Aurva

Aurva Maharṣi, a towering figure in the Bhṛgu lineage, embodies the profound interplay of tapas (austerity), krodha (righteous anger), and kṣamā (compassion) as depicted in the Purāṇas and Itihāsas. Born under extraordinary circumstances when his mother Ṛci hid him in her thigh to protect him from the wrath of the Haihaya kings, Aurva was blessed with blazing tejas from birth, earning him the name “Aurva.” His life was marked by deep penance, a burning desire to protect dharma, and the intense yet restrained power of his tapas that transformed into the Aurvānala (submarine fire) abiding in the ocean.

Aurva Maharṣi’s narrative connects him to multiple divine episodes, including his role in protecting the Bhṛgu lineage, his intervention in the life of Sagara Mahārāja (training and blessing him to reclaim his kingdom), and his guidance on dharmic living and Viṣṇu-bhakti. His interactions with Durvāsa Maharṣi, including the episode of his daughter Kandalī, further reveal the sage’s commitment to righteous conduct while navigating the complexities of familial and spiritual duties.

Aurva Maharṣi’s life demonstrates how even krodha, when guided by tapas and dharma, can be transformed into a cosmic force that serves the world without consuming it. His teachings on brahmajñāna, varṇāśrama dharma, and bhakti to Viṣṇu continue to inspire seekers, while his legend remains a shining reminder that the rishis of Bhāratavarṣa were the living embodiments of jñāna, bhakti, and shānti.

The conflict between Haihayas and Bhṛgus

Bhṛgu Maharṣi begot Cyavana Maharṣi with his wife Pulomā. Cyavana married Sukanyā and begot three sons: Dadhīci (Dadeechi), Pramati, and Apravāṇa. Among the ṛṣis, the name of this Apravāṇa is often heard, and his name also appears in gotras. Apravāṇa married a maiden named Ṛci (Ruchi) and entered into the householder stage (gṛhastha dharma).

Around this time, in the Haihaya dynasty, the famous king was Kārtavīryārjuna. His father’s name was Kṛtavīrya, who was an excellent person. Performing many yajñas, he gave away all his wealth to brāhmaṇas before renouncing his body and kingdom, retaining nothing. Later, Kṛtavīrya took to austerities and yoga and attained liberation. When his grand sons came to rule, they found the treasury empty. On inquiring, the ministers said their father and grand father had given everything to brāhmaṇas. Angered, Kārtavīryārjuna’s sons developed hatred towards the brāhmaṇas, suspecting that they had cunningly robbed their father. They began to insult brāhmaṇas, and began persecuting the Bhṛgu lineage, killing children, looting āśramas, and setting them ablaze.

Birth of Aurva

During one such attack, many women entered the fire or fled. Ṛci, the wife of Apravāṇa, was heavily pregnant and fled in fear but fell down, exhausted. As they came to kill her, she miscarried, and the child emerged. Using her tapas Śakti, she hid him in her thigh out of fear, and hence the boy was named Aurva (meaning “thigh-born”. Thigh is called oorva in Sanskrit). The newborn boy shone with the brilliance of a thousand suns, blinding the attackers. They were rendered sightless and could not find their way. Thus, the child protected his mother upon birth.

The Haihayas Plead for Forgiveness

As fear and clarity arose among the Haihayas, they became afraid of the child who had blinded them at birth, realizing the history of the Bhṛgus and acknowledging their sin in attacking the innocent, asking for forgiveness and the restoration of their sight. The mother informed them that she held no such power, as it was the child’s brilliance that had blinded them, advising them to pray to him. They prayed, admitting their wrongdoing and promising to serve him as their ancestors had served his lineage. The infant remained silent, but his mother reminded him that the wicked had been punished, and that in their lineage even attackers who surrendered were to be forgiven, requesting him to withdraw his brilliance and restore their sight. The boy looked upon them, restoring their vision, and they departed transformed.

Aurva grew into a seven-year-old boy, and upon hearing of the persecution of the Bhṛgus, anger ignited within him, leading him to resolve to burn the world, feeling there was no place for the righteous, and he began intense tapas with the aim of destroying the flawed world. His terrifying austerities shook all the worlds, filling them with fear, suffering, and death. The ancestors descended from Pitṛloka, explaining that they had chosen to leave their bodies in this manner to avoid the sin of taking their own lives, accepting death at the hands of kṣatriyas, and now resided comfortably in higher realms, urging Aurva to stop his anger-fueled tapas, which would not lead to mokṣa or true knowledge. Aurva replied that his mother’s cries heard while in the womb had created uncontainable anger within him, and although their words had calmed him, the fire of that anger would consume him if not released, asking what should be done with this fire. They instructed him to deposit the fire into the ocean, where it would burn the waters without harming the worlds. Aurva deposited the fire in the ocean, where it became known as Aurvānala or Baḍabāgni, burning the ocean waters while preserving the world, and he became known for his capacity for restraint and blessing, this fire considered to be the origin of the active volcanic fire within the ocean.

