influence
Despite their rigorous efforts, Prahlada remained entirely unmoved by their "mundane" lessons:
Internal Rejection: While he remained a respectful and obedient student externally, he internally rejected their teachings as based on the temporary and suffering-filled material world.
Fearlessness: When Shanda and Amarka discovered his devotion, they tried various methods to "rectify" him, including chastisement, threats, and even physical intimidation (such as threatening him with sticks). Prahlada, however, remained fearless.
Counter-Influence: In a reversal of roles, whenever the teachers were absent, Prahlada used the time to teach his classmates (the sons of other demons) about Bhakti (devotion) and the nine processes of devotional service.
The Outcome
Ultimately, Shanda and Amarka failed to influence Prahlada. When they presented him back to Hiranyakashipu, Prahlada famously declared that the "best thing he had learned" was the nine forms of devotional service to Vishnu (Nava-vidha Bhakti). This failure so enraged Hiranyakashipu that he initially blamed the teachers for secretly "contaminating" his son's mind.
I will continue in next part of the posting
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Rajaram Krishnamurthy
SUKRA NEETI EXTRACT OF ONE CHAP ATTACHED WORD DOC kr
Rajaram Krishnamurthy
SUKRA 2
GOPALA: My note- This nature can be seen with those people who are having Venus having strength in their Horoscope to write in nutshell.
K rajaram irs “THIS NATURE IS WHAT?
2 VENIS WITH STRENGTH: SUKRA IN MEENAM IS UCHAM. WHAT IS THAT NATURE?
3 TO WRITE IN NUTSHELL? Thiruvalluvar who wrote in 7 words 1330 kural does not have sukra strong.
குறள் 963:
பெருக்கத்து வேண்டும் பணிதல் சிறிய
சுருக்கத்து வேண்டும் உயர்வு.
பொருள்:
பெருக்கத்து: செல்வம் அதிகமாக இருக்கும் காலத்தில் (பணிதல்) அடக்கமாக நடந்து கொள்ள வேண்டும்.
சுருக்கத்து: செல்வம் சுருங்கி வறுமை வரும் காலத்தில், (உயர்வு) தரம் தாழ்ந்து போகாமல், மான உணர்வுடன் உயர்ந்து நிற்க வேண்டும்.
"சுருங்கச் சொல்லி விளங்கவைத்தல்" (Suringa solli vilanga) என்பது குறைந்த சொற்களைப் பயன்படுத்தி, ஆழமான கருத்தை தெளிவாகப் புரியவைக்கும் கலை ஆகும். இது நன்னூல் போன்ற இலக்கண நூல்களில் கூறப்பட்ட ஒரு சிறந்த உத்தி (விருந்து) ஆகும்.
இதன் முக்கிய பண்புகள்:
குறுகிய வடிவம்: தேவையற்ற சொற்கள் தவிர்க்கப்பட்டு, சுருக்கமாக இருக்கும்.
தெளிவான பொருள்: எவ்வளவு சுருக்கமாக்கினாலும், கருத்தின் ஆழம் குறையாது.
எளிதில் புரிதல்: கேட்பவர் மனதில் எளிதாகப் பதியும்.
உதாரணம்: "கற்க கசடறக் கற்பவை கற்றபின் நிற்க அதற்குத் தக" (திருக்குறள்). இந்த இரண்டு வரிகளில் கல்வி, கற்றல் முறை, ஒழுக்கம் என வாழ்க்கையின் ஒட்டுமொத்த சாராம்சத்தையும் வள்ளுவர் சுருங்கச் சொல்லி விளக்கியுள்ளார்.
சுருக்கமாகச் சொன்னால், "அதிகப் பொருள், குறைந்த சொல்" என்பதே இதன் தாரக மந்திரம்.
But Tirukkural or Rig vedam etc are understood only when written elaborately; it means brief will entail only meaning; but will not clarify so many why, what, when ,where and who factors, which needs elaborate essays, for making people understand. Writing 10 lines without explaining “this nature” etc does not carry weight. Brief one may learn KARKKA; BUT KASADARA KARKKA MEANS BROAD OUTLINES OF THOUGHTS EITHER OWN OR BORROWED; WITHOUT WHICH IT IS NOT KARKKA AND KARKKA KASADARA.
Writing in a nutshell is required only where legal, administrative issues are involved since all are supposed to have passed many exams to have understood equally well; there all “W”s will be known already; but where nothing is learnt but one who attempts to write on self-unkoen-subjects, then, first that one shall learn broadly, with evidences and supports. Lest others may raise doubts for clarifications, and then write as if teaching. If I say E=Mc2 briefly without details, how Gopala will know, had he not known it well ahead? So instead of exploding like all well know master acting, better learn to teach others. Whether brief or long the subject will decide.
K Rajaram IRS 24426