About Atthiri Maharishi
Courtesy: jeevanadi.com
Hinduism owes a lot to its ancient sages. One of the most
powerful saints in Hindu mythology is Atri maharishi. Now we are going
to tell you about Atri maharishi's life history and his concert, mata or
mother Anusuya and their power and participation in creating the whole
world.
They have written palm leaves which are of totally different nature.
Atri maharishi's one of the seven sons (Vasistha, Bharadvaja, Jamadagni,
Gautama, Atri, Visvamitra, and Agastya,) of creater Brahma. He is the
ancestor of some Brahmin and Vaishya communities, who adopt Atri as
their gothra. His name means the possessor of Sat (pure), Raja (medium)
and Tama (dark) qualities. Atri maharishi did great tapas on the Para Brahma, the fire / heat of the tapas became unbearable to the whole world, and Lord Brahma had to accept it and gave it a form of a man. He also granted a boon to sage Atri. The boon was that at the right time a son would be born to him. As he continued the tapas, the Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva (Rudra) appeared before the sage. To his question, they replied that they were all equal with different roles and pleased with his great penance they promised to be born as his children. Soma is called Chandratreya or Chandratre, and Durvasa is Krishnatreya or Krishnatre.
Somatreya (Chandra) established the Someshwara Jyotirlinga, used to overcome all kinds of passion. Soma, as the incarnation of Brahma, has the power to cause any species to continue survival. Soma (Chandra) and Furvasa gave their powers to Datta (Amsa of Vishnu) and went for Tapas etc. Datta, or Dattatreya as he prefers to be known thus carries all the powers and attributes of the Trinity and thus the Nirguna Para Brahma Tatwa and became a Guru and continues even now. Sage Atri is the first among the Sapta Rishi (seven luminous or eternal sages in the sky) symbolized by the great bear (Ursa Major) and the seven stars around it.
The Power of Sage Atri Maharishi:
(i) Once when he was in need of some money, he approached Prithu Chakravarthy for help. Prithu agreed to help the rishi but, in turn requested him to help with the Aswamedha Yaga that he was taking up. He asked sage Atri to help his son who was appointed as guardian for the yaga aswa. Indra wanted to cause interruption to the yaga presumably to prevent Prithu from getting more powerful. So, he came disguised and stole the yaga aswa and was carrying it away in the sky. Prithu's son asked sage Atri whether he should kill him with his arrows. Sage Atri saw what Indra was doing and wanted to teach him a lesson and so advised that whoever is causing obstacles to the yaga deserves punishment and killing that person or injuring him is allowed by dharma. He indicated that the person was none other than Indra but no one is above dharma.So, the son of Prithu shot an arrow at Indra and Indra was badly hurt. Indra left the horse but again stole it and became invisible. Atri made Indra visible by absorbing Indra's powers (like a black body absorbs radiation) and Prithu's son punished him again! The yaga was completed successfully and the emperor praised Atri to the sky. Sage Gautama, who was present (and is a very great sage himself) felt jealous (or pretended to be so!) and when sage Atri returned the compliments to Emperor Prithu praising him as Chandra and Indra, sage Gautama objected saying that it is against dharma. Atri maharishi responded that he did not do anything wrong and asked the assembly to pass their ruling on this tricky matter.
The assembly of learned sages could not decide and they in turn submitted the question to Sanatkumara, another manasa putra of Brahma. He confirmed that since a king of emperor cannot become so without an amsa of Vishnu in him. Atri did not err in equating the king to Indra. All sages including Gautama accepted this ruling. It is quite probable that sage Gautama wanted to bring out the subtleties of dharma through this incident and of course it is possible for the greatest soul also to momentarily succumb to the internal enemies. For us, the morals of the story are important.
(ii) Once upon a time, there was a fierce war between devas and danavas (it is a never ending war in our own mind) and Surya and Chandra lost their tejas (effulgence, energy) due to Rahu and Ketu. They approached sage Atri and prayed for his help. He restored their energies so that they can carry out their duties. He also gave them a boon that in future, they would not be adversely affected (except during the brief periods of eclipse/grahanam). It just shows the enormous powers that sage Atri had because of his tapas. Let us bow to Him and request His help in regaining our own glory and realize our true nature.
