Among the many sages of Ancient India, there were seven most important sages. They were called the SAPTHA RISHIS meaning the Seven Sages. These Rishis, even to this day shine as a group of stars in the northern part of the night sky. This group of stars is also called as SAPTHARSHI MANDALAM.
The names of these seven rishis are -
Knowing this, their husbands, the Lords of the Universe were thinking of teaching them a lesson and get rid of their arrogance.
Once all the three Godesses were in deep discussion, and saw Sage Narada entering the place.
The Godesses asked Narada, " Hey Narada, you are known as the Triloka Sanchari, you travel in all the Lokas, have you ever seen any other woman who is a better Pathivrathe than us ?" .
Sage Naradha panicked to answer their question and tried to exit the place without giving an answer.
The Goddesses stopped him and told him not to leave the place without answering their question.
Narada fearfully said, ' O mothers of all Universe, I would like to say that there is one particular lady I know by the name of Sathi Anusuya, the wife of Sage Athri Maharashi, I consider her the most dutiful Pathivratha, even more powerful than you mothers. "
Hearing this, the Goddesses became wild and curious and requested their husbands to descend on earth to test Anasuya of her powerful qualities. Hearing their wives, the Lords reluctantly took the form of three brahmin sons and went to the hut where Sati Anasuya lived with Sage Athri.
At that time, Sage Athri was away to do Tapas or Penance and Sati Anasuya was praying to God.
When Sati Anasuya saw the three Brahmins at her door asking for alms, she invited them inside and offered them food and water. The Brahmins who in Real were the Lords of the wanted to test her and asked her to feed them her own milk instead of Cow's milk. Hearing this strange request from the Brahmins, Sati Anasuya was confused and worried because a woman could only feed her milk to her child but not others.
She started thinking and praying, and a voice inside her told her that the Brahmin boys were no others but the Lords themselves, and so she closed her eyes, praying to God and her husband sprinkled on the brahmins holy water and wished they become babies. To her surprise and happiness, the Brahmins became three little babies. Since Anasuya did not have any kids of her own, she thought the Gods blessed her with kids and happily fed them all her milk. Just then Sage Athri entered, and with his all powerful third eye, saw everything that had happened and was very happy to see the babies playing on his wife's lap.
When their husbands did not return for a long time, the Goddesses decided to land on earth and find out what happened to them. When they arrived on earth, they were surprised and worried to see their husbands as babies, and felt ashamed about their arrogance when they realized it is Sati Anasuya's atmost devotion and power that had made even the Lords to become babies. They requested Sati Anasuya to give them back their husbands so that they can go back to their respective abodes.
Sati Anasuya felt blessed to have the Gods as her babies, and requested them to grant her a boon, her own kid who had all the three God's faces. The Gods blessed Sati Anasuya and Sage Athri with a kid, who had three heads. And he was Lord Dattatreya.
The names of these seven rishis are -
- ATHRI
- VASISHTA
- GOWTHAMA
- BHARADWAJA
- VISWAMTHRA
- BRUGHU
- AGHASTHYA
Among these rishis, the rishi Athri, had a wife whose name was Sati ANASUYA. She had all the good qualities of a dutiful wife, she helped her husband whole heartedly in all his work and lead a holy life earning the title MAHA PATHIVRATHA. Because of these good qualities, she was blessed with powerful divine power, and whatever she wished for would come true.
Sri Maha laxmi, the wife of the Lord of Vaikuntam, - Sri Maha Vishnu, Parvathi, the wife of the Lord of Kailasam - Lord Shiva and Saraswathi, the wife of the Lord of Satya Loka, Lord Brahma were of the opinion that no other ladies in any part of universe could beat them in their power or duties towards their husbands as they were the Goddesses who had the power to protect human beings and grant them their wishes.
Knowing this, their husbands, the Lords of the Universe were thinking of teaching them a lesson and get rid of their arrogance.
Once all the three Godesses were in deep discussion, and saw Sage Narada entering the place.
The Godesses asked Narada, " Hey Narada, you are known as the Triloka Sanchari, you travel in all the Lokas, have you ever seen any other woman who is a better Pathivrathe than us ?" .
Sage Naradha panicked to answer their question and tried to exit the place without giving an answer.
The Goddesses stopped him and told him not to leave the place without answering their question.
Narada fearfully said, ' O mothers of all Universe, I would like to say that there is one particular lady I know by the name of Sathi Anusuya, the wife of Sage Athri Maharashi, I consider her the most dutiful Pathivratha, even more powerful than you mothers. "
Hearing this, the Goddesses became wild and curious and requested their husbands to descend on earth to test Anasuya of her powerful qualities. Hearing their wives, the Lords reluctantly took the form of three brahmin sons and went to the hut where Sati Anasuya lived with Sage Athri.
At that time, Sage Athri was away to do Tapas or Penance and Sati Anasuya was praying to God.
When Sati Anasuya saw the three Brahmins at her door asking for alms, she invited them inside and offered them food and water. The Brahmins who in Real were the Lords of the wanted to test her and asked her to feed them her own milk instead of Cow's milk. Hearing this strange request from the Brahmins, Sati Anasuya was confused and worried because a woman could only feed her milk to her child but not others.
She started thinking and praying, and a voice inside her told her that the Brahmin boys were no others but the Lords themselves, and so she closed her eyes, praying to God and her husband sprinkled on the brahmins holy water and wished they become babies. To her surprise and happiness, the Brahmins became three little babies. Since Anasuya did not have any kids of her own, she thought the Gods blessed her with kids and happily fed them all her milk. Just then Sage Athri entered, and with his all powerful third eye, saw everything that had happened and was very happy to see the babies playing on his wife's lap.
When their husbands did not return for a long time, the Goddesses decided to land on earth and find out what happened to them. When they arrived on earth, they were surprised and worried to see their husbands as babies, and felt ashamed about their arrogance when they realized it is Sati Anasuya's atmost devotion and power that had made even the Lords to become babies. They requested Sati Anasuya to give them back their husbands so that they can go back to their respective abodes.
Sati Anasuya felt blessed to have the Gods as her babies, and requested them to grant her a boon, her own kid who had all the three God's faces. The Gods blessed Sati Anasuya and Sage Athri with a kid, who had three heads. And he was Lord Dattatreya.
Hari OM,
ReplyDeleteI have just start to attend Bhagavatham classes and in the class held on 17th Nov 2011 our teacher was expounding about Narada in Bhagavatham. After the class I did some internet research on Narada and stumbled upon this blog. This is very pertinent to our bhagavatham class. I also use to wander what does the name Anusooya mean(incidently Anusooya is our Balvikas coordinator and a very nice person) and now I understand the meaning. Thank you and keep posting.
Anasuya means who has no jealosy
ReplyDeleteAnasuya means who has no jealosy
ReplyDelete