Arvāvasu. § 264 (Sabhākriyāp.): II,
4, 105 (a ṛṣi in
the palace of Yudhiṣṭhira).—§ 414 (Yavakrītop.): III,
135, 10704 (Raibhyasya tu sutāv āstām Arvāvasu-Parāvasū)
(hardly the same).—§ 417 (do.): III, 138, 10792, (10800),
10801, 10804, 10809: Deceived by his brother Parāvasu, he
composed the Rahasyaveda of the Sun, etc.—§ 665 (Mokṣadh.):
XII, 208ε, 7592 (°Parāvasū).—§ 717 (Uparicara.): XII,
337ε, 12758 (°Parāvasū).—§ 770 (Ānuśāsan.): XIII, 151ζ,
7108 (°Parāvasū; among the Ṛ. [called] Mānavas).
ARVĀVASU . An ancient Ascetic who had been a lumi-
nary in the Durbar hall of King Yudhiṣṭhira. There
is a story in the Mahābhārata showing the merits of
penance of Arvāvasu. This story was told by the her-
mit Lomaśa to the Pāṇḍavas, when they arrived at the
holy bath Madhugilasamaṅga, during their exile in
the forest. “Long ago two ascetics Raibhya and Bhara-
dvāja had built their hermitages and lived here. A son
named Yavakrīta was born to Bharadvāja. To Raibh-
ya, two sons called Arvāvasu and Parāvasu were born.
Raibhya and his sons were learned men. Bharadvāja and
Yavakrīta became ascetics. Yavakrīta started doing
penance with a view to get the boon of learning com-
ing to him automatically without getting it directly
from Brahmins. When his penance became severe Indra
appeared and told him that the boon he asked for was
an impossibility and tried to dissuade him from his
attempt. Yavakrīta was not willing to give up penance.
Later Indra came in the guise of a Brahmin to the
Banks of the Ganges and began to build a dam with
sand particles. Yavakrīta said that it was an impossible
task. Indra said that the desire of Yavakrīta also was
as impossible as that. Still Yavakrīta did not show any
intention of drawing back. Finally Indra granted him
the boon.
Yavakrīta returned to the hermitage. Full of arrogance
he hankered after the daughter-in-law of Raibhya.
Raibhya plucked a tuft of hair from his head and put
it as oblation in fire and created a giant who killed
Yavakrīta. Bharadvāja felt sad and cursed Raibhya
that he would be killed by his son. Then with Yava-
krīta he jumped into the fire and died.
At that time Bṛhaddyumna, a Brahmin performed a
sacrifice. He invited Arvāvasu and Parāvasu as helpers.
As Parāvasu was going along the forest he saw his father
covered with the hide of a deer and shot at him think-
ing him to be a deer. He stealthily informed the matter
to Arvāvasu. Arvāvasu went to the forest completed the
funeral rites of his father and returned. Parāvasu spread
the rumour everywhere that Arvāvasu had murdered
his father. In the innocence of Arvāvasu, nobody
believed. Everyone avoided him. He became sad and
forlorn and went to the forest and did penance to the
Sun. The Sun appeared before him and blessed him.
He returned and brought Yavakrīta, Bharadvāja and
Raibhya to life again.
All these occurrences happened in this bath called
Madhubilasaṃgama. (Mahābhārata, Araṇya Parva,
Chapters 135, 136, 137, 138).
The report of a conversation between this hermit, and
Śrī Kṛṣṇa who had been on his way to Hastināpura,
is given in the Mahābhārata, Śānti Parva, Chapter 336,
Stanza 7. Arvāvasu also is counted among the hermits
who possessed the Brightness of Brahmā like Rudra.
“Hermit Vasiṣṭha! Now I shall give their names in
order. Yavakrīta, Raibhya, Arvāvasu, Parāvasu, Kak-
ṣīvān, Aurṣija, Bala, Aṅgiras, Ṛṣimedha, Tithisuta,
Kaṇva, these are the Bright hermits, having the bright-
ness of Brahmā, lauded by the world and as bright as
Rudra, Fire and Vasu”. (M.B., Anuśāsana Parva,
Chapter 150, Stanzas 30, 31 & 32).
Arvāvasu did penance to the Sun for getting children.
The Sun-God came down from his way in the sky and
gave him through Aruṇa directions mentioned in the
Kalpa (one of the six Śāstras or Sciences) regarding
Saptamī rituals. Arvāvasu observed them strictly and
as a result he got children and wealth. This story is
given in Bhaviṣya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva).