Brihaspati

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In Hindu mythology, Brihaspati (also known as Brahmanaspati) is the guru of the Devas and the chief nemesis of Shukracharya, the guru of the Danavas. There are hymns to him in the Rigveda.

One of the mantra by Vishwamitra from Rigveda :

Vŗşabham charşninam vishwarupamdabhyam | Vrihaspatim-varenyam

- O Great Men! We sing the praise of Brihaspati (the preceptor of the Gods) for the joy of learning and for success in all our good actions. He is the most respectable and the greatest. His wishes are inviolable and we gain in (spiritual) strength by following in His footsteps.

Brihaspati is the son of rishi Angirasa and Suroopa according to the Shiva Purana. He has two brothers named Utathya and Samvartana. He has three wives. His first wife Shuba gave birth to Bhanumati, Raaka, Archishmati, Mahamati, Mahishmati, Sinivalli, and Havishmati, his seven daughters. His second wife Tara gives birth to seven sons and a daughter. Through his third wife Mamata, he has two sons, Kacha and Bharadwaja.

He attained his position as the preceptor of the Devas, by performing penances on the banks of Prabhas Tirtha. Lord Shiva granted him this position, as well as his position as one of the Navagrahas (nine planets). The planet Jupiter in Vedic astrology is known as Guru, Brihaspati, Cura and Devaguru. According to traditional Hindu astrology, worship or propitiation of Brihaspati or Guru (Jupiter) results in cure from ailments affecting the stomach and helps ward off sins.

Here the underlined vowels carry the Vedic Sanskrit udātta pitch accent. It is usual to use an acute accent symbol for this purpose.

His name is written in Vedic Sanskrit as Bŗhaspati with two udātta accents, probably representing two words bŗhas pati, with the same meaning as his other name Brahmanas pati: "the lord of prayer"; bŗhas would be genitive of a noun stem bŗh-.