**The moment had arrived.**
Saunaka Kulapati approached our gathering with the kind of presence that made everyone automatically sit up straighter. This was clearly a man who commanded respect just by existing. *Okay, Sauti,* I told myself, *time to prove you belong in the big leagues.*
As he settled onto his elaborately decorated seat—which was obviously the VIP spot everyone had been saving for him—I could feel the entire energy of the grove shift. The casual storytelling session had just become a formal performance.
"Child," Saunaka said, and his voice had that perfect mix of warmth and authority that immediately made me want to impress him, "your father was quite the storyteller in his day. Lomaharshana read the complete Puranas and the entire Bharata alongside Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa himself."
*Oh great. He's starting with my dad's credentials. No pressure at all.*
"Have you mastered the same texts?" he continued, his eyes studying me with the intensity of someone who could spot a fake from miles away. "Your father used to entertain us with the most fascinating historical accounts and genealogies of the ancient wise men."
*Here we go. Time for the ultimate pop quiz.*
I straightened up and channeled every ounce of confidence I had. "Revered sir, I have indeed studied everything that the great Brahmanas like Vaisampayana learned and recited. I've mastered all the knowledge my father possessed."
*Please let that sound more confident than I feel right now.*
"Excellent!" Saunaka's face lit up with the expression of someone who'd just been promised their favorite type of entertainment. "In that case, I have a specific request. I'd like to hear about the lineage of Bhrigu—you know, my own ancestral line."
*Of course he wants to hear about his own family tree first. This is like being asked to explain someone's ancestry TO them while they fact-check every detail.*
But then I realized—this was actually perfect! The Bhrigu lineage stories were some of my favorites, full of drama, divine intervention, and moral complexity. *I've got this.*
"Absolutely, revered sir!" I said, settling into my storytelling stance. "The race of Bhrigu is one of the most illustrious lineages in existence, honored by Indra himself and all the celestial beings. Allow me to recount their saga properly."
"It all begins," I started, "with the great sage Bhrigu himself, who wasn't born in the usual way. Oh no, Brahma—the Creator himself—produced Bhrigu directly from the sacrificial fire at Varuna's ritual. Talk about a dramatic entrance into existence!"
I could see Saunaka nodding approvingly. *Good start.*
"Bhrigu had a beloved son named Chyavana, who became quite the legendary figure himself. Chyavana had a son called Pramati, who married the celestial dancer Ghritachi—yes, we're talking interdimensional romance here—and their son was Ruru."
"And Ruru," I continued, building momentum, "married Pramadvara and had a son named Sunaka, who was, O Saunaka, your own great ancestor! A man of extraordinary virtue, devoted to spiritual practices, renowned for his wisdom, expert in religious law, and master of the Vedas. Basically, the ideal sage!"
But then Saunaka interrupted with exactly the kind of detailed question I'd been dreading.
"Wait," he said, holding up a hand. "You mentioned that Bhrigu's son was named Chyavana. I'm curious about the etymology. Why exactly was he called 'Chyavana'? What's the story behind that name?"
*Oh no. He wants the deep lore. The obscure backstory details.*
But then I remembered—I actually knew this story! And it was one of the most dramatic tales in the Bhrigu cycle!
"Ah!" I said, grinning. "Now THAT is a story worth telling! Buckle up, everyone, because this involves jealous demons, divine fire as a witness, and one of the most morally complex kidnapping attempts in mythological history!"
*Time to show off my knowledge of the really juicy family drama.*
"So," I began, settling into the tale, "Bhrigu was married to this absolutely beautiful woman named Puloma, whom he loved dearly. She was pregnant with their first child when this story takes place."
"One day, Bhrigu went out to perform his daily ritual ablutions, leaving his pregnant wife alone at home. Which, in mythological terms, is basically asking for trouble."
The sages chuckled knowingly.
"And sure enough, trouble arrived in the form of a Rakshasa—a demon—also named Puloma. Yes, same name as the wife, which makes this story confusing to tell and probably wasn't a coincidence."
"This demon saw Puloma—the woman—and was immediately struck by her beauty. But here's where it gets complicated: he claimed that she had been betrothed to HIM first, before her father gave her to Bhrigu in proper marriage!"
I could see Saunaka leaning forward, completely invested. *Perfect. He's hooked.*
"So the Rakshasa is filled with lust and rage, thinking, 'This is my chance! She was supposed to be mine anyway!' Classic entitled ex-boyfriend behavior, but with supernatural powers."
"He decides to kidnap her, but first—and this is the really interesting part—he wants LEGAL CONFIRMATION that he has the right to do this."
"The demon goes to the sacred fire burning in Bhrigu's home and demands that Agni—the fire god himself—act as a witness and tell him the truth about who Puloma really belongs to!"
"He's literally putting the god of fire on the spot, saying, 'You're the mouth of the gods, you witness everything, so tell me: is this woman rightfully my wife or Bhrigu's?'"
I paused for dramatic effect.
"And poor Agni is caught in the WORST possible position! On one hand, he's the god of truth and can't lie. On the other hand, if he tells the truth, he's basically helping a demon kidnap a pregnant woman. But if he lies, he's violating his fundamental nature AND risking Bhrigu's curse!"
Saunaka was nodding thoughtfully. "Ah yes, the classic conflict between truth-telling and preventing harm. What did Agni decide?"
"Well," I said, "after a lot of internal agonizing, Agni decided to stick with technical truth. He told the Rakshasa: 'Yes, she was betrothed to you first, BUT—and this is a big but—you never actually married her with proper ceremonies. Her father gave her to Bhrigu as a legitimate gift, and Bhrigu married her with full Vedic rites in my presence. So legally, religiously, and morally, she's Bhrigu's wife.'"
"Basically, Agni found the legal loophole that let him tell the truth while still doing the right thing!"
"But wait," said one of the other sages, "if Agni told the truth and confirmed she was Bhrigu's wife, what happened next? Did the Rakshasa just give up?"
I grinned wickedly. "Oh, we're just getting to the good part! See, telling the truth is one thing, but convincing a lustful, rage-filled demon to accept that truth? That's a whole different challenge!"
*Time to build the suspense for the next part of the story.*
"But that, my friends, is where this story takes a turn that involves divine curses, premature births, and the most dramatic name origin you've ever heard!"
Saunaka was looking absolutely delighted. "Excellent! I can see you truly have mastered these family histories. The way you present the moral complexities and divine dilemmas is quite engaging. Please, continue with what happened after Agni's testimony!"
*YES! I passed the first test! The boss approves of my storytelling style!*
I settled back with renewed confidence. This was going to be fun.