Text 12] Krsna Is the Source of All Incarnations 149
sastham atrer apatyatvarm
urtah prapto‘nasiiyaya
anviksikim alarkaya
prahladadibhya icivan
sastham—the sixth one; atreh—of Atri; apatyatvam—sonship; vrtah—
being prayed for; praptah—obtained; anasiiyaya—by Anasiiya; anvik sikim—
on the subject of transcendence; alarkdya—unto Alarka; prahlada-adibhyah
—unto Prahlada, etc.; icivan—spoke.
TRANSLATION
The sixth incarnation of the purusa was the son of the sage Atri. He
was born in the womb of Anasiiya, who prayed for an incarnation. He
spoke on the subject of transcendence to Alarka, Prahlada and others
[ Yadu, Haihaya, ete. ].
PURPORT
The Lord incarnated Himself as Dattatreya, the son of Rsi Atri and
Anasiiya. The history of the birth of Dattatreya as an incarnation of the
Lord is mentioned in the Brahmaénda Purana in connection with the story
of the devoted wife. It is said there that Anasiiya, the wife of Rsi Atri,
prayed before the Lords Brahma, Visnu 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.
TEXT 12
TH A ART SPAS HIATT |
MATL GTA APT RTT 112 2
tatah saptama akiityam
rucer yajiio bhyajayata
sa yamadyaih sura-ganair
apat svayambhuvantaram