Aurva and Hiraṇyakaśipu

During Aurva’s period of intense tapas, many sages and devas came for darśana, among them Hiraṇyakaśipu, who arrived with his ministers and rakṣasas, prostrated before Aurva, praising his exceptional power while requesting blessings and urging Aurva to enter the householder’s life to cultivate a peaceful mind for the welfare of the world. Aurva responded that there was no need to enter worldly delusion, yet to please the pitṛs, he would beget offspring even while remaining in tapas and without a wife.

Desiring offspring, Aurva chanted mantras upon darbha grass and churned it upon his right thigh, from which a radiant child of fire emerged, identifying itself as Agni and expressing an insatiable hunger that could only be satisfied by burning the worlds, or else it would consume itself in its hunger. Brahmā and Indra appeared, advising that this fire child should be sent into the ocean, as Aurva had done previously with his tapas fire, commanding it to remain hidden while consuming the waters and to emerge only during pralaya to burn the worlds. Aurva agreed, instructing the fire to emerge only at pralaya to consume all beings, and sent it away, where it became the hidden submarine fire, Aurvānala.

Source: Hari Vamśa Parva

Afterwards, Hiraṇyakaśipu became devoted to Aurva, seeking a boon of invincibility, and Aurva granted him a powerful, undefeatable weapon in the form of Agni, which would remain with Hiraṇyakaśipu and his lineage, protecting them as long as they upheld dharma, while informing that only the cool rays of the moon could neutralize this weapon. Using this divine fire weapon, Hiraṇyakaśipu and his descendants, including Maya, wielded devastating fire against their enemies, safeguarded by the power granted by Aurva’s tapas.

Aurva and Durvāsā

Through the power of his tapas, Aurva begot a daughter from his thigh named Kandalī, who later became the wife of Durvāsā Maharṣi. She was beautiful, wise, but quick-tempered, often speaking harshly when angry. Durvāsā once came to Aurva asking for her in marriage. Knowing her nature, Aurva gave her in marriage, cautioning Durvāsā to be prepared to tolerate her temper.

Durvāsā accepted her, and they lived together for some time. However, Kandalī continued to be irritable and disrespectful towards him. One day, when Durvāsā merely cast his gaze upon her, she was instantly reduced to ashes due to the intensity of his tapas. From her ashes, scattered on the earth, the banana tree (kadali-vṛkṣa) has arisen.

Later, when Aurva visited Durvāsā, he became angry upon learning what had occurred, reminding Durvāsā that he had been forewarned about her nature. Durvāsā explained that he had never intended to harm her and was deeply sorrowful that merely looking at her had caused her death.

Aurva declared that Durvāsā’s act, though unintentional, was wrong, and as a consequence, he would suffer severe humiliation despite the greatness of his tapas. Following this episode, Aurva renounced all worldly ties, devoted himself fully to tapas, and attained the status of a Brahmarṣi.

Source: Hari Vamsa Purana

Aurva and the Birth of Sagara

King Bāhu of Ayodhyā, after being driven out by the Haihayas, sought refuge in Aurva’s āśrama along with his two wives. Aurva granted them protection, and Bāhu served him faithfully until his death. Among Bāhu’s wives, one was pregnant, but out of jealousy, the other employed black magic to prevent the child’s birth, arresting the pregnancy within the womb. The pregnant queen, overwhelmed by grief after Bāhu’s death, desired to perform sati, but Aurva stopped her, assuring her that her unborn child was destined to be radiant and valorous. Upon examining the situation, Aurva discovered and neutralized the black magic, enabling the birth of the child, who had remained in the womb for seven years and suffered the poison (“gara”) of the womb. The child was named Sagara for this reason.

Aurva raised Sagara with affection, educating him in knowledge, weaponry, statecraft, and all the disciplines required to become an ideal kṣatriya. In time, Sagara inquired about his true identity and the conduct he should follow. Aurva revealed to him the history of the Haihayas’ persecution, reminding him of his duty to defeat his enemies and reclaim his father’s kingdom. Having taught him all necessary knowledge, Aurva instructed Sagara to seek the blessings of Vasiṣṭha and then reclaim Ayodhyā.

Following these instructions, Sagara reclaimed Ayodhyā and ruled successfully. When the time came for marriage, he wed Sumati and Suveśinī, but they were unable to bear children. Seeking Aurva’s blessings for progeny, Sagara and his wives expressed their wish for many children. Aurva offered them the choice between having one illustrious son or sixty thousand ordinary sons, and they chose the blessing for many children. By Aurva’s grace, Sagara was granted sixty thousand sons and ruled his kingdom for a long and successful reign.

Aurva’s Final Teachings to Sagara

Later, Sagara asked Aurva about the fruits of Viṣṇu worship. Aurva explained:

“Those who follow varṇāśrama dharma and develop devotion to Viṣṇu attain His grace easily. Abandoning desires for others’ wives and wealth, performing duties with guru-bhakti, serving brāhmaṇas, and seeing all beings with equality pleases Viṣṇu greatly.”

Sagara further asked about the duties of a householder who takes to tapas. Aurva instructed on sandhyā, deva and ṛṣi tarpaṇa, and especially on hospitality:

Following Aurva’s instructions, Sagara worshipped Viṣṇu, remained steadfast on His path, and attained liberation.