The Birth of Dattatreya

Verse 1 (markandeya.17.1)

पुत्र उवाच ततः काले बहुतिथे द्वितीयो ब्रह्मणः सुतः । स्वभार्यां भगवानत्रिरनसूयामपश्यत॥ 17.1 ॥

putra uvāca tataḥ kāle bahutithe dvitīyo brahmaṇaḥ sutaḥ svabhāryāṁ bhagavānatriranasūyāmapaśyata

The son said: Then, after a long span of time had passed, the illustrious Atri — the second son born of Brahma — beheld his wife Anasuya.

Verse 2 (markandeya.17.2)

ऋतुस्नातां सुचार्वङ्गीं लोभनीयोत्तमाकृतिम् । सकामो मनसा भेजे स मुनिस्तामनिन्दिताम्॥ 17.2 ॥

ṛtusnātāṁ sucārvaṅgīṁ lobhanīyottamākṛtim sakāmo manasā bheje sa munistāmaninditām

That sage, viewing his flawless wife — freshly bathed after her season, lovely of limb, and of a form supremely alluring — cherished her in his mind with desire.

Verse 3 (markandeya.17.3)

तस्याभिध्यायतस्तान्तु विकारो योऽन्वजायत । तमेवोवाह पवनस्तिरश्चोर्ध्वञ्च वेगवान्॥ 17.3 ॥

tasyābhidhyāyatastāntu vikāro yo’nvajāyata tamevovāha pavanastiraścordhvañca vegavān

As he thus meditated upon her, the seed that arose within him was borne away by the swift wind, moving both sideways and upward.

Verse 4 (markandeya.17.4)

ब्रह्मरूपञ्च शुक्लाभं पतमानं समन्ततः । सोमरूपं रजोपेतं दिशस्तं जगृहुर्दश॥ 17.4 ॥

brahmarūpañca śuklābhaṁ patamānaṁ samantataḥ somarūpaṁ rajopetaṁ diśastaṁ jagṛhurdaśa

That radiance — Brahman in essence, of white lustre, falling on every side in the form of Soma the moon, imbued with its own splendor — was received by the ten directions.

Verse 5 (markandeya.17.5)

स सोमो मानसो जज्ञे तस्यामत्रेः प्रजापतेः । पुत्रः समस्तसत्त्वानामायुराधार एव च॥ 17.5 ॥

sa somo mānaso jajñe tasyāmatreḥ prajāpateḥ putraḥ samastasattvānāmāyurādhāra eva ca

From that wife of Atri Prajapati, that mind-born Soma was born — the son and the very sustainer of the life-span of all beings.

Verse 6 (markandeya.17.6)

तुष्टेन विष्णुना जज्ञे दत्तात्रेयो महात्मना । स्वशरीरात् समुत्पाद्य सत्त्वोद्रिक्तो द्विजात्तमः॥ 17.6 ॥

tuṣṭena viṣṇunā jajñe dattātreyo mahātmanā svaśarīrāt samutpādya sattvodrikto dvijāttamaḥ

From the great Vishnu, well pleased, born forth from his own body, Dattatreya came into being — that foremost of brahmins, brimming with the quality of goodness (sattva).

Verse 7 (markandeya.17.7)

दत्तात्रेय इति ख्यातः सोऽनसूयास्तनं पपौ । विष्णुरेवावतीर्णोऽसौ द्वितीयोऽत्रेः सुतोऽभवत्॥ 17.7 ॥

dattātreya iti khyātaḥ so’nasūyāstanaṁ papau viṣṇurevāvatīrṇo’sau dvitīyo’treḥ suto’bhavat

Known by the name Dattatreya, and nursed at Anasuya's breast, he was Vishnu himself descended — the second son of Atri.

Verse 8 (markandeya.17.8)

सप्ताहात् प्रच्युतो मातुरुदरात् कुपितो यतः । हैहयेन्द्रमुपावृत्तमपराध्यन्तमुद्धतम्॥ 17.8 ॥

saptāhāt pracyuto māturudarāt kupito yataḥ haihayendramupāvṛttamaparādhyantamuddhatam

Growing angry even within the womb — because of which he emerged from his mother's belly after only seven days — at the sight of the offending, arrogant lord of the Haihayas turning toward Atri,

Verse 9 (markandeya.17.9)

दृष्ट्वात्रौ कुपितः सद्यो दग्धुकामः स हैहयम् । गर्भवासमहायास-दुः खामर्षसमन्वितः॥ 17.9 ॥

dṛṣṭvātrau kupitaḥ sadyo dagdhukāmaḥ sa haihayam garbhavāsamahāyāsa-duḥ khāmarṣasamanvitaḥ

— seeing him offend Atri, he grew furious at once and desired to burn that Haihaya king to ashes, filled besides with the pent-up wrath and suffering of his long weariness in the womb.

Verse 10 (markandeya.17.10)

दुर्वासास्तमसोद्रिक्तो रुद्रांशः समजायत । इति पुत्रत्रयं तस्या जज्ञे ब्रह्मेशवैष्णवम्॥ 17.10 ॥

durvāsāstamasodrikto rudrāṁśaḥ samajāyata iti putratrayaṁ tasyā jajñe brahmeśavaiṣṇavam

— thus Durvasa was born, brimming with the quality of darkness (tamas), a portion of Rudra. In this way three sons were born to Anasuya — portions, respectively, of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.

Verse 11 (markandeya.17.11)

सोमो ब्रह्मभवद्विष्णुर्दत्तात्रेयो व्यजायत । दुर्वासाः शङ्करो जज्ञे वरदानाद्दिवौकसाम्॥ 17.11 ॥

somo brahmabhavadviṣṇurdattātreyo vyajāyata durvāsāḥ śaṅkaro jajñe varadānāddivaukasām

Soma became the portion of Brahma; Dattatreya was born as the portion of Vishnu; and by the boon of the gods, Durvasa was born as the portion of Shankara (Shiva).

Verse 12 (markandeya.17.12)

सोमः स्वरश्मिभैः शीतैर्वोरुधौषधिमानवान् । आप्याययन् सदा स्वर्गे वर्तते स प्रजापतिः॥ 17.12 ॥

somaḥ svaraśmibhaiḥ śītairvorudhauṣadhimānavān āpyāyayan sadā svarge vartate sa prajāpatiḥ

Soma, ever nourishing the creepers, herbs, and human beings with his cool rays, dwells forever in heaven in the form of a Prajapati.

Verse 13 (markandeya.17.13)

दत्तात्रेयः प्रजां पाति दुष्टदैत्यनिबर्हणात् । शिष्टानुग्रहकृच्चेति ज्ञेयश्चांशः स वैष्णवः॥ 17.13 ॥

dattātreyaḥ prajāṁ pāti duṣṭadaityanibarhaṇāt śiṣṭānugrahakṛcceti jñeyaścāṁśaḥ sa vaiṣṇavaḥ

Dattatreya protects all beings by destroying wicked demons, and he graces the righteous — thus he is to be known as the portion of Vishnu.

Verse 14 (markandeya.17.14)

निर्दहत्यवमन्तारं दुर्वासा भगवानजः । रौद्रं समाश्रित्य वपुर्दृङ्मनोवाग्भिरुद्धतः॥ 17.14 ॥

nirdahatyavamantāraṁ durvāsā bhagavānajaḥ raudraṁ samāśritya vapurdṛṅmanovāgbhiruddhataḥ

The unborn Lord Durvasa, fierce in gaze, in thought, and in word, and taking on a wrathful form, instantly consumes with fire whoever insults him.

Verse 15 (markandeya.17.15)

सोमत्वं भगवानत्रैः पुनश्चक्रे प्रजापतिः । दत्तात्रेयोऽपि विषयान् योगास्थो बुभुजे हरिः॥ 17.15 ॥

somatvaṁ bhagavānatraiḥ punaścakre prajāpatiḥ dattātreyo’pi viṣayān yogāstho bubhuje hariḥ

The divine Prajapati [Soma], through Atri, again assumed the form of the moon; and Dattatreya too, remaining ever established in yoga, enjoyed worldly objects in the very form of Hari.

Verse 16 (markandeya.17.16)

दुर्वासाः पितरं हित्वा मातरञ्चोत्तम व्रतम् । उन्मत्ताख्यं समाश्रित्य परिबभ्राम मेदिनीम्॥ 17.16 ॥

durvāsāḥ pitaraṁ hitvā mātarañcottama vratam unmattākhyaṁ samāśritya paribabhrāma medinīm

Durvasa, leaving behind his father and mother, took up the supreme vow called Unmatta (the mendicant's vow of feigned madness) and wandered the earth.

Verse 17 (markandeya.17.17)

मुनिपुत्रवृतो योगी दत्तात्रेयोऽप्यसङ्गिताम् । अभीप्स्यमानः सरसि निममज्ज चिरं प्रभुः॥ 17.17 ॥

muniputravṛto yogī dattātreyo’pyasaṅgitām abhīpsyamānaḥ sarasi nimamajja ciraṁ prabhuḥ

Dattatreya too, that lordly yogi, surrounded by the sons of sages, desiring to attain utter detachment, remained submerged for a long time in a lake.

