Sati Anasuya was the wife of Sage Atri, one of the Saptarishi (Seven Sages) of the Saptarshimandala. The couple was deeply devoted to each other and their life story still set as a testimony during important Vedic rituals, including marriages. Sati Anasuya was blessed with three sons, each with distinguished qualities. They were –
*the irascible Sage Durvasa and;
*The moon-god Chandra.
Sati Anasuya was the sister of one of the Seven Sages, Sage Kapila; her parents were Sage Kardama and Devahuti. In Ramayana, Sati Anasuya appears living in the forest of Chitrakuta with her husband in their small hermitage. When Lord Rama and Sita visited Chitrakuta during their exile period, they specially met Atri-Anasuya to seek their blessings. The couple invited Lord Rama and Sita with great pleasure. In course of her meeting with Sita, Sati Anasuya taught her that the highest duty of a wife is to serve her husband with austerity and devotion. She also gifted Sita a sacred garland, pious sandal paste, and a sublime gem which the latter accepted with great respect.
Lord Dattatreya – The son of Sati Anasuya There are two legends describing how the Trinity – Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh (Shiva) became the sons of Sati Anasuya.
Sati Anasuya and Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu
Sati Anasuya and the Three Mendicants
As per this legend, Sati Anasuya had the powers to perform miracles by sprinkling ‘Paadha Indian Scriptures Theertham’, the sacred water with which she washed Sage Atri’s feet. However, when Sage Narada narrated this fact to the three Devi’s i.e. goddess Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati they were unable to believe it. They, therefore, decided to test the chastity of Sati Anasuya. Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati involved their husbands Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva respectively in the plot. The Trinity then arrived at the hermitage of Sage Atri in the form of three old mendicants seeking alms from Sati Anasuya. When Sati Anasuya approached the three mendicants with some food, the three denied it saying that because of the severe vow taken by the three of them, they cannot accept alms from those wearing clothes. The situation led Sati Anasuya in great confusion but, she had solution to every problem. By sprinkling the holy ‘Paadha Theertham’ she turned the three mendicants into babies and then fed the three baby-mendicants without wearing any clothes.
When Sage Atri returned to his hermitage, Sati Anasuya narrated to him what all had happened in his absence and presented the three babies to him. Sage Atri, through his divine vision, envisioned the Holy Trinity – Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva in the three babies. Sage Atri said to his wife that they have come to fulfill her wish to become their mother. The three babies then conjoined to become one. They occupied three separate heads, one trunk, two legs and six hands. When the three Devi’s learnt the incident from Sage Narada, they went to Atri and Sati Anasuya to get their husbands back. Eventually, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva returned to their respective consorts. Simultaneously, they fulfilled the wish of Sati Anasuya and remained in the conjoined form as her child. The child grew up to the one of the greatest sages of all times. He was named Dattatreya, and he served his parents till the end.