Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c4.2675

c4.2675

"Bṛhaspati begot the mighty monkey Tāra." In the Ṛgveda, Maṇḍala 1, Anuvāka 19, Sūkta 126, it is mentioned that Bṛhaspati had a daughter named Romaśā. When her husband teased her Romaśā said to her husband : "You please come and feel your hand on my body. Don't think that my organs are small. Though I am hairy like the goats of Gāndhāra, I have got all the organs fully grown." This is the statement in the Ṛgveda. In the Uttara Rāmāyaṇa, it is stated that Bṛhaspati had a Brāhmaṇa son named Kuśadhvaja, and that a daughter named Devavatī was born to Kuśadhvaja. Devavatī was born from his mouth while Kuśadhvaja was engaged in devotional recitation of the Vedas. Sītā was the rebirth of this Devavatī. It is stated in the Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 67, Stanza 69, that Droṇa, the son of Bharadvāja, was born from a portion of Bṛhaspati. Kaca was another son of Bṛhaspati. For full particulars of the story how Devayānī (daughter of Śukra) hankered after Kaca, see 'Kaca'. Mention is made in Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapter 219, Stanza 1, that Bṛhaspati had a wife called Cāndramasī and that she gave birth to six Agnis. In Kampa Rāmāyaṇa, Yuddhakāṇḍa mention is made that Bṛhaspati had a daughter named Sulekhā. Six sons and a daughter were born to Cāndramasī. The six sons were six Agnis (fires) : In sacrifices the burnt offerings and the ghee were the portions meant for the great and mighty fire Śamyu, the son of Bṛhaspati. It is to satisfy this great fire which blazes with numberless pointed tongues, that in sacrifices such as Cāturmāsya, Aśvamedha etc. animals are slaughtered. The daughter of Dharma was the wife of Śamyu. The name of the wonderful being (Śamyu's wife) is Satyā. A son named Dīpti and three daughters were born to Śamyu. The son of Dīpti is Bharadvāja who is the recipient of first portion of Ghee oblated in sacrifice. On all full-moon days offerings of sacrifices are meant for Bharata. Bharata had a son named Bhārata and a daughter named Bhāratī. Bharata the Agni is said to be the son of the Agni who is Prajā-