Sukracharya was the son of Maharishi Bhrigu and Kavyamata.
- According to Devi-Bhagavata purana, Sukracharya was very bright as a child and he went to study Vedas under the Rishi Angirasa, but he was disturbed by his Guru Angirasa’s favouritism for his own son Brihaspati.
- So, he later went to study under Rishi Gautama.
- Sukracharya did years of penance for Shiva and obtained the Sanjeevani mantra ( a formula that revived the dead ). Later, Sukracharya married Urjaswathi.
- It is believed that when Sukracharya was far away from his Ashram, doing tapasya for Shiva, at that time Lord Indra and few devas attack Sukracharya’s ashram. Since, few asuras fearing the Devas took shelter in the ashram. Sukracharya’s mother Kavyamata gives protection to the asuras with her Yogic powers and Lord Indra could not defeat her. So, Indra requests Lord Vishnu to help him, and Lord Vishnu comes to his rescue and thereby beheads Kavyamata with His Sudarshan Chakra.
- Seeing this, Rishi Bhrigu curses Vishnu saying that “ Hey Vishnu ! by killing a woman, you have breached Dharma, I hereby curse you to take seven births as a Human”. Later, Rishi Bhrigu breathes life into his wife Kavyamata.
- During this period, Brihaspati became the Guru of the Devas.
- Due to the hatred Sukracharya had developed towards Lord Vishnu (and even Indra for being one of the reason) for beheading his mother, he decided to become Guru to asuras and not to the Devas. He revived many asuras from death with his Sanjeevani’s knowledge.