A famous sage who belonged to the Bhargava dynasty.
Antecedents: Vishnu – Brahma – Bhrigu – Chyavana
Bhrigu was born to Brahma at Varuna’s brahmayajna.
Puloma was the wife of the sage Bhrigu. Once, when she was pregnant, Bhrigu left Puloma at the ashram, while he went for a bath, and asked Agni to guard her. Meanwhile, there was a rakshasa, also by name Puloma, who had earlier been infatuated with the sage’s wife. After Bhrigu married her, the rakshasa had been searching for her. He finally found her in the ashram, guarded by Agni. He said,
“Agnideva, please give an unbiased answer to my question. I married Puloma first, after which her father gave her to Bhrigu. Which one of us does she rightfully belong to?”
Though Agni was afraid of Bhrigu, he replied thus, “Bhrigu has indeed marreid her, but the marriage was not done rightfully with mantras”
On hearing this, the rakshasa took the form of a pig and carried Puloma away. On the way, Puloma’s child fell from the womb. Since the child was born due to movement (chayavanam), he was called Chyavana. (who later became a renowned sage) The rakshasa saw the radiant child and ran away. Puloma returned to the ashram with the child, weeping. From her tears sprang the river Vadhusara. At the ashram, an angry Bhrigu asked her who had told the rakshasa that she was his wife. Puloma told him all that had happened. Bhrigu was furious at Agni and cursed him to become all-consuming as per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapters 5,6.
Chyavana began meditating at a very young age. Because of his still posture, a termite hill grew around him and around that shrubbery. Birds built nests there but Chyavana was oblivious to all this. Once the king Sharyati arrived there with his wives and daughter Sukanya. The king and queens started enjoying themselves in the lake nearby, while Sukanya wandered away with a few maids. They reached the place where Chyavana was meditating and Sukanya saw something glimmering in the mound. She took a stick and started poking at the mound to find out what was inside. The sage became conscious of this and asked the girl to let him meditate in peace. Sukanya was irritated that the sage should speak this way to the king’s daughter. Out of spite, she blinded the sage using the stick, and left the place. The sage was in a lot of pain, and was angry too, but was patient enough not to curse the princess. But soon after, bad omens started appearing all over the kingdom, and people started suffering from diseases. They complained to the king, who was trying to understand what was going wrong. Soon he began to wonder if someone had harmed the great sage who meditated in the garden in his kingdom. Though the king continued his investigation he didn’t manage to find anything. Finally, seeing her father and the kingdom in trouble, Sukanya told her father what had happened, though she claimed it was an accident. The king rushed to the garden, prostrated in front of the sage, and begged for his forgiveness. The sage agreed, provided Sukanya was given to him in marriage. The king was now in a fix because he didn’t want his daughter married off to the old sage, but Sukanya told him that she was fine with marrying the sage. Thus Chyavana was married to Sukanya as per Devibhagavata Saptamaskanda.
Sukanya served her husband well and ensured that all his needs were taken care of. Once, the Ashwinis happened to visit the area, and saw Sukanya returning from the lake after her bath. They were dazzled by her beauty, and asked her who she was and what she was doing in the jungle. Sukanya told them that she was Sharyati’s daughter and had become Chyavana’s wife due to certain events. She said that she lived with the old sage in the hermitage nearby. She also invited them to the hermitage. The Ashwinis, on hearing this, said that she was worthy of a husband better than Chyavana, and she could marry either of them. Sukanya didn’t like this, and told them that she would curse them if they continued in this vein. The Ashwinis were taken aback at her reaction and said she could ask them any boon she wished for. They said that since they were physicians, they could restore her husband’s eyesight, and make him as handsome as they were, but on one condition. The condition was that they would transform Chyavana to make him look exactly like them, and she would have to choose from the three of them who her husband would be. They asked Sukanya to decide. She was glad for her husband, but uncomfortable about the condition. She rushed to the hermitage, apprised her husband of the events, and asked him what she should do. Chyavana asked her not to worry further and to bring the Ashwinis to the hermitage. She did that, and the Ashwinis first asked Chyavana to take a bath in the lake. When he dipped into the water, the Ashwinis did so too, and when they resurfaced, all three of them looked the same. A voice asked Sukanya to choose. She started praying to the gods and a devi gave her the power to identify her husband. As per Devibhagavata Saptamaskanda, the Ashwinis were pleased with her devotion and blessed her.
Chyavana was thankful to the Ashwinis, and asked them to name a boon. They said that Indra had forbidden them from consuming soma for no reason at a yaga conducted by Brahma. They said that if he could, Chyavana should get them back the right to drink soma. Chyavana agreed and began a yajna. All the devas arrived, looking for offerings. The Ashwinis were there too, much to the displeasure of Indra. He kept berating them until the time came for drinking soma. Chyavana offered it to the Ashwinis too, but Indra stopped him and said the Ashwinis were not allowed to drink it. An argument began an Indra raised his vajra at Chyavana, but one look from the sage and he was immobilised. From the fire rose an asura named Madana and Indra could not even run. He started praying to Brihaspati who advised him to seek refuge with Chyavana himself. Indra bowed before the sage who was pleased and split up Madana into 4 parts – he put one part each in hunting, alcohol consumption, gambling and women. The Devas, along with the Ashwinis returned to devaloka as per Devibhagavata Saptamaskanda, Rigveda Mandala 1 Anuvaka 17 Sukta 116, Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 123.
Parashurama once spent some time in Chyavana’s hermitage when Bhrigu was also visiting, and they both blessed Parashurama and advised him to pray to Shiva. Parashurama set out for Kailash as per Brahmandapurana Chapter 62. Chyavana had a son named Pramati, who fathered Ruru and was the grandfather of Shunaka as per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 5.
Chyavana married Manu’s son Aarushi and their son Ourva was born by splitting his mother’s thigh. Ourva – Richika – Jamadagni – Parashurama as per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 66. Astika learned Sangaveda at Chyavana’s hermitage as per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 48. According to Mahabharata Shantiparva Chapter 37 verse 11, Chyavana was Bhishma’s guru. Once Yuvanshwa approached Chyavana and asked for help in getting an heir. By accident, he drank the water meant to make his queen pregnant and became pregnant himself. The child he delivered was Maandaata as per Maabharata Vanaparva Chapter 126. According to Vanaparva Chapter 11 verse 22, he excelled in Brahma’s court. See Kekaralohita for how the sage went to Patala.
Once Vedasharma, of the Koushika clan, approached Chyavana and told him about his lack of an heir. Chyavana blessed that he would get a son as per Padmapurana Chapter 14. Chyavana’s daughter Sumanas was married to Somasharma as per Padmapurana Chapter 14.