(iii) Atri Maharishi had a close connection with Mahabharatha. Drona was made the head of the Kaurava army after Bhisma's fall. Dronacharya fought ferociously and the number of wounded and the dead soldiers was thousands. Their cry of pain rented the skies, blood flowed on the battle field. Dead bodies got piled up and provided a feast for the birds of prey. In this carnage which went beyond all human estimation, Drona stood like a mad hero of demonic proportion. Sage Atri was very much worried of this because if Drona continued this he would cause destruction and human misery beyond hellish proportions.
Atri came to the battle field along with six of his companions. It was at this time Dharmaraya had shouted at the instance of Sri Krishna saying that Ashwathama was killed and this put Drona off completely. He lost all hope in his life. He became mad with anger and this sent shock wave all around. Sage Atri felt sad for him and talked to him in a friendly manner consoling him, "Dear friend, all along you have done everything against Dharma. This war you are engaged in is the best proof. It is enough now and should be stopped. Stop this carnage. You are a good man. This act is not in tune with your status. You are a scholar of Vedanta par excellence.
You have been a Brahman and you have got to practice dhrama. This cruel act does not befit you. Give up your weapons; fix your mind in our glorious Sanathana Dharma. I am sorry that you have wielded the most terrible brahmastra". Then Dronachariya decided to give up his arms and stop killing. He drove away his anger jealousy and sense of revenge and his heart became pure. He sat in a yogic posture and started to meditate amidst the cries of pain, killing, and flow of blood on the battle field. What a great change!! He concentrated on lord Vishnu and closed his eyes and never opened them again. He then left his body and started his journey towards the lord. If Atri had not come Drona would have destroyed the battle field. Hence age Atri's kind nature helped to save many men.
(iv) Sri Rama, the son of Dasaratha, visited Atri Maharishi's Ashram during his fourteen years of stay in the forest. It was Atri who showed the way to Dandakaranya after showering his hospitality on him. At his suggestion, Sita requested and learnt the innermost secrets of Pativarata Dharma from Anasuya mata. It is not that Sita was not aware of them but in an avatar, the Divine behave as if they are normal people and especially in Ramayana, Sri Rama and Sri Sita showed that it is entirely possible to be divine and yet lead a normal life as per the human values. Let us bow to Sri Sita, Sri Rama, Sri Lakshmana, Sage Atri and Anasuya Mata.
(v) Attri Maharishi is considered to be one of the great discoverers of sacred Mantras of Hinduism. In his family line, there were a few other seers of mantras namely: Shaavaashva, Avishtir, and Purvaatithi. There were also other great Rishis in that line: Mudgala, Uddaalaki, Shaakalaayani, chaandogya, etc. Rahu had masked the Sun and whole Earth was in the dark. Then Atri got the Sun out of Rahu's hands and lighted the Earth. The gods were happy and then Shiva and Vishnu were born as Durvas and Dattatreya to Atri-Anusuya.
Atri and AUM:
He is among the three main seers who propounded the sacred thread (after Brihaspati) which has three strands symbolishing Creation (Brahma and the letter A), sustainability (Vishnu and the letter U) and Dissolution (Shiva {m} and the latter M). Together these three strands show the vow that a Brahmin takes to recite and adhere to Aum. The first of three threads is provided for the Brahma vrata (promise of the Brahmin) and is related to Bhu loka (earth plane). The second set of three threads is given after marriage and is related to the Bhuva loka (solar system) while the third set of three threads Deeksha (initiation) and is related to svarga loka (heavens).The Power of Anusuya Devi:
(i) Sage Narad praised Anusuya very much thereby making the wives of Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva jealous of Anusuya. They requested their husbands to go and break her "pativrata" vrata (being loyal to husband all the time). They went to Anusuya as guests when Atri was not there at home and asked her to serve them food (lunch) without wearing clothes. She agreed and remembering her husband put the water on their converting them to 3 babies. Here the 3 goddesses were waiting for their husbands to come back and eventually arrived at the scene to find that their husbands have been converted to babies. They repented and by the request of Anusuya the three Gods decided to be born as her 3 sons.The spiritual power of Anusuya, which induced jealousy and envy in others. Once, sage Narada poisoned the mind of the three Goddess Saraswati, Laxmi and Parvati by telling them that Anusuya was much greater than them. Incensed by this, they requested their husbands to go and violate Anusuya's Pativrata Vrata. However, the three Gods Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva decided to prove their jealous and envious wives, how wrong they were. They transformed themselves, into mendicants, approached the hermitage of sage Atri and begged for alms. At that time sage Atri was away at the river offering his daily oblations. Anusuya came out and offered food to them. They made a strange request; the food be prepared and served to them by Anusuya, in the nude. In the Indian tradition any 'Aithi' i.e. guest cannot be turned away, as he is considered to be an aspect of God.
