Shukra Navgraha is believed to bring prosperity. This particular planet in astrology is also associated with intuition and creative thought. Certain position of Shukra in one’s horoscope is believed to usher in wealth, prosperity and luck. There is an interesting story in the Puranas that mentions how Shukra got to power to bring prosperity.
The name given to Shukra by his parents, Sage Bhrigu and Puloma, was Kavya. He is also known as Ushanas. But his most popular name is Shukracharya – the guru of Demons or Asuras.
From young age Kavya was obsessed with immortality and to attain it he decided to learn the Sanjivani Vidya, the science to resurrect the dead.
His Guru Gautama said that only Shiva could teach him the Sanjivani Vidya. To attain the mantra he started performing intense austerities. But he was unable to impress Shiva. Finally, he hung himself by the feet over a huge burning fire pit and started meditating on Shiva.
Finally, Shiva relented and appeared before Kavya. He then asked Shiva to teach him the Sanjivani Vidya. Shiva immediately swallowed him. Symbolically, Shiva was suggesting that the only place where Kavya can escape from death and remain in the same physical body was inside Shiva.
But Kavya was not pleased with this act of Shiva and looked ways to escape from the body of Shiva. Finally he came out through the phallic opening.
When an angry Shiva was about punish Kavya for his act, Goddess Parvati stopped him and said that as he emerged from your body, he is your son and you should not punish him.
Shiva then accepted Kavya as his son and taught him the Sanjivani Vidya.
As Kavya appeared from the phallic opening, he got the name Shukra, the divine seed and got the power to usher in prosperity.
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