Anusuya (IAST: Anasūyā, sanskrit:अनसूया Sati Anasuya, also referred as अनुसूया or Sati Anusuya, in Hindu mythology, was wife of the sage Atri and mother of Dattatreya (Sanskrit: दत्तात्रेय) who is considered by some Hindus (in western India) to be an incarnation of the Divine Trinity Brahma, Vishnu and Siva.
Anasuya (अनसूया), literally meaning free from envy and jealousy, was the wife of an ancient Indian rishi (sage) named Atri. In the Ramayana, she appears living with her husband in a small hermitage in the southern periphery of the forest of Chitrakuta. She was very pious, and always practiced austerities and devotion. This made her attain miraculous powers. When Sita and her husband Rama visited her during their exile, Anasuya was very attentive to them, and gave Sita an ointment which was to keep her beautiful for ever. She was mother of the irascible sages Durvasa, Dattatreya and Chandra.
Anasuya was also a friend of Shakuntala. The name is also erroneously spelled Anusuya.
She was the daughter of Sage Kardama and his wife Devahuti. Sage Kapila was her brother and teacher.
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Anasuya the word is made up of two parts: An and Asuya. An is a negative prefix and Asuya means jealousy. The one who is not jealous is Anasuya.
Once trinity decided to test the chastity of Anasuya. They came to Anasuyaa's house as Brahmins and request for food with the condition that she has to serve it nude. Anasuyaa with much hesitation agreed to that. In turn she used her pativrita shakti to convert the brahmins into child and offered them food without any dress. Trinity could revert back to their original form only after she did herself on the request of gods. Trinity blessed them with three sons being sons: Dattatreya, Chandraatri and Durvasa.
Sati Anusuya ashrama is in Chitrakuta, located further upstreams the Mandakini River, 16 km from the town, set amidst thick forests that round to the melody of birdsong all day. It was here that sage Atri, his wife Anusuya and their three sons ( who were the three incarnations of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh), lived and are said to have meditated.
Valmiki describes in the epic Ramayana that at one time there was no rain in Chitrakuta for ten years. There was a severe famine and nothing was left to eat or drink for animals and birds. Sati Anusuya performed hard and intensive austerities and got the river Mandakini down on earth. This led to the greenery and forests to grow which removed the sufferings of all sages and the animals.[1]
Sati Anusuya ashrama at present is a very peaceful place where various streams from the hills converge and form the Mandakini River. It is said that Rama along with Sita had visited this place to meet Maharishi Atri and Sati Anusuya. It is here Sati Anusuya explained to Sita the grandeur and importance of satitva. The dense forests of Dandaka start from this place. It was ruled by Ravana. Ravana had appointed strong rakshasas like Khara and Viradha as its rulers. The place was infected by the terror of rakshasas.[2]
The story of Anasuya is made into films in different languages in India. The Telugu language film is made entitled Sati Anasuya in 1957 and 1971. The 1957 film was directed by Kadaru Nagabhushanam.[3] and starring Anjali Devi and Gummadi Venkateswara Rao. The 1971 film was directed by B. A. Subba Rao.[4] Jamuna Ramanarao played the role of Anasuya, Sharada as Sumati and Tadepalli Lakshmi Kanta Rao as Atri Maharshi. Music score provided by P. Adinarayana Rao.
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