Hence, she was placed in a dilemma. She smiled to herself and reflected thus, "I am totally purified by the long association with the Holy Sage Atri. What harm can the God of lust ever do to me? So, I do fear nothing. As they sought food from my hand, I look upon them as my children and not strangers and grown up men!" Her thoughts - the thoughts of a pious and chaste person - instantly became reality; the elderly guests became babies! Sage Atri, on his return to the hermitage, saw his wife Anusuya fondling three babies. Anusuya said, "These children are the gift of God to us, who have been childless so far".
Sage Atri was overjoyed and named them Datta, which means 'given'. At this, the three Gods reverted to their real forms and disclosed the truth. They extolled the power of chastity and purity of Anusuya, which vanquished the combined and colossal powers of all the three of them. Sage Atri and Anusuya prayed that they should remain as their sons. They consented and the three Gods merged into one body. This is how Lord Dattatreya incarnated.
(ii) A brahmin named Kaushik was staying in a town called Pratishthaan. He used to go to a whore in spite of being a Brahmin and having a devoted wife. Later, he suffred from Leprosy and was thrown out by the whore. Then he returned back to his wife who still accepted him. However, he still did not care for the wife, and was thinking about the whore all the time. One day he asked his wife to take him to that whore.
In that town, by mistake the sage Mandavya had been spiked instead of the real thief and he was lying on the spike in the forest. While walking through the deep forest in the night, Kaushik happened to hit his leg by mistake to Mandavya sage who cursed him to death before the sunrise. To stop the curse, Kaushik's wife with her powers stopped the Sunrise which created havoc. Then gods went to Brahma who in turn went to Anusuya and asked her to convince Kaushik's wife to allow the sunrise. She convinced Kaushik's wife and brought back Kaushik to life after the sunrise. Gods were very happy with Anusuya and she had the trio born to her.
(iii) As per description of Valmiki at one time there was no rain in Chitrakuta for ten years. There was a severe famine and nothing was left to eat or drink for animals and birds. Sati Anusuya performed hard and intensive austerities and got the river Mandakini down on earth. This led to the greenery and forests to grow which removed the sufferings of all sages and the animals. Sati Anusuya ashrama at present is a very peaceful place where various streams from the hills converge and form the Mandakini River. It is said that Rama along with Sita had visited this place to meet Maharishi Atri and Sati Anusuya. It is here Sati Anusuya explained to Sita the grandeur and importance of satitva. The dense forests of Dandaka start from this place. It was ruled by Ravana. Ravana had appointed strong rakshasas like Khara and Viradha as its rulers. The place was infected by the terror of rakshasas.
Mata Anusuya Ashram in North India:
Anusuya or Sati Anusuya, in Hindu mythology, was wife of the sage Atri and mother of Dattatreya who is considered by some Hindus (in western India) to be an incarnation of the Divine Trinity Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. Sati Anusuya ashrama is in Chitrakuta, located further upstreams the Mandakini River, 16 km from the town, set amidst thick forests that round to the melody of birdsong all day. It was here that sage Atri, his wife Anusuya and their three sons (who were the three incarnations of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh), lived and are said to have meditated.Sage Atri and Mata Anusuya Ashram in South India:
The both great sages Atri maharishi and Anusuya devi lived together in Suchindram near Kanyakumari located 13 km. from Kanyakumari in Tamilnadu.
அத்திரி மகரிஷி
Courtesy: Dinamalar
Courtesy: Dinamalar
உலகம்
தோன்றிய காலத்திலேயே அவதரித்த ரிஷிகளில் அத்திரியும் ஒருவர். சிருஷ்டி
கர்த்தாவான பிரம்மதேவரின் மானசபுத்திரர் இவர். இவருடைய மனைவி அனுசூயா.
