Araṇi (Son of Brahmā)

Araṇi · araṇi, “the fire-churning wood”

Araṇi has other meanings too: see all meanings of Araṇi.

Araṇi Maharshi is one of the sons of Brahmā. When Brahmā began creation, ṛshis came forth from the limbs of his body, and Araṇi was born from the opening of his nose. Sauti tells this to Śaunaka in the Brahma Khaṇḍa of the Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa. He is not the araṇi, the wood used to churn the sacred fire.

Born from Brahmā’s nostril

Sauti gives the ṛshis born from Brahmā‘s limbs, limb by limb. From his right ear came Pulastya, from his left ear Pulaha, from his right eye Atri, from his left eye Kratu, and from the opening of his nose Araṇi Maharshi. From his mouth came Aṅgiras, from his left side Bhṛgu, from his right side Daksha, from his shadow Kardama, from his navel Pañcaśikha, from his chest Voḍhu, from the region of his throat Nārada, from his shoulder Marīci, from his throat Apāntaratama, from his tongue Vasishṭha, from his lower lip Pracetas, who is Varuṇa, and from the two sides of his belly Haṃsa and Yati. Brahmā commanded these sons to do the work of creation.

Source: Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa, Brahma Khaṇḍa, Chapter 8

Among the sons who did not marry

Śaunaka asked which of the maharshis took up the work of creation and which kept unbroken celibacy. Sauti answered that, except for Haṃsa, Yati, Āraṇi, Voḍhu, Pañcaśikha, Apāntaratama, and Sanaka, Sanandana and the others, all the other sons of Brahmā obeyed their father’s command, lived as householders and had offspring.

Source: Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa, Brahma Khaṇḍa, Chapter 12

Sources

• Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa, Brahma Khaṇḍa, Chapters 8, 12