Cyavana Janana

The Vishṇu Dharmottara Purāṇa tells how the great ṛshi (seer) Cyavana was born. His mother Pulomā, the wife of Bhṛgu Maharshi, was being carried away by a rākshasa when the child fell from her womb. The same chapters tell how Bhṛgu cursed Agni, and how Brahmā softened the curse. The next chapter follows the line of Praheti to Lavaṇāsura, who was slain by Śatrughna.

Puloma’s family and Bhṛgu’s marriage

Praheti was one of the first rākshasa brothers. His son was Puloma, who was famous among the dānavas. Puloma had two daughters, both known in the world: Pulomā and Śacī. Pulomā was given in marriage to Bhṛgu Maharshi. Śacī was given to Indra.

The abduction and the birth of Cyavana

Once Bhṛgu was away from his āśrama. The rākshasa Puloma, a kinsman of her father, came there with evil intent. He wanted to take Pulomā back by force. He saw her sitting near the sacred agnihotra fire, pure and bright. He went straight to Agni and asked, “Is this Bhṛgu’s wife?”

Agni could not speak an untruth before the sacred flame. He said that she was indeed Bhṛgu’s wife. Hearing this, the rākshasa did not hesitate. He seized Pulomā and carried her away.

As the rākshasa fled with her, the child in her womb was born in mid-flight. He fell from his mother’s body in that violent motion. This was a great soul and a tāpasa (a man of tapas) even before birth. The moment he was born, his brilliance fell on the rākshasa Puloma. The rākshasa was turned to ashes by that look alone. The child’s glance was fire.

So the ṛshi was named Cyavana, because he had cyuta (fallen) from the womb.

Pulomā wept as she carried her newborn son. Her tears flowed freely and became a river. That river is known by her name, and it flows from that very spot.

Bhṛgu’s śāpa on Agni

Bhṛgu came back and learned what had happened. Agni had told the rākshasa who Pulomā was, and so the abduction had been possible. Bhṛgu was full of anger at Agni. He gave his śāpa (curse): “O Agni, you told that rākshasa who my wife is. From now on you shall be sarva-bhakshaka. You shall eat everything without difference.”

Agni was deeply hurt. He had spoken the truth, which was his dharma, yet it had brought an evil result. The fire became disturbed and hot with anger in return.

Brahmā saw that this would disturb the work of fire in all the worlds (loka-kārya). He stepped in and spoke gently to Agni: “O Agni, there is no contradiction here. Whatever is first touched and made pure by your flame becomes śuci (pure). After that, when it is pure, you eat it. Both things are true. You purify, and then you consume what is pure. There is no doubt in this.”

In this way Brahmā settled the matter. Agni became sarva-bhakshaka as cursed. Yet fire kept its power to purify: it first makes things pure, and then it consumes them.

The Puloma Vaṃśa

At the end of the chapter Mārkaṇḍeya promises to tell more of the line of Puloma, the Puloma-vaṃśa. He says it will come in the next chapter, which describes the Praheti-vaṃśa and the line that leads down to Lavaṇāsura.

Lavaṇāsura and Śatrughna

Chapter 200 traces the Praheti-vaṃśa. Praheti’s son Puloma, the rākshasa, had a son named Madhu. Bhagavān Śiva was pleased with the tapas of Madhu and his son. He drew a second śūla (spear) out of his own śūla and gave it to Madhu. The śūla then passed down the family line.

This happened in the time of Rāvaṇa’s conquests. Rāvaṇa was conquering the three worlds. Meghanāda, also called Indrajit, was in the middle of a yajña-dīkshā (initiation for a yajña) in the Nikumbhilā cave. The brave Vibhīshaṇa was hiding in the water. Kumbhakarṇa was in his long sleep. At that time Madhu, or his son, carried off the beautiful Kumbhīnasī. She was the daughter of Māli and was related to Rāvaṇa’s line. A son, Lavaṇa, was born to her and to Madhu’s family. This Lavaṇāsura carried the śūla that came from Bhagavān Śiva.

Lavaṇāsura had no wife and no son. He loved destruction (niraya-priya). Every day he seized ten thousand beings, men (purushādas) and other living creatures (prāṇīs), and ate them as his midday meal. With his śūla he had killed Māndhātṛ himself. His terror spread through all the worlds.

Rāma gave the order. Śatrughna, a part (aṃśa) of Vishṇu and the foremost hero in the world, became Lavaṇāsura’s death. He met Lavaṇāsura in battle and slew him. This ended the killing and freed the world from his terror.

Sources

• Vishṇu Dharmottara Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, Chapter 199: Puloma’s family, the abduction, the birth of Cyavana, Bhṛgu’s śāpa on Agni, the Puloma-vaṃśa
• Vishṇu Dharmottara Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, Chapter 200: the Praheti-vaṃśa, Lavaṇāsura and Śatrughna