Other names : Anasuya
Rishi Atri was the human son of Brahma. His sons included Chandra, Durvala, and Dattatreya. His wife was Sati (entirely devoted to her husband) Anusuya embodiment of chastity, was the daughter of Daksha Prajapati.
She is greatly revered by women, because her Sat (devotion to her husband) was strong enough to convert the trinity of Gods into babies.Once, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva arrived at the ashram to test the strength of her devotion to her husband. At that time, Rishi Atri was not at home. They had taken the guise of Brahmins.
They asked Anusuya for bhiksha (the customary food that Brahmins would beg for from householders), but they put on one condition that she would divest herself of all her clothing and give them the diksha in that undressed state.
Only in front of a baby can a woman be undressed without losing her decorum, so, by using those powers gained by her devotion to her husband, Anusuya turned the three gods into babies and nursed them.
”Rishi Atri was the human son of Brahma. His sons included Chandra, Durvala, and Dattatreya. His wife was Sati (entirely devoted to her husband) Anusuya, the daughter of Daksha Prajapati. She is greatly revered by women, because her Sat (devotion to her husband) was strong enough to convert the trinity of Gods into babies.”
The three gods were now trapped in the form of babies and unable to leave or to do much of anything. Their wives Saraswati, Lakshmi & Parvati, respectively, were informed of the situation by Narad, and so came to Atri’s ashram to fetch their husbands back.
They could not tell which was which, and so requested Anusuya to restore their husbands to their adult form. Anusuya obliged, and the three gods changed from babies in to their adult, divine form.Much embarrassed at having their prank neatly checkmated in this fashion, the three gods then offered her a boon from each of them. Devi Anusuya said, “Having nursed all three of you has kindled my maternal instinct.
May the three of you be born as my sons! ” As a result of the triple boon from the three gods, Dattatreya was born. Atri was delighted with his wife’s cleverness. Among pativrata (devoted to their husbands, chaste) wives, who are devoted and dedicated to their husbands, Anusuya’s name heads the list.
”Devi Anusuya said, “Having nursed all three of you has kindled my maternal instinct. May the three of you be born as my sons! ” As a result of the triple boon from the three gods, Dattatreya was born.”
When Ram was going from Chitrakoot towards the Dandaka forest during his fourteen years in the forest, he stopped first at Rishi Atri’s hermitage. Atri and Anusuya gave Ram, Sita and Lakshman a warm and affectionate welcome.
Ram extolled the virtues of Anusuya and her devotion to her husband, and advised Sita to learn well the lessons of ideal woman hood and dedicated devotion to her husband’s welfare from Sati Anusuya embodiment of chastity.
So Sita spent her time with Anusuya embodiment of chastity and learnt about the duties and expectations of an ideal wife. Anusuya also gifted her with divine garments she had received from Indra,
the God of heavens, that made one’s skin appear unwrinkled, as well as her own beautiful ornaments.Upon adorning herself with these clothes and ornaments, Sita always looked resplendent and freshly dressed. Atri and Anusuya embodiment of chastity are thus key characters in the narrative of the Ramayana.
