Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 1.3.11

shashtham atrer apatyatvam

vritah prapto 'nasuyaya

anvikshikim alarkaya

prahladadibhya ucivan

SYNONYMS

shashtham -- the sixth one; atreh -- of Atri; apatyatvam -- sonship; vritah -- being prayed for; praptah -- obtained; anasuyaya -- by Anasuya; anvikshikim -- on the subject of transcendence; alarkaya -- unto Alarka; prahlada-adibhyah -- unto Prahlada and others; ucivan -- spoke.

TRANSLATION

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

PURPORT

The Lord incarnated Himself as Dattatreya, the son of Rishi Atri and Anasuya. The history of the birth of Dattatreya as an incarnation of the Lord is mentioned in the Brahmanda Purana in connection with the story of the devoted wife. It is said there that Anasuya, the wife of Rishi Atri, prayed before the Lords Brahma, Vishnu and Siva 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 Dattatreya the Lord expounded the philosophy of the spirit soul and especially instructed Alarka, Prahlada, Yadu, Haihaya, etc.

<<< >>>

Copyright (c) The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness