Vedas proposed Atri Maharshi differs from Puranas Atri Maharshi and Ramayana based on the evidence of life span of maharishi. The maximum life span of any person, as per Vedas, is 300 years. Atri Maharishi is regarded as the son of Lord Brahma. There is no evidence regarding his life span in Vedas.
Atri Maharshi is the seer of 161 mantras in Vedas, 130 appear in Rigveda, 16 in Yajurveda,14 in Samaveda and one in Atharva Veda. The 5th mandala of is regarded as Maharishi Atri mandala, as all his words.
Atri Maharshi adored deities like Soma, Bhavana, Rudra, Shiva. he worshipped them by the names of sun, Busha, Prithivi, Varuna, Indra, Agni and Vishwedeva. He prayed for fulfilling his material and spiritual needs. All are the forms of Brahman.
According to Puranas, Maharishi Atri's family are Sati Anasuya and his sons Lord Dattatreya, Sage Durvasa, Lord Moon. While Lord dattatreya and his later lineage, who followed Nada sampraday, are the incarnations of Lord Shiva, Sage Durvasa, the author of “Rudra Kavacha” is the spouse of Kandali, who is the daughter of great Sage Arva. Lord Moon is the one who appears on the head of Lord Rudra.
According to Vedas, Maharishi Atri's family includes 20 sons and two daughters namely, Maharishi Sutambara, Maharishi Pratibhanu, Maharishi Pratiprabha, Maharishi Dvitha, Maharishi Vavri, Maharishi Pooru, Maharishi Babru Maharishi Avastyu, and Maharshi Gaatu, Maharishi Uruchakri, Maharishi Pauru, Maharishi Satyashrava, Maharishi Ratahavya, Maharishi Shrutividha, Maharshi Archananasa, his grand son Maharshi Shavaswa, Maharshi Vrisha, Maharshi Jaana, Maharshi Swasti, Maharshi Andhigu and his daughters Rishika Apala and Rishika Vishwawara.
Maharishi Sutambara worshipped Agni, the form of Lord Rudra, the giver of nine fortunes. This sage is the seer of 30 Mantras in Vedas, 25 appear in Rigveda and 5 in Samaveda. Sutambara Atreya in Vedas refers to Agni. He also worshiped Lord Sun, the overlord of Lord Agni. “Know the truth and experience it, authenticate the same with the other sages cognizance”, is the message he offered it to the world.
Maharishi Pratibhanu and Maharshi Pratiprabha are the seers of 5 Mantras each in Vedas. These Mantras appear in the 5th mandala of Rigveda. He glorified Vishwedevatas, who are the givers of contentment, support and strength in his mantras.
Maharishi Dvitha is regarded as Riktavaha, who achieved completeness in showing faith and love towards God is the seer of 12 mantras in Vedas and 11 appear in Rigveda and 1 in Samveda. He worshipped Lord Shiva and asked for 105 varied cognizance. His mantras reveal both devotion towards guru and divine. His message is “always remember and meditate God. Guru is the greatest guest, revere him with love and devotion.”
Maharishi Vavri is the seer of 6 mantras in Vedas. 5 in Rigveda and 1 in Samaveda. His message is “seekers’ levels are divided into the Meanest, Intermediary and highest. Observe practices according to these levels with purity and virtue.”
Maharishi Pooru is the seer of 10 mantras appear in Rigveda. He worshipped Deity Agni, the Chit-Agni, the fire of consciousness that shines inside everyone.
Maharishi Babru is the seer of 15 mantras in Vedas. “To make your mind still”, is his message to the world. He worshipped Lord Indra and Lord Agni and glorified king Runanchaya, who rewarded him for being a Rtitvija in Soma Yagna performed by the King.
Maharishi Avastyu, a well-known sage, is the seer of 28 Mantras in Vedas. 22 appears in Rigveda and 6 in Samveda. He worshipped deity Indra who was pleased and gave him divine horses. “Be dispassionate of the world by being detached from all the 6 senses,” is the message communicated by him to the world.
Maharishi Gaatu is the seer of 12 mantras in Vedas. He worshipped deity Indra and commands him to fulfill his desires out of his devotion with reverence and love. “One should surrender without playing false to his guru, like a rock being surrendered to a sculptor to be worshipped as an idol”, is the message given by him in the world.
Maharishi Uruchakri is the seer of 11 mantras. 8 appear in Rigveda and 3 in Samaveda. He worshipped the sons of Deity Aditya, Mitra and Varuna. While deity Mitra is the protector of good and Varuna is the punisher of evil.
