Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c22.9

c22.9

The vaṃśa of the Bhārgavas is set out in Vāyu 65, 72–96, Brahmāṇḍa iii, 1, 73–100 and Matsya 195, 11–46. The first two give the best genealogical account; the third is fullest as regards names and gotras. Brief accounts are also found in the Mahābhārata.⁷ The Vāyu and Brahmāṇḍa texts collated are treated here as the genealogy. It shows that real tradition has been mixed up with mythology, Uśanas-Śukra is identified with the planet Venus, and among Bhṛgu's offspring are included gods and semi-divine personages. The Matsya account says Bhṛgu married Puloman's daughter Divyā, and by her the twelve Bhṛgu gods,⁸ Cyavana and Apnavāna; Apnavāna's son was Aurva and his son was Jamadagni. The best Mahābhārata account⁹ says Bhṛgu had two sons, Śukra-Kavi-Graha¹⁰ who was guru of the Daityas and gods (sura), and Cyavana; Cyavana married Manu's daughter Āruṣī and had a son Aurva; Aurva's son was Ṛcīka, who had a hundred sons, the eldest of whom was Jamadagni; and Jamadagni had four sons of whom Rāma was the youngest. The other Mahābhārata passages will be considered separately.