Shloka 7

Adhyaya 17 — The Birth of Atri’s Three Sons: Soma, Dattatreya, and Durvasa

Sanskrit

दत्तात्रेय इति ख्यातः सोऽनसूयास्तनं पपौ ।

विष्णुरेवावतार्णोऽसौ द्वितीयोऽत्रेः सुतोऽभवत् ॥

Transliteration

dattātreya iti khyātaḥ so 'nasūyāstanaṃ papau |

viṣṇurevāvatīrṇo 'sau dvitīyo 'treḥ suto 'bhavat ||

Translation

स दत्तात्रेय इति ख्यातोऽभवत्; अनसूयायाः स्तन्यं पपौ। स एव विष्णोरवतारः, अत्रेर्द्वितीयः पुत्रोऽभवत्॥

Word by Word

दत्तात्रेयःDattātreya

इतिthus

ख्यातःknown (as)

सःhe

अनसूयाःof Anasūyā

स्तनम्breast

पपौdrank/suckled

विष्णुःViṣṇu

एवindeed

अवतार्णःdescended (incarnate)

असौthat one (he)

द्वितीयःsecond

अत्रेःof Atri

सुतःson

अभवत्became/was

Speakers

Narrative voice (Purāṇic narrator within the Markandeya Purana’s ongoing discourse; not Devi Māhātmya)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "bhakti", "secondaryRasa": "shanta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Primary Deities

ViṣṇuDattātreyaAnasūyāAtri

Key Themes

Avatāra theologySacred motherhoodGenealogyHouseholder-ashrama ideal (implicit through Anasūyā)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even an avatāra is shown honoring human familial bonds—nursing from the mother—affirming sanctity of household dharma and the nurturing role of Anasūyā as a model of virtue.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Vaṃśānucarita: identification of a key figure in a lineage and his divine nature.

What is the esoteric significance?

The avatāra’s ‘descent’ paired with breastfeeding symbolizes the meeting of transcendent (Viṣṇu) and immanent (maternal nourishment), i.e., grace entering embodied existence.