Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.3.11

shashtham atrer apatyatvam

vritah prāpto 'nasūyayā

ānvīkshikīm alarkāya

prahlādādibhya ūcivān

SYNONYMS

shashtham — the sixth one; atreh — of Atri; apatyatvam — sonship; vritah — being prayed for; prāptah — obtained; anasūyayā — by Anasūyā; ānvīkshikīm — on the subject of transcendence; alarkāya — unto Alarka; prahlāda-ādibhyah — unto Prahlāda and others; ūcivān — spoke.

TRANSLATION

The sixth incarnation of the purusha was the son of the sage Atri. He was born from the womb of Anasūyā, who prayed for an incarnation. He spoke on the subject of transcendence to Alarka, Prahlāda and others [Yadu, Haihaya, etc.].

PURPORT

The Lord incarnated Himself as Dattātreya, the son of Rishi Atri and Anasūyā. The history of the birth of Dattātreya as an incarnation of the Lord is mentioned in the Brahmānda Purāna in connection with the story of the devoted wife. It is said there that Anasūyā, the wife of Rishi Atri, prayed before the Lords Brahmā, Vishnu and Śiva as follows: "My lords, if you are pleased with me, and if you desire me to ask from you some sort of blessings, then I pray that you combine together to become my son." This was accepted by the lords, and as Dattātreya the Lord expounded the philosophy of the spirit soul and especially instructed Alarka, Prahlāda, Yadu, Haihaya, etc.

<<< >>>

Copyright ©r The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness