Home | Shani Dev | Index to Shani

Previous | Next

The representative of Guru (Jupiter) was a very jovial and intelligent man. After Budh's Pandit sat down after delivering his speech, he got up and started - "O Highness, One main reason of Guru's greatness over Budh is that Budh is two-faced - a true politician. He gives auspicious results when he conjoins with benefic planets; but when he joins malefic planets, he himself becomes malefic. Thus he is not reliable. He is like him in whose company he is. Guru is far more superior in this respect. He is the greatest benefic planet among all the nine planets; and acts as a malefic only under unusual circumstances. He is the Guru of Devtaa, Indra and other celestials respects him, obey him, and follow his counsel. Those who worship Jupiter regularly and sincerely can achieve their all kinds of desires. His wisdom is extraordinarily profound.

He is fond of sweets and he wears yellow clothes and yellow flowers. He is well-versed all all Ved and expert in all forms of human knowledge. He possesses all virtues, is modest, forgiving and happy. His mind and senses are disciplined. His metal is gold and gem is topaz. He is the Lord of fat in the body, North-east direction, Thursday, and of the constellations (Dhanu (Sagittarius) and Meen (Pisces). He is the Guru of immortals, the Lord of speech and is worthy of worship.

He is the son of Angiraa (Brahmaa's one of 10 brain children.[6] How Angiraa was born? He has a strange story of his birth. Once Brahmaa Jee grew passionate for some Apsaraa and lost his seed. He put it into fire and from that fire these 10 children were born. Angiraa was born directly from live coals that is why he is called Angiraa (Angaaraa). [4]  It was this Angiraa's curse to Punjikaasthalee Apsaraa that mighty Hanumaan was born to her.

Angiraa's wife's name was Shraddhaa (one of the nine daughters of Kardam Rishi) and they had 8 sons including Brihaspati. Some call Brihaspati the son of Fire because he was born form Agni Dev (Fire god) and is incarnation of Fire. Brihaspati did severe Tap for Shiv Jee and got the position of the Guru (teacher) of celestials and a planet from him. Since then he got busy in advancing the plans of Devtaas.

Shukraachaarya's Curse on Asuras

Once Shukraachaarya Jee, Guru of Asur, went to Himaalaya to worship Shiv Jee. He worshipped him for 1,000 years to get a method by which he could destroy Devtaas. While he was busy in worshipping Shiv, Indra sent his daughter Jayantee to obtain this method by deceit. She stayed with Shukraachaarya Jee for many years as his disciple. At last he succeeded in getting that method from Shiv Jee. So he decided to return to Asur, that Jayantee requested him to marry her. Since he knew her very well, he could not refuse her request. So he agreed for it for 10 years. During this period both remained invisible to the world.

Dev Guru Brihaspati took the full advantage of this opportunity. He disguised himself as Shukraachaarya and went to the Asur. Knowing him as their Guru, they heartily welcomed him after his long Tap. During these 10 years Brihaspati taught them in such a way that he became successful in removing hatred from their hearts.

At the end of the 10 years, Shukraachaarya sent Jayantee back and came back to the Asur. When Asur saw two Shukraachaarya, they got confused. In this confusion they declared Brihaspati the real Shukraachaarya (he was the one who was teaching them for the last 10 years). Real Shukraachaarya got very angry at this and gave them Shaap that they would soon be destroyed. After a while Brihaspati came back to his home - Swarg Lok. Now Asur had no Guru, so they were like the sheep without shepherd. They again went to real Shukraachaarya and asked his forgiveness. Shukraachaarya did forgive them but the effect of his Shaap still remained on them and for many years they were not able to threaten Devtaa.

Brihaspati is Angry With Devtaa

On another occasion, Indra did not respect his Guru Brihaspati properly. Once Indra was sitting in his court and was enjoying dance that Dev Guru Brihaspati Jee came there. Indra did not pay any attention to him and he left the court. As he left the court, Indra remembered that he had made a mistake, so he went to look for him, but Brihaspati had left his place and could not be found anywhere. Seeing this a good opportunity, Shukraachaarya and Asur attacked Devtaa. Devtaa got defeated and severely wounded. They went to Brahmaa Jee. Brahmaa Jee told them that before Asur had insulted their Guru, that is why they were weak; now Indra has insulted his Guru, that is why Devtaa were defeated. So now they have to please him to get victory over Asur. He asked them to go to find a Guru for themselves.

So Indra went to Twashtaa but Twashtaa refused to be their Guru. Then he approached Vishwaroop, the son of celestial architect Vishwakarmaa and his wife Rachanaa (Rachanaa was an Asur), to be their Guru. He agreed to be their Guru. Vishwaroop had three heads - one each for Som Ras, liquor and food. When he did any Yagya he secretly used to offer Aahuti (offerings) for the prosperity of Asur also. Once Indra discovered this and he killed him by cutting his all the three heads which became birds.

Now since Vishwaroop was Devtaa's Guru, Indra got attached to this Mahaa Paap (great sin) of killing his Guru. When Twashtaa heard about the killing of his son he got very angry and he produced a Krityaa to kill Indra. Indra went to Brahmaa Jee to ask the way to kill Vritraasur. He suggested him to go to Maharshi Dadheechi to get his bones and get made a Vajra (thunderbolt) out of those bones. Indra went to Dadheechi, got his bones and got made Vajra out of them, then only he could kill Vritraasur. (read all this here at Vritraasur)

Since Vritraasur was the son of a seer, his killing was yet another sin attached to Indra. He immediately hid himself in a lotus stem blooming in a remote pond to save himself from this sin. He stayed there for a 1,000 years. Finally Indra got succeeded to get Brihaspati as their Guru and the things improved.

No other planet is like Brihaspati, I bow to him. He can destroy all enemies when pleased sincerely, but if displeased, he can destroy all prosperity."