Sages & Others
Richika
ऋचीक
The Bhargava Who Won a Thousand Horses
Who was Richika?
Richika (ऋचीक): The Bhargava Who Won a Thousand Horses, one of the sages and supporting figures in the Mahabharata. Son of Chyavana and a sage of Bhrigu's line, who asked King Gadhi for his daughter Satyavati and was answered with a bride price of a thousand moon-white horses, each with one black ear.
Quick Facts
| Sanskrit name | ऋचीक |
|---|---|
| Title / Epithet | The Bhargava Who Won a Thousand Horses |
| Faction | Sages & Others |
| Key traits | austere, exacting, far-seeing, forgiving |
| Notable relationships | Husband: Satyavati, Son-in-law: Gadhi, Father: Jamadagni, Grandfather: Parashurama |
| Featured in | 3 stories |
About Richika
Son of Chyavana and a sage of Bhrigu's line, who asked King Gadhi for his daughter Satyavati and was answered with a bride price of a thousand moon-white horses, each with one black ear. He begged them of Varuna, who raised them out of the Ganga at the ford men still call Aswatirtha. He then consecrated two bowls of charu, one charged with brahmana energy for his wife and one with kshatriya energy for her mother, and when the two women traded bowls he saw at once that his own line would now carry the warrior fire.
In Their Words
Thou hast changed the bowls, and with them the fate of two houses.
Richika
Traits
- austere
- exacting
- far-seeing
- forgiving
Story Appearances
Stories Featuring Richika
One further tale on this site names Richika.
Character Arc
- The Thousand HorsesVaruna's herd rising white out of the river
- The Two BowlsBrahma's energy in one, the kshatriya's in the other
- The Grandson ConcededThe terrible power moved one generation down
Key Relationships
- HusbandSatyavati
- Son-in-lawGadhi
- FatherJamadagni
- GrandfatherParashurama
Places in Richika's Story
Drawn from the stories Richika appears in.
Related Characters
Others counted among the Sages & Others.