Sage Shukracharya

 

Shukracharya was guru of Rakshas. He was son of Brighu Maharshi and Ushana. He was student of Angirasa and Gautama. He married Urjaswathi and had four sons by name Chanda, Amarka, Twaashtra, Dharaatra and a daughter by name Devayani.

Works:

He learnt Mrutha-Sanjeevani Mantra from Lord Shiva. He wrote a book called Shukra Neethi, which is a treatise on Economics and Politics. Planet Shukra (Venus) and ShukraVaar (Friday) ware named after him.

References:

He left his Guru Angiras as his guru was showing favoritism towards his son Brihaspathi. He then went on to study under Gautama Maharshi.  On the advice of Sage Gautama, he did great Tapasya for Lord Shiva and got Mrutha Sanjeevani Mantra as a boon. Using this Mantra (Hymn), the dead can be brought back to life.

 
He accepted to be guru of Asuras as his rival Sage Bruhaspathi was guru of Deva.

Once Sage Shukracharya wanted to stop Raksha king Bali from giving a boon to Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu came to him in disguise of Vamana muni and was trying to help Devas by eliminating the king. Realising this, Shukracharya shrank himself and entered the vase. He lost one of his eyes when Vamana poked the vase to release water.

Sage Bruhaspati asked his son Kacha to learn Sanjivani Mantra from Sukracharya. Kacha went to Sage Shukracharya and joined him as student.  Sukracharya daughter Davayani fell in love with Kacha. Rakshas tried several times to kill Kacha so that the Mantra wouldn’t reach Devas. But every time Kacha was brought to life by Sukracharya using Sanjeevini Mantra at the request of his daughter Devayani. Once they killed Kacha and mixed his ashes in a drink and made Sukracharya to drink it. Now any attempt by Shukracharya to revive Kacha would kill himself. So Sukracharya first brought Kacha to life in his stomach, then taught him the mantra and asked him to revive him once he was out of his stomach. Kacha did exactly what he was told to do and brought his guru back to his life.  But later when Kacha decided to leave his guru and Devayani, he was cursed that he could never use the mantra. However, he could still teach the mantra to others.