பதிவிரதையான அனுசூயாவால் அத்திரி முனிவருக்கும், அத்திரி முனிவரால்
அனுசூயாவுக்கும் பெருமை. தவசக்தியில் இருவருமே சளைத்தவர்கள் அல்ல. வேத
புராண இதிகாசங்கள் எல்லாவற்றிலும் இத்தம்பதிகள் உயர்வாகப்
பேசப்பட்டுள்ளனர். ராமாயணத்தில் அத்திரி முனிவரின் ஆஸ்ரமத்திற்கே ராமனும்
சீதையும் முதன்முதலில் சென்றனர். சித்திரகூட பர்வதத்திலிருந்து
காட்டிற்குள் சென்ற ராமனும் சீதையும், அத்திரி முனிவர் ஆஸ்ரமத்தில் ஒருநாள்
தங்கினர். அப்போது ராமசீதா தம்பதிகளிடம் அத்திரி முனிவர் தன் மனைவி
அனுசூயாவை காட்டி, ராமா! அனுசூயா கோபம் என்பதையே அறியாதவள். அசூயை என்னும்
சொல்லுக்கு மனதில் சிறிதும் விருப்பம் இல்லாதவள் எனப்பொருள். இவள்
மண்ணுயிர்கள் எல்லாம் போற்றி வணங்கும் பெருமை கொண்டவள். குணவதி, தர்மவதி,
பதிவிரதா தர்மத்தில் தலைசிறந்தவள். தர்மமும் புண்ணியமும் நிறைந்த
அனுசூயாவிடம் ஆசிபெறுவீர்களாக!, என்று சொன்னார். ஒரு சந்தர்ப்பத்தில்
நாட்டில் மழையே பெய்யவில்லை. தொடர்ந்து பத்து ஆண்டுகளாக வறட்சி நிலவியது.
எங்கும் தண்ணீர் பஞ்சம். வாயில்லா ஜீவன்களுக்கு பசும்புல் கூட
கிடைக்கவில்லை. இந்தக் காட்சியைக் கண்ட அனுசூயாவிற்கு உள்ளம் உருகியது.
ஆயிரக்கணக்கான ஆண்டுகளாக தான் செய்த தவசக்தியால் கங்கையை வரவழைத்தாள்.
எல்லா குளங்களையும் நிறைத்தாள். தண்ணீர் பெற்று, பயிர்கள் செழித்து
வளர்ந்தன. எங்கும் பசுமை உண்டானதைக் கண்டு மகிழ்ந்தாள். ஒருமுறை
அனுசூயாவின் தோழியைச் சந்தர்ப்ப வசத்தால் சபித்தார் ஒரு முனிவர். பொழுது
விடிந்தால் நீ விதவையாவாய் என்பதே அந்த சாபம். என்ன செய்ய முடியும்?
அபலையாய் ஓடி வந்து அனுசூயாவிடம் வந்து நின்றாள் அவள். விஷயத்தை சொன்னாள்.
சாபவிமோசனம் என்பது யார் சாபமிட்டார்களோ அவர்களே தரவேண்டியது என்பதை
அறியாதவர்கள் யார்? இருந்தாலும், நட்புக்கு கை கொடுக்க முன்வந்த அனுசூயா
தன் தோழியிடம், விடிந்தால் தானே நீ விதவையாவாய்! விடியலே இல்லாமல் செய்து
விடுகிறேன் என்று ஆறுதல் சொன்னாள்.ஒரு நாள் இருநாள் அல்ல. பத்து நாட்கள் விடியாமல் இரவாகவே கழிந்தது. உலகமே திகைத்தது. தேவர்கள் கூடினர். அனுசூயாவிடம் வேண்டிக் கொண்டனர். மீண்டும் பகல்வேளை வரவேண்டுமானால் என் தோழி சுமங்கலியாக வாழ வேண்டும், என்று நிபந்தனையிட்டாள் அனுசூயா. தேவர்களும் அவ்வாறே வாக்களித்தனர். நினைத்ததைச் சாதித்து தன் தோழியைக் காப்பாற்றினாள். இத்தகைய மகாஉத்தமி அனுசூயாவின் கணவர் அத்தரிமுனிவர் என்ன சாமான்யமானவரா? அவரும் புகழிலும், தவத்திலும் யாருக்கும் இணையில்லாதவர். உலகிற்கே ஒளிதரும் சூரியனுக்கே வாழ்வு தந்த வள்ளல் அத்திரிமுனிவர். ஒருமுறை அசுரர்களில் ஒருவனான ஸ்வர்பானு தன்னைக் காட்டிக் கொடுத்த சூரியதேவன் மீது கோபம் கொண்டான். இவனே கிரகங்களில் நிழல் கிரகங்களான ராகுகேதுவாக மாறினான். தன் பகையைத் தீர்த்துக் கொள்ள எண்ணியவன் சூரியனைக் கிரகணமாகப் பிடித்தான். ராகுவின் பாதிப்புக்கு உள்ளாகி ஒளியை இழந்து நின்ற சூரியனுக்கு மீண்டும் ஒளி கொடுத்து காப்பாற்றியவர் அத்திரி முனிவரே.