Verse 18 (markandeya.17.18)

तथापि तं महात्मानमतीव प्रियदर्शनम् । तत्यजुर्न कुमारास्ते सरसस्तीरमाश्रिताः॥ 17.18 ॥

tathāpi taṁ mahātmānamatīva priyadarśanam tatyajurna kumārāste sarasastīramāśritāḥ

Yet those young sages, holding him — of such utterly pleasing appearance — dear, did not abandon that great soul, but remained resorting to the bank of the lake.

Verse 19 (markandeya.17.19)

दिव्ये वर्षशते पूर्णे यदा ते न त्यजन्ति तम् । तत्प्रीत्या सरसस्तीरं सर्वे मुनिकुमारकाः॥ 17.19 ॥

divye varṣaśate pūrṇe yadā te na tyajanti tam tatprītyā sarasastīraṁ sarve munikumārakāḥ

When even after a full hundred divine years those sons of sages did not abandon him, all of them, out of love, took up their abode on the bank of the lake itself.

Verse 20 (markandeya.17.20)

ततो दिव्याम्बरधरां चारुपीननितम्बिनीम् । नारीमादाय कल्याणीमुत्तितार जलान्मुनिः॥ 17.20 ॥

tato divyāmbaradharāṁ cārupīnanitambinīm nārīmādāya kalyāṇīmuttitāra jalānmuniḥ

Then that sage emerged from the water bringing with him a lovely woman, clad in celestial garments, of beautiful form and full hips.

Verse 21 (markandeya.17.21)

स्त्रीसन्निकर्षाद्यद्येते परित्यक्ष्यन्ति मामिति । मुनिपुत्रास्ततोऽसङ्गी स्थास्यामीति विचिन्तयन्॥ 17.21 ॥

strīsannikarṣādyadyete parityakṣyanti māmiti muniputrāstato’saṅgī sthāsyāmīti vicintayan

Thinking, 'If, because of the presence of this woman, they abandon me, then I shall remain in solitary detachment once more' — thus he pondered, [while] the sons of sages [only watched].

Verse 22 (markandeya.17.22)

तथापि तं मुनिसुता न त्यजन्ति यदा मुनिम् । ततः सह तया नार्या मद्यपानमथापिबत्॥ 17.22 ॥

tathāpi taṁ munisutā na tyajanti yadā munim tataḥ saha tayā nāryā madyapānamathāpibat

Yet still, when those sons of sages did not abandon the sage, he then, together with that woman, took even to drinking wine.

Verse 23 (markandeya.17.23)

सुरापानरतं ते न सभार्यं तत्यजुस्ततः । गीतवाद्यादिवनिता-भोगसंसर्गदूषितम्॥ 17.23 ॥

surāpānarataṁ te na sabhāryaṁ tatyajustataḥ gītavādyādivanitā-bhogasaṁsargadūṣitam

Even that great soul — now, with his consort, given over to drinking, seemingly tainted by the company of music, song, and the enjoyment of a woman —

Verse 24 (markandeya.17.24)

मन्यमाना महात्मानं पीतासव-सविक्रियम् । नावाप दोषं योगीशो वारुणीं स पिबन्नपि॥ 17.24 ॥

manyamānā mahātmānaṁ pītāsava-savikriyam nāvāpa doṣaṁ yogīśo vāruṇīṁ sa pibannapi

— those sons of sages did not abandon, even though they judged him thus. And that lord of yogis, even while drinking wine and seemingly altered by its intoxication, incurred no fault at all.

Verse 25 (markandeya.17.25)

अन्तावसायिवेश्मान्तर्मातरिश्वा वसन्निव । सुरां पिबन् सपत्नीकस्तपस्तेपे स योगवित् । योगीश्वारश्चिन्त्यमानो योगिभिर्मुक्तिकाङ्क्षिभिः॥ 17.25 ॥

antāvasāyiveśmāntarmātariśvā vasanniva surāṁ piban sapatnīkastapastepe sa yogavit yogīśvāraścintyamāno yogibhirmuktikāṅkṣibhiḥ

Dwelling, as it were, like the wind within the house of an outcaste, drinking wine together with his consort, that knower of yoga continued in austerity — and that lord among yogis remained ever the object of contemplation for yogis desiring liberation.