Bhrigu Samhita

(Article written in 1993)

 

The original edition of the Bhrigu Samhita does not seem to be available anymore, but there is however a number of different editions and copies of the book written by different astrologers from various time-periods in the name of Maharishi Bhrigu.

 

According to Professor David Christopher Lane it appears some parts of Bhrigu Samhita are owned by Brahmin families in Benares, Poona and Meerut but they do not allow anyone to study these chapters. Thus this great astrological book still remains beyond the reach of scholars.

 

Reference to Bhrigu Samhita is made in Jatak‑Skand, which implies that the horo­scope and the forecast of the entire life of every human being born on this planet are given in this book, accor­ding to the time, place and date of birth of the individual.

 

Eleven chapters deal with different aspects of human life. These chap­ters are:

 

Kundli Khand ‑ horoscopes;

 

Phabit Khand ‑ ­forecasts;

 

Jarah‑­Par­haran ‑ previous lives;

 

Tathalin Bhrig‑­Prashan ‑ ­questions of Bhrigu;

 

Nasht‑Janmong Deepiha ‑ index to lost horoscopes;

 

Sa­rivarisht‑­Nivaran‑­Khand ‑ remedy to human pro­blems;

 

Raj‑K­hand ­‑ pertaining to rule;

 

Santan‑upaya‑K­hand ‑ ­for be­getting child­ren;

 

Narpati-Jaya­charya Khand ‑ for the victory and works of a king;

 

Istri‑­Phabit‑K­hand ‑ on the nature of women.

 

 

The copies of Bhrigu Samhira that I have seen were very different from each other. In some cases they contained thousands of natal charts and life-readings obviously based on the Surya-Lagna by using the Sun as the Ascendant. In some other cases they were based on either the natal Ascendant or the Horary-Ascendant.

 

One of the Bhrigu Sastris in Hoshiarpur, Punjab told me that 98% of the horoscopes and life-readings available at his place were found and identified by using a Prasna-Kundali or horary-chart for the time of arrival of the person.

 

Then there is an edition called “Bhrigu Samhita Paddhati” containing the detailed predictions of all the 1296 different combinations (12 x 12 x 9) of the 9 planets in the 12 houses and 12 signs.

 

Another edition called “Sri Bhrigu Samhita Mahashastram” seemed like a kind of compendium of traditional Hindu astrology dealing with the usual astrological textbook-material like Graha-phalam, planets in the 12 houses, Graha-dristi, planetary aspects, Gochara-phalam, transits of planets, Dasa-Bhukti-phalam, about planetary periods and sub-periods and finally Nasta-Jatakam, an ancient method of finding out the year, month, day and time of birth from the Horary-Chart in case of unknown birth-details.

 

Together with a huge number of natal charts and life-readings this edition also contained the following legend about the origin of Bhrigu Samhita:  

 

 

The legend of Sage Bhrigu

 

Many thousands of years ago the Lord of the universe and God of the three Lokas, Lord Sri Vishnu Narayana was having a sleep on the bed of the Cobra. The Goddess Lakshmi was respectfully nursing his feet.

 

At the very same time, the Maharishi Bhrigu presented himself to the Vaykunth Loka at the entrance.

 

Two Doorkeepers – Jai and Vijay - were standing at the entrance to the Vaykunth Loka. First, they welcomed Bhrigu Rishi, but then they told him to wait and not to enter right away, since Lord Sri Vishnu was sleeping.

 

Not being allowed entrance to Lord Sri Vishnu Narayana, the Maharishi Bhrigu got very angry and said to Jai and Vijay: "By stopping the Maharishi Bhrigu you have insulted the most great Brahmin soul. Due to that you can get a curse, which will force you to be reborn on the Earth at least three times."

 

While listening to this threat from Maharishi Bhrigu, Jai and Vijay both bended down their heads and were very silent. Now the Bhrigu Rishi could enter the door without anybody stopping him.

 

The Maharishi Bhrigu then entered the place where Lord Sri Vishnu Narayana was sleeping with Goddess Lakshmi at his feet. When Bhrigu Rishi saw this, he became full of anger, because he thought that Lord Vishnu was not really sleeping, but only pretending to sleep just to insult him.

 

This was the time, when the Maharishi Bhrigu with his right leg kicked the chest of Lord Sri Vishnu. When he was hit Lord Vishnu opened his eyes and stood up.

 

Lord Vishnu was astonished to see the Bhrigu Rishi standing there. So he bended down his head, folded his hands, and said to Bhrigu Rishi: "My Lord, my chest is the strongest thing in the world, like a mountain, but your feet are so soft. Maybe you got hurt while kicking me. So please forgive me for that."

 

While listening to the words of Lord Vishnu, the Bhrigu Rishi got very calm and felt very guilty, and he asked the God please to forgive him.

 

As all this happened, Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth, got very angry, and she said to Maharishi Bhrigu: "By behaving this badly towards my husband, you have insulted me. Therefore I now give a curse, so that you and your fellow Brahmins will always live in poverty begging for your living. I will never come to your home."

 

After listening to this the Bhrigu Rishi said: "Poverty Lakshmi! Whatever crime I did was in anger, and I have already asked the Lord Sri Vishnu to forgive me. By not thinking very nicely, you have now given this curse to me and my fellow Brahmins. But anyway, what has happened has happened. I will now write a Jyotish Grantha, from which the Brahmins can predict all about the past, present and future of every person in the world. They will get good knowledge as well as good earnings from this. They will be able to earn their livelihood. And this way you have got to come to their home anyhow!"

 

Having said this Maharishi Bhrigu went back to his ashram, and wrote his book known as "Bhrigu Samhita" which contains the life-stories of the past, present and future of all the people in the world on the basis of their Janma-kundalies.

 

First of all, Bhrigu Rishi taught the principles of this Grantha to his own son and disciple Shukra. And from the lips of Shukra it was little by little distributed to the Brahmins all over the world.

 

On the basis of this the Brahmins have predicted about the past, present and future, and made a living from that. This is the story about the Bhrigu Samhita.