சூரியன் காலையில் கிழக்கில் உதிக்கிறான். மாலையில் மறைந்து விடுகிறான். உலகமே சூரியனின் வருகைக்காகக் காத்துக் கிடக்கிறது. இரவுநேரத்தில் வெளிச்சம் இல்லாமல் சிரமப்படுவதை எண்ணி வருந்தினார் அத்திரி. அதற்கு ஒரு முடிவு கட்ட எண்ணினார். ஆழமான சமுத்திரத்தின் அடிப்புறத்தில் போய் அமர்ந்தார். தவத்தில் ஆழ்ந்தார். மனுஷ வருஷங்கள் அல்ல. பல தேவவருஷங்கள் தவத்தைத் தொடர்ந்தார். தவக்கனல் அதிகரித்தது. அவருடைய கண்களில் அபார ஜோதி தோன்றியது. கடல் நீரையும் கிழித்துக் கொண்டு அந்த ஜோதி பூமியையும் விட்டு வேகமாக கிளம்பிச் சென்றது. பூமியை விட்டு நெடுந்தூரம் சென்ற ஜோதியைக் கண்ட படைப்புக் கடவுள் பிரம்மா, அதை அப்படியே நிலை நிறுத்தும்படி திசைகளுக்கு கட்டளையிட்டார். பிரம்மாவே நேரில் வந்து, அந்த ஜோதியைத் தன் தேரில் ஏற்றிக்கொண்டு 21 முறை பூமியை வலம் வந்தார். பிரம்மா செய்த ஏற்பாட்டினை இன்றளவும் அந்த ஜோதி செய்து கொண்டிருக்கிறது. அந்த ஜோதியினைத் தான் இரவில் நிலாவாக வான மண்டலத்தில் காண்கிறோம். இரவி<லும் பூமிக்கு ஒளி தரும் சந்திரனைத் தந்த பெருமை அத்திரி முனிவருடையதே.
யாகம் ஒன்றிற்கு அத்திரி சதுரஹம் என்று பெயர். முதன்முதலில் இந்த யாகத்தைச் செய்தவர் இவர் என்பதால் அவர் பெயராலேயே அழைக்கப்பட்டு வருகிறது. மனதில் எண்ணிய எண்ணங்களுக்கு செயல்வடிவம் தரும் மகத்தான யாகம் இது. இந்த யாகத்தை செய்பவர்கள் வேண்டிய பலனைப் பெற்று வாழ்வர் என்று வேதம் சொல்கிறது. ஆயுர்வேத சாஸ்திரம், ஜோதிடம் போன்ற கலைகளில் அத்திரிமுனிவர் மிகவும் கை தேர்ந்தவர். வைத்திய சாஸ்திரத்தி<லும், ஜோதிட சாஸ்திரத்திலும் இவரின் பங்களிப்பு சிறப்பானதாகும். பிரம்மதேவரின் நகங்களில் இருந்து தோன்றிய விகநஸ மகரிஷி அத்திரியின் மாணவர்.இந்த உலகம் தோன்றிய போதே அவதரித்த இவர், தன் தவவலிமையால் பல்லாயிரம் புத்திரர்களை பெற்றெடுத்தார். அவர்கள் தங்களை ஆத்ரேய கோத்திரம் என்று வழங்குகின்றனர். மழை பெய்ய மறுக்கும் இந்த சமயத்தில், மக்களுக்காக அன்று மழையை வரவழைத்த அத்திரி அனுசூயா தம்பதிகளை நினைவில் இருத்தி பிரார்த்திப்போம்.
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