Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c4.1146
Purāṇic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Purāṇic Literature c4.1146
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6. Ṛgveda, 5th Maṇḍala was composed by Atri. (Ṛgveda Saṃhitā, Preface). 7. Once the Asuras put Atri Maharṣi into the Śatadvāra yantra (a machine of torture with a hundred holes). Ṛgveda, 1st Maṇḍala, 16th Anuvāka, Sūkta 51). 8. Once the Asuras tried to burn Atri alive. (Ṛgveda, 1st Maṇḍala, 16th Anuvāka, Sūkta 112). 9. The Asuras at another time made Atri lie down in a machine with a large number of holes and tried to burn him alive in At that time he prayed to the Aśvins and they liberated him. (Ṛgveda, 1st Maṇḍala, 17th Anuvāka, Sūkta 116). 10. Atri was among the Maharṣis who visited Śrī Rāma, on his return to Ayodhyā after the war with Rāvaṇa. (Uttara Rāmāyaṇa). 11. From the navel lotus of Viṣṇu Brahmā was born, Atri from Brahmā, Soma from Atri, and Purūravas from Soma were born. (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 12).
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12. Atri begot by Anasūyā, Soma, Durvāsas and Dattātreya yogi. (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 12). ATRI II. In the Purāṇas another Atri, the son of Śukrācārya, is also seen (M.B., Ādi Parva, Chapter 65, Verse 27). ATRI III. The term Atri has been used as an epithet of Śiva. (M.B., Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 17, Verse 38). AU. This word means Maheśvara (Śiva). (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 348). AUDAKA. This is the place where Narakāsura with his ten thousand girls was once imprisoned. It is a plateau on the top of Maṇiparvata. Because water was in plenty there the place was called ‘Audaka’. An asura named Nūrū was the keeper of this plateau. (Sabhā Parva, M.B.). AUDḌĀLAKA. A holy place of ancient India. The place got this name because the sage Uddālaka lived there. It is believed that if one bathes in this holy place one will be absolved of all his sins. AUDUMBARA. The King of the state of Udumbara. This king once paid respects to emperor Yudhiṣṭhira and gave him several presents and gifts. (Śloka 12, Chapter 53, Sabhā Parva, M.B.). AUKTHYA. A glorifying prayer in Sāmaveda. (Śloka 36, Chapter 134, Vana Parva, M.B.). AURASĪKA. A country of ancient India. Śrī Kṛṣṇa conquered this land. (Śloka 16, Chapter 11, Droṇa Parva, M.B.). AURVA I. (Ūrva, Ūrūja). A fierce saint of the line of Bhṛgu Maharṣi.
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1) Genealogy. Descending in order from Viṣṇu, Brahmā, Bhṛgu, Cyavana, Aurva. Cyavana Maharṣi married Āruṣī, daughter of Manu. Aurva was her child who was the grandfather of Jamadagni and the great grandfather of Paraśurāma. 2) Birth. The Preceptors of the Bhṛgu dynasty were the hereditary gurus of the Kings of Hehaya. Kṛtavīrya a famous King of the Hehaya and father of Kārtavīryārjuna had his education from a Bhṛgu ṛṣi living in his āśrama. On competing his education the king paid lavishly and the Bhṛgus became rich thereafter. Kṛtavīrya died and his sons did not very much like the Bhārgavas (Bhṛgus) becoming rich by the wealth of their ancestors. Knowing this the Bhṛgus started burying their wealth under the earth. Once a Kṣatriya king forcibly dug out from the house of a Bhṛgu the wealth he had safely buried and from that day onwards the Kṣatriyas and the Bhārgavas became enemies. The Bhṛgus were hunted down by the Kṣatriya kings and the Bhārgavas frightened by this move left their abode and went and hid in caves in mountains far away. Among those who thus fled was Āruṣī, wife of Cyavana. Āruṣī was pregnant at that time and she hid her ‘Garbha’ in her thighs while fleeing. A brahmin woman who saw this went and informed the Kṣatriyas and they immediately went and caught hold of her. Then the thigh broke and a boy came out of it. Because he was born from the thighs the boy was named Aurva. (Ūrū = Thigh and so, born of a thigh). (Chapter 179, Ādi Parva, M.B.).
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3) The effulgence of Aurva. Aurva was born with fiery radiance and the sudden effulgence made the Kṣatriya Kings blind. Frightened they craved for pardon and praised him. They got their eyesight then. 4) Aurva and Baḍavāgni. Aurva bore a deep grudge against the Kṣatriyas who had massacred his forefathers. Aurva started doing rigorous penance and by the force of his austerities the world started to burn. At that stage the Pitṛs appeared before him and persuaded him to withdraw from his penance. Aurva then told them thus: “Pitṛs, while I was lying in the thigh-womb of my mother I heard hideous groans from outside and they were of our mothers when they saw the heads of our fathers being cut off by the swords of the Kṣatriyas. Even from the womb itself I nurtured a fierce hatred towards the Kṣatriyas. No helping hand was raised before the pitiable wails of our mothers”. The Pitṛs were astounded at the firmness of the vow of Aurva and horrified at the thought of what would happen if the penance was continued. They pleaded again to cease his austerities and then submitting to their request Aurva withdrew the fire of his penance and forced it down into the sea. It is now believed that this fire taking the shape of a horse-head is still living underneath the sea vomiting heat at all times. This fire is called Baḍavāgni. More about this can be had under the head Baḍavāgni. (Chapter 180, Ādi Parva, M.B.).
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5) Aurva and the birth of Sagara. Ayodhyā was once ruled by a celebrated King of Ikṣvāku dynasty named Subāhu. He had as his wife Yādavī a good natured and well behaved woman who was a gem among queens. One day Tālajaṅgha a King of the Hehaya line of rulers who was then the King of Māhiṣmatī defeated Subāhu in a battle. Yādavī was then pregnant. Jealous co-wives poisoned her; Yādavī did not die but the poison affected the child in the womb. After the defeat, Subāhu and Yādavī went and stayed with Aurva in his āśrama. For seven years they lived there and then Subāhu died. Grief-stricken Yādavī was about to jump into the funeral pyre and end her life when Aurva stopped her from the act pointing out that she was soon to deliver a child. After a few months she delivered a son and Aurva called him ‘Sagara’ meaning one with ‘gara’ (poison) in him. (Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa, Chapters 16, 17). 6) Aurva and the sister of Garuḍa. Garuḍa, son of Vinatā, had a sister named Sumati. Upamanyu, a sage, wanted to marry her but neither she nor her relatives liked it. Enraged at this the sage cursed Sumati saying that the brahmin who married her would have his head burst. The marriage of Sumati thus remained a problem for her parents. There was a friend of Vinatā, a sannyāsini, living in a forest and to find a escape from the curse Vinatā sent Garuḍa to her. The sannyāsini advised Garuḍa to approach Aurva to find a solution for the problem and Aurva was therefore approached for advice.