Varāhamihira

Varāhamihira · varāha-mihira, “the boar and the sun”

Varāhamihira, also called Mihirācārya, is the establisher of jyotisha śāstra. The Pratisarga Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa tells that Bhagavān Sūrya took birth as Mihirācārya in the house of the brāhmaṇa Rudrapaśu at Ujjayinī. Cast adrift at birth and protected by rākshasīs, he came to Laṅkā, mastered jyotisha, took refuge with Vibhīshaṇa and returned to restore it on earth. Later, devoted to Bhagavān Sūrya, he became a disciple of Kṛshṇacaitanya.

His birth and his studies in Laṅkā

Sūta tells that as Bṛhaspati directed, Indra worshipped Bhagavān Sūrya in the month of Mārgaśīrsha. Bhagavān Sūrya, in the form of Pūshā, was pleased, granted darśana and said: “Devas, in Ujjayinī, in the house of Rudrapaśu, I shall take birth under the name Mihirācārya. I shall be the establisher of jyotisha śāstra.”

Under a yoga of Mūla-gaṇḍānta and Abhijit, a boy was born in the house of the brāhmaṇa Rudrapaśu. His father placed the newborn son in a wooden chest and floated it down the river at night. It floated into the ocean, and there the boy was protected by rākshasīs.

He came to Laṅkā and studied jyotisha, all its limbs, jātaka, phalita, mūkapraśna and the others. Then he came to Vibhīshaṇa, bowed to that king of bhaktas and said: “The rākshasīs brought me here; I am in your refuge.” Vibhīshaṇa sent him to the land of his birth, and there he restored the jyotisha that the mlecchas had destroyed.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Pratisarga Parva, Khaṇḍa 4, Chapter 8

With Kṛshṇacaitanya

The learned Varāhamihira, devoted to Bhagavān Sūrya, came to Mahāprabhu Caitanya when Caitanya was twenty-two and became his disciple. At his order he composed many jyotisha works and began to live there.

When the mlecchas had yantras made in all seven purīs, the sevakas of Kṛshṇacaitanya went to the purīs and other places. Varāhamihira went to Ujjayinī. He drew out the mleccha-yantras and made all there Śaivas. Those with him bore on the forehead ash of the funeral pyre, on the neck a rudrāksha garland, and in the mouth the auspicious name “Śiva“.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Pratisarga Parva, Khaṇḍa 4, Chapters 20–21

Sources

• Bhavishya Purāṇa, Pratisarga Parva, Khaṇḍa 4, Chapters 8, 20–21