Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c4.3185

c4.3185

2) Birth. Bhṛgu is the son of Brahmā born of Agni at the Brahmayajña conducted by Varuna. The beautiful and virtuous lady Pulomā was the wife of Bhṛgu. Even before Bhṛgu married her she was being loved by the demon Pulomā and her marriage with Bhṛgu embittered him and he waited for an opportunity to kidnap Pulomā. One day when Bhṛgu went to the river for his bath Pulomā entered the āśrama and there he found his love Pulomā being watched over by Agni. Pulomā compelled Agni to tell him the truth whether Bhṛgu had married Pulomā according to the rites enjoined by the scriptures. Agni confessed that it was not so and then Pulomā taking the shape of a hog carried away Pulomā who was then in a stage of advanced pregnancy. On the way the wife of the sage delivered and the babe dropped to the ground. Because the babe was born with a fall (Cyavana) from the womb the boy was named Cyavana. The radiance of the boy burnt the demon into ashes. Pulomā weeping profusely with tears rolling down her cheeks returned to the āśrama. Her tears ran into a river and the river got the name Vadhūsarā Bhṛgu on knowing how all happened cursed Agni saying that Agni would thereafter be an all-round eater. (eating anything and everything). (Chapters 5 and 6, Ādi Parva).