Shloka 8

भार्गवसर्गः, ऋषिवंशाः, वह्नयः (अग्निवंशः), पितृसृष्टिः

Devanagari script

अनसूया तथैवात्रेर् जज्ञे पुत्रान् अकल्मषान् सोमं दुर्वाससं चैव दत्तात्रेयं च योगिनम्

Transliteration

anasūyā tathaivātrer jajñe putrān akalmaṣān somaṃ durvāsasaṃ caiva dattātreyaṃ ca yoginam

Translation

So too, Anasūyā bore to Atri three stainless sons—Soma, Durvāsas, and Dattātreya, the yogin. All shone with purity, upholding the order of dharma beneath the supreme sovereignty of Viṣṇu.

Word by Word

• अनसूया: Anasūyā (name)
• अनसूया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनसूया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): ‘also/likewise’

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphasis)

• अत्रेः: of Atri
• अत्रेः: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अत्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• जज्ञे: gave birth / were born
• जज्ञे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); आत्मनेपद

• पुत्रान्: sons
• पुत्रान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अकल्मषान्: spotless, sinless
• अकल्मषान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अकल्मष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (qualifying ‘sons’)

• सोमम्: Soma (the Moon-god)
• सोमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• दुर्वाससम्: Durvāsas (sage)
• दुर्वाससम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphasis)

• दत्तात्रेयम्: Dattātreya (name)
• दत्तात्रेयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दत्त (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष (दत्तः आत्रेयः / दत्तस्य आत्रेयत्वम्; नाम)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• योगिनम्: the yogin
• योगिनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेष्य-रूपेण दत्तात्रेयस्य

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Progeny of Atri and Anasūyā and their distinguished cosmic roles.

Teaching: Genealogical

Quality: revealing, reverent

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Purity (anasūyā/akalmaṣatā) and yogic steadiness are portrayed as conditions through which divine powers manifest and cosmic functions (like Soma) are upheld under Viṣṇu’s sovereignty.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice non-envy, inner cleanliness, and disciplined meditation; regard worldly roles and spiritual attainment as harmonizable when offered to the Lord.

Vishishtadvaita: The verse’s framing of multiple cosmic powers under Viṣṇu’s ‘supreme sovereignty’ supports Viśiṣṭādvaita: diverse beings/functions are real yet dependent modes (prakāra) of the one Lord.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Dharma Exemplar: Anasūyā (non-envy/purity) as the ethical archetype reflected in ‘akalmaṣa’ progeny.

Key Kings: Atri, Anasūyā, Soma, Durvāsas, Dattātreya

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Anasūyā
• Atri
• Soma (Chandra)
• Durvāsas
• Dattātreya

FAQs

What is the significance of Anasūyā and Atri’s sons in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse establishes a key rishi-household lineage: Soma (cosmic/royal lunar principle), Durvāsas (ascetic power and dharma-testing), and Dattātreya (yogic realization), linking genealogy with the maintenance of cosmic order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain genealogies in this section?

Parāśara narrates early creation-era lineages as a structured map of how dharma, spiritual power, and royal/cosmic functions arise through sages and their descendants, within the broader Viṣṇu-ordered universe.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when Viṣṇu is not named in the verse, the Vishnu Purana frames such births and functions as operating under Viṣṇu’s supreme governance—lineages and their powers unfold as part of His sustaining order (dharma and niyati).