Anasuya (IAST: Anusūyā, अनसूया "free from envy and jealousy"), also known as Anusuya, was wife of an ancient Indian rishi (sage) named Atri, in Hindu mythology. In Ramayana, she appears living with her husband in a small hermitage in the southern periphery of the forest of Chitrakuta. She was very pious and always practiced austerities and devotion. This allowed her to attain miraculous powers.
When Sita and Rama visited her during their exile, Anusuya was very attentive to them and gave Sita an ointment which could maintain her beauty forever. She was mother of Dattatreya, the sage-avatar of Trimurti Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, the irascible sage Durvasa, avatar of Shiva and Chandraatri, avatar of Brahma. She is also mother of Chandra Dev Moon. She was daughter of Sage Kardama and his wife Devahuti. Sage Kapila was her brother and teacher. She is extolled as Sati Anusuya – Anusuya, the chaste wife.
Sage Narada
praised Anusuya in his hymns and verses, making the wives of Brahma,
Vishnu and Shiva jealous. They requested their husbands go and tempt her
away from her husband, breaking her pativrata. The Divine Trinity went
to Anusuya as guests when Atri
was not at home and asked her to serve them lunch in the nude. She
agreed, but first splashed them each with enchanted water, turning them
into small children. The three goddesses waited for their husbands to
return and when they didn't, travelled to Anusuya’s cottage to find them
transformed. The Goddesses repented and at request of Anusuya, the
three Gods agreed to be born as her sons. According to one version, the
gods merged turning into Anasuya's three headed son Dattatreya.
A Brahmin named Kaushik from Pratishthan used to visit a prostitute, in spite of being a Brahmin and having a devoted wife. When he later became infected with leprosy,
the prostitute stopped seeing him, forcing him to return to his wife
who still cared for him. He still longed for the affections of the
prostitute and one day asked his wife to take him to her. In that town,
sage Mandavya
had been impaled in lieu of a criminal and was lying on a spike in the
forest. While being led by his wife through the deep forest at night,
Kaushik happened to trip on the sage, who cursed him to death before the
next sunrise. To stop the curse, Kaushik's wife stopped the sunrise
with the power of her love, creating havoc in the heavens. The gods went
to Brahma
for help, who in turn went to Anasuya, asking her to convince Kaushik's
wife to allow the sunrise. Anasuya not only convinced Kaushik's wife to
allow the sun to rise, but also brought Kaushik back to life after the
curse had run its course. Brahma was very happy with Anusuya and was
then born to her as Chandraatri.
Some time later, Rahu masked Sun, cloaking the whole world in darkness. Atri, with powers granted by many years of austerity, wrested Sun out of Rahu's hands, restoring light to the world. The Gods were pleased and Shiva and Vishnu were born to Atri and Anusuya as Durvasa and Dattatreya.
According to another legend, Atri performed a great tapascharya on Kula Mountain that set the whole world on fire. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva were impressed with him and granted him a boon. Atri asked them to be born as his children. In Brahma Purana, Atri asked for three sons and one daughter, Shubhatreyi.
Sati Anusuya ashram is in Chitrakoot, Madhya Pradesh, 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 three incarnations of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva), lived and are said to have meditated.
Valmiki describes in the epic Ramayana that 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.[3]
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.
POSTED BY :VIPUL KOUL
When Sita and Rama visited her during their exile, Anusuya was very attentive to them and gave Sita an ointment which could maintain her beauty forever. She was mother of Dattatreya, the sage-avatar of Trimurti Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, the irascible sage Durvasa, avatar of Shiva and Chandraatri, avatar of Brahma. She is also mother of Chandra Dev Moon. She was daughter of Sage Kardama and his wife Devahuti. Sage Kapila was her brother and teacher. She is extolled as Sati Anusuya – Anusuya, the chaste wife.
Stories Of Anusuya and Atri
The story of Anusuya's family is mentioned in Bhagavata Purana Skanda III. Sage Kardama married Devahuti, daughter of Swayambhu Manu and had one son avatar Kapila and nine daughters, including Anusuya, who married various SaptarishisThe Divine Trinity Tests Anasuya
Anasuya feeding the Hindu Trinity
Some time later, Rahu masked Sun, cloaking the whole world in darkness. Atri, with powers granted by many years of austerity, wrested Sun out of Rahu's hands, restoring light to the world. The Gods were pleased and Shiva and Vishnu were born to Atri and Anusuya as Durvasa and Dattatreya.
According to another legend, Atri performed a great tapascharya on Kula Mountain that set the whole world on fire. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva were impressed with him and granted him a boon. Atri asked them to be born as his children. In Brahma Purana, Atri asked for three sons and one daughter, Shubhatreyi.
Sati Anusuya Ashrama
View of Mandakini River at Anusuya Ashrama
Valmiki describes in the epic Ramayana that 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.[3]
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.
POSTED BY :VIPUL KOUL
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