Atri (10)--Notable Mortals Who Lived Through Most of the Four Eras

(This is an excerpt from my book “Four Eras of The Battling Gods & Mortals.” The book can be obtained from Amazon. The is also available at Kitab Ghar, Gaiety, Shimla. The Amazon link is given below):

https://www.amazon.in/dp/9390758173?ref=myi_title_dp

Opening Note : This write-up in installments, is intended to drive home the sole point, hitherto ignored by the historians with utter impunity, that Ramayan and Mahabharat periods were only couple of years apart, almost extending into each other. The study is based on the evidences from 18 Mahapuranas and 18 Uppuranas, along with other Ancient Indian scriptures. Here is the list of at least 106 notable personalities who were alive and present in these two epic periods and even beyond and prior to these periods.  I am confident that one day this truth will have to be accepted by savants of history and general public interested in the study of Ancient India.

Here is rishi Atri, one among 116 mortals, who found references in the texts of  Vedas, Ramayan, Mahabharat & Puranas.  A careful, meticulous and sincere study of these ancient literary composition reveals that most of such notables not merely find references in, but they actively interacted with the other people living through periods of Ramayan & Mahabharat.

 

10. Atri—Atri was one of the Saptarishi and Brahma's manasputras among Marichi, Angiras, Pulastay, Pulah, Kratu and Vasisth.[1] Through Anusuya Atri begot three sons namely: Chander, Durvasa and Dattatrey.[2]

He was invited by King Nimi, the son of Ikshwaku, to participate in a Yagya organised at the occasion of creating a new township known as Vaijyant.[3] It is said that Nimi was a king who lived in Krit Yug of Chakshush Manvantar.[4]

Atri was present at the time of marriage of Shri Ram and Sita and sang Vedic mantas.[5]

Shri Ram went to Atri ashram after leaving Chitrakoot, where he was welcomed as his own son. His wife Anusuya guided Sita about the duties of a wife towards her husband, while Shri Ram and Sita set for 14 years exile.[6]

Anusuya and Atri

Atri visited Shri Ram, on his return to Ayodhya after the exile.[7]

When Vasisth and Vishwamitra were in a state of mutual ill will, King Kalmashpaad was going about in the forest on a hunting expedition. He met Shakti, the eldest son of Vasisth in the forest. The King did not respect him properly. Shakti transformed Kalmashpaad into a Rakshas by his curse. Rakshas who was also a cannibal, first swallowed Shakti himself. Vishwamitra offered whatever help he could, to destroy Vasisth's family. Kalmashpaad ate successively all the 100 sons of Vasisth. Vasisth, in great sorrow and his daughter-in-law, Adrishyanti lived in an ashram. Adrishyanti was pregnant at the time of Shakti's death. In due course she gave birth to a boy who was called Prashar. When Prashar grew up, he came to know that his father Shakti was eaten by a Rakshas. Enraged at this, he started a Yagya to annihilate the whole race of Rakshasas. As the Yagya gained intensity and force Atri Muni arrived there with certain other mahrishis and dissuaded Prashar from the revengeful Yagya.[8] This Prashar was the father of Vyas.

He was one of the many eminent and illustrious sages present at the Vaasudev Yagya performed by Shri Krishan and Balram.[9]

When the Kaurav-Pandav war was raging with great fury, many mahrishis went to Dron and advised him to stop the battle. Atri was one of them.[10]

Atri Smriti refers to Shishupal and Shri Krishan in following words that “It is beyond any doubt that if someone, like Shishupal, son of King Damghosh, remembers Govind even with jealousy and enmity he will attain salvation and heaven.[11]

He was one of the rishis who cursed Saamb, son of Shri Krishan. It so happened that Saamb along with his friends playfully tried to test the knowledge of rishis. He dressed up himself in female attire and tied an iron pestle to his belly to appear like a pregnant woman. He asked the munis and rishis to predict whether the child born would be male or female. Rishis took this vile trick as offending and cursed Saamb that the child he is bearing is a pestle that will be instrumental in exterminating all the Yadu clan. That iron pestle (musal) was reduced to powder and thrown into the sea. Soon the area where iron powder was scattered became full of reed grass called sarkandas whose stems were as strong as iron. By those sarkandas Yaduvanshis killed each other in a fierce brawl, thence exterminating all Yadus.[12]

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[1] Mahabharat, Shanti Parv, Adhyay 208; Adi Parv, Adhyay 65, Shlok 10.

[2] Agni Puran, Adhyay 20.

[3] Valmiki Ramayan, Uttar Kand, Sarg 55, Shlok 6-9.

[4] Skand Puran, Gita Press, Gorakhpur, Avantay Khand: Rewa Khand, Adhyay 329.

[5] Kundaliya Ramayan, Tulsidas, Kundali 140.

[6] Valmiki Ramayan, Ayodhya Kand, Sarg 117.

[7] Valmiki Ramayan, Uttar Kand, Sarg 1, Shlok 3.

[8] Mahabharat, Adi Parv, Adhyay 181.

[9] Bhagvat Puran, Skandh 10, Adhyay 84, Shlok 3-5.

[10] Mahabharat, Dron Parv, Adhyay 190, Shlok 33-36.

[11] Vedkatha Ank, Gita Press, Gorakhpur, p. 384 & Dharmshashtra Ank, Gita Press, Gorakhpur, p. 255.

[12] Bhagvat Puran, Skandh 11, Adhyay 1.