Maharishi Pauru is the seer of 21 mantras. 20 appear in Rigveda and 1 appear in Samaveda. He glorified deity Indra and Ashwini Devatas. in these mantras. He revealed the secrets of the worship of Atri Maharshi over these deities by unveiling their support behind the rise of Maharishi Atri. Ashwini Devatas will give
Maharishi Satyashrava is the seer of 20 Mantras appear in Rigveda and Samaveda. He worshipped and glorified, deities Usha and Indra in these Mantras. Deity Usha worship happens before the sunrise. This is called Arunodaya. There are 20 suktas on this deity in Rigveda. It is believed that she gives peace, money, divine cognizance to her devotees. He says to deity Usha, “Whoever donates me anything gives them anything they wish for.”
Maharishi Ratahavya is the seer of 12 mantras in Vedas, and these mantras appear in Rigveda. “One should adore a guru, the scholar of scholars, who has uninterrupted bonding with the lord”, is the message given by Lord. He worshipped Mitra and Varuna.
Maharishi Shrutividha, “Shruti” means the one who has achieved the complete Vedic cognizance. He is the seer of 9 mantras that appear in Rigveda. In his mantras, he adored Mitra, Varuna, mentioning their residence and requesting for material and spiritual needs. These deities stay in Antariksa lokam. One who worships Maharishi Shrutividha will be receptive to Brahmajnana.
Maharishi Archananasa is the seer of 17 mantras in Vedas. He is a great rishi, always stays in divine consciousness. One who adores him is blessed with peace, divinity. His son Maharshi Shavaswa is a renowned sage who has shown the living hood of Atri Maharishi’s family. His ashram was in Aryavarthanam (Himalayas). King Hatavithi Rajarshi was the king of Aryavarthanam. One day he arrived at this ashram and requested Shavaswa maharishi to perform yagna. While performing yagna, the king’s daughter, a great rishika, was in that yagna. He was infatuated with her charm and wished to marry her. Even his father, Archananasa, thought to marry his son with her. After the yagna, Maharishi Shavaswa expressed his wish to the king, who asked his queen. The queen denied as he was not mantra drashta. Feeling sad, they left the palace and on the way met Maharshi Purumeera and his wife. Seeing their brilliance, Archananasa asked about it. Then Maharshi said that worshipping Marutganas, the progeny of Maharudra, gave him this splendor. Hearing this, Shavaswa also observed tapas to have a darshan of Maruthas. They gave darshan and blessed him with Vedic cognizance and a divine vehicle.
By their grace, he became the seer of 201 mantras in Vedas. 186 mantras appear in Rigveda, 4 mantras in Yajurveda and 11 in Samaveda and Atharvaveda.
He requested Deity Nisha (the night mother) to go as a messenger and informed king about the story of Maharshi Shavaswa, becoming Mantra drashta. The king and queen were happy about it and married their daughter to Shavaswa.
Maharishi Vrisha and Maharshi Jaana are the seers of 12 mantras in Vedas. All appear in Rigveda. They worshipped and glorified deity Agni in their mantras and ask Agni to protect them like he protected Maharishi Sunashyepa from 1000 misfortunes. They requested Agni to incarnate and relieve them from all the affections.
Maharishi Swasti is the seer of 70 mantras in Vedas. 50 appears in Rigveda and 20 in Yajurveda. The living hood and education process of the ancient times is known from his mantras. He said that one should devote 48 years of his life to study that philosophy which gives you divinity. One must be disciplined enough in performing their deeds alike deities Sun and Moon.
Maharshi Andhigu, the son of Maharshi Shavaswa and great grandson of Maharishi Atri, is the seer of 7 mantras. 4 appear in Rigveda and 3 in Samaveda. His message is, “One should get out of all the pleasures to make your mind still. To experience that divinity requires a sanctified mind. That divine is omnipresent as eternal happiness and incarnates for the good as when required”.
Rishika Apala is the seer of 7 mantras in Vedas. All appear in the 7th mandala of Rigveda. She worshipped Deity Indra, the form of Lord Shiva, and got relived of skin related ailments. She also got progeny for being relieved from it. One who glorifies the lord with her mantras is eased from the skin related issues.
Rishika Vishwawara is the seer of 6 mantras in Vedas and worshipped deity Agni, the form of Lord Rudra.
The families with Athreya Gotra belong to the heritage of Maharishi Atri.
