Bṛhaspati : as the founder of Cārvāka or Lokāyata philosophy.

7:27 PM | BY ZeroDivide EDIT
Aṅgirā, Maharṣi Aṅgirā
generated from the mouth of Brahmā [The Fixed Stars/Universe]
father of Bṛhaspati and Utathya
spiritual master of Lord Śiva
Compiling notes:
"was the leader of the followers of the Atharva Vedas."
Lord Śiva,
husband of Satīdevī and Pārvatī
disciple of Angira
son of Brahma [Shani/Saturn]
younger brother of Narada Muni
'younger' brother of Kasyapa Muni

Bṛhaspati, Āṅgirasa
Note:
"It is said that Dronacarya was his partial incarnation"
Bṛhaspati is the 3r generation from creator Brahma like Zeus.

Bṛhaspati (Sanskrit: बृहस्पति, "lord of prayer or devotion",[1] often written as Brihaspati or Bruhaspati) also known as Deva-guru (guru of the gods), is a Hindu god and a Vedic deity. He is considered the personification of piety and religion, and the chief 'offerer of prayers and sacrifices to the gods' (Sanskrit: Purohita), with whom he intercedes on behalf of humankind.
He is the guru of the Devas (gods) and the nemesis of Shukracharya [Venus], the guru of the Danavas (demons). He is also known as Ganapati (leader of the group [of planets]), and Guru (teacher), the god of wisdom and eloquence, to whom various works are ascribed, such as the Barhaspatya sutras.
He is described as of yellow or golden color and holding the following divine attributes: astick, a lotus and beads. He presides over 'Guru-var' or Thursday.[2]
In astrology, Bṛhaspati is the regent of Jupiter and is often identified with the planet.
The Bārhaspatya-sūtras (a patronymic of Brhaspati), also Lokāyata ("materialistic", "atheistic") sutras were the foundational text of the Cārvāka school of "materialist" (nastika) philosophy.
Probably dating to the final centuries BC (the Mauryan period), these texts have been lost, and are known only from fragmentary quotations. Dakshinaranjan Shastri in 1928 published 60 such verses. In 1959, he published 54 selected verses as Barhaspatyasutram. Shastri was of the opinion that many more fragments could be recovered. Bhattacharya (2002) attempts a new reconstruction, with the caveat that the more verses are listed, the greater the uncertainty that it will be either misquoted or foreign materials included as a part of the text.
Most of the fragments are found in works dated to the Indian Middle Ages, between roughly the 8th and 12th centuries. The extensive 14th century treatise on Indian philosophy by Sayana, the Sarvadarshanasamgraha, gives a detailed account of Cārvāka, but it doesn't quote Cārvāka texts directly, instead paraphrasing the doctrine according to the understanding of a learned 14th century Vedantin. Bhattacharya lists 68 items on 9 pages.

References[edit]

  • Dakshinaranjan Shastri, Charvaka philosophy, Purogami Prakashani (1967)
  • R. Bhattacharya, Carvaka Fragments: A New Collection, Journal of Indian Philosophy, Volume 30, Number 6, December 2002, pp. 597-640.

In Hinduism[edit]


Brihaspati preaching Yudhisthira
DhruvaSaptarishiShaniBṛhaspatiBudhaShukraChandraVivasvanGarbhodaksayi VishnuClick! Dhruva, Saptarishi, Shani, Bṛhaspati, Budha, Shukra, Chandra, Vivasvan, Garbhodaksayi Vishnu
Bṛhaspati attained the position of preceptor of the Devas by performing penances on the banks of Prabhas Tirtha. Lord Shivagranted him this position, as well as his position as one of the Navagrahas (Nine Planets).Bṛhaspati is the son of Rishi Angiras (according to the Rig Veda4.40.1) and Surupa according to the Shiva Purana. He has two brothers named Utathya and Samvartana, and has three wives. His first wife, shubha, gave birth to Bhanumati, Raaka, Archishmati,Mahamati, Mahishmati, Sinivali, and Havishmati, his seven daughters. His second wife, Tara, gave birth to seven sons and a daughter. Through Bṛahspati's third wife, Mamata, he had two sons,Kacha and Bharadwaja.
There is a wide debate whether Kacha was Bṛhaspati's offspring or his brother. But the Mahabharata states that Kacha was his brother. All Brahmins belonging to the Bharadwaja Gotra are believed to be his descendants.

In astrology[edit]


Bṛhaspati with Tara
In Jyotisha (Hindu astrology), Bṛhaspati is the name for the planet Jupiter, which is one of the Navagraha (the nine planets) . He is also known as Guru, Cura and Devaguru. Bṛhaspati is considered to be the most beneficial sign of any of the planets. Bṛhaspati rules over the signs Dhanu (Sagittarius) and Meena (Pisces), he is exalted in Karka (Cancer) and in his fall in Makara (Capricorn). The Sun, Moon and Mars are considered friendly to Bṛhaspati, Mercury is hostile and Saturn is neutral.
Bṛhaspati in Vedic astrology is considered to be of the element ether (space) or Akasha Tattva(i.e. Akasha = Space/Sky/Aether; Tattva = Essence/Category/Truth). This element indicates vastness, growth and expansion in a person's life. Bṛhaspati also represents the balance of past karma, religion, philosophy, knowledge and issues relating to offspring. He is concerned with education, teaching and the dispensation of knowledge. Humans with Jupiter dominating in their horoscope could grow fat as life progresses and their empire and prosperity increases; and diabetes is an ailment directly related to this sign. According to traditional Hindu astrology, worship or propitiation of Bṛhaspati or Guru (Jupiter) results in cure from ailments affecting the stomach and helps ward off sins.
Bṛhaspati is lord of three Nakshatras or lunar mansions: Punarvasu, Vishakha and Purva Bhadrapada. The following items are associated with Bṛhaspati: his color is yellow, his metal is gold, and his gemstones are yellow topaz and yellow sapphire. The season associated with him is winter, direction is north-east and his element is ether or space.

Earliest descriptions[edit]

Bṛhaspati is sometimes referred to as the founder of Cārvāka or Lokāyata philosophy. The earliest direct quote from Bṛhaspati's lost writings is found in the text Sarvasiddhantasamgraha, which is sometimes controversially attributed to Adi Shankara. In theSarvasiddhantasamgraha, the author quotes Brihaspati as follows:
Chastity and other such ordinances are laid down by clever weaklings; gifts of gold and land, the pleasure of invitations to dinner, are devised by indigent people with stomachs lean with hunger.
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The building of temples, houses for water-supply, tanks, wells, resting places, and the like, please only travelers, not others.
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The Agnihotra ritual, the three Vedas, the triple staff, the ash-smearing, are the ways of gaining a livelihood for those who are lacking in intellect and energy.
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The wise should enjoy the pleasures of this world through the more appropriate available means of agriculture, tending cattle, trade, political administration, etc.[20]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. Jump up^ Monier-Williams, also "he is the chief offerer of prayers and sacrifices, and therefore represented as the type of the priestly order, and the Purohita of the gods with whom he intercedes for men"
  2. Jump up^ Coleman, Charles. Mythology of the Hindus, p. 133
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