Atri in Rigveda

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Atri

Atri is one of the most frequently mentioned seers (ṛṣi) of ancient days in the Ṛgveda. His name occurs roughly forty times in the singular and several times in the plural to denote his descendants and school. He is described as a seer belonging to the “five tribes” and is named alongside Manu and other progenitors of humankind.[1][2]

Associations with the gods

Agni and Indra

Agni is said to have aided Atri (and other ancient seers), and Indra is said to have heard Atri’s prayer and opened the cow-stall for him and the Aṅgirases.[3][4][5][6]

The Aśvins and the Atri legend

Atri is chiefly portrayed as a protégé of the Aśvins. They deliver him from darkness; rescue him from a chasm along with his host when the wiles of a malignant demon are destroyed; give him a strengthening draught; make a burning chasm (ṛbīsa) or his abode (gṛha) agreeable; prevent the fire from burning him; rescue him “in the heat” and protect him with coolness; and make the burning heat agreeable for him. In one hymn they even rejuvenate Atri when he had grown old.[7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]

Atri and the Sun

In one hymn, Atri is said to have found the sun when the demon Svarbhānu had hidden it and to have set it back in the sky; the very next verse attributes the deed to the Atris collectively. Parallel notices occur in the Atharvaveda; the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa further calls Atri a priest who dispelled darkness, says he originated from Vāc, and even identifies him with Vāc.[16][17][18][19][20]

The Atris (family of seers)

The plural Atris regularly appears in the final (or one of the final) verses of hymns to designate the family of seers who compose them. All of Book V of the Ṛgveda is attributed to the Atris, and roughly one-quarter of the occurrences of the name (singular or plural) are found there.[21]

Etymology and identity

The name Atri may derive from the root ad ‘to eat’, in the sense of ‘devouring’, given that the cognate adjective atrin (frequently applied to demons in the Ṛgveda) seems to have that meaning. The word atri is once employed as an epithet of Agni, probably with this sense. Bergaigne even suggested that although Atri ultimately becomes a priestly figure, he originally represented some form of Agni.[22]

Saptavadhri and Atri

The name of Atri is four times accompanied by (or immediately followed by) that of Saptavadhri. Saptavadhri is himself a protégé of the Aśvins: they are invoked to release him from captivity; he is said to have sharpened the blade of Agni with his prayer; and for “Atri Saptavadhri” the Aśvins made the burning chasm agreeable. The two figures are therefore probably identical.[23][24][25]

References

  1. ṚV 1, 117.3. ↩︎
  2. ṚV 1, 39.9 (Atri with Manu and other ancestors). ↩︎
  3. ṚV 7, 15.5 (Agni helps Atri). ↩︎
  4. ṚV 1, 45.3; 10, 150.5 (Agni helps other ancient seers). ↩︎
  5. ṚV 8, 36.6-7 (Indra hears Atri’s prayer). ↩︎
  6. ṚV 1, 51.3 (Indra opens the cow-stall for Atri and the Aṅgirases). ↩︎
  7. ṚV 6, 50.10; 7, 71.5 (Aśvins deliver Atri from darkness). ↩︎
  8. ṚV 5, 78.4 (rescue from a chasm); plus 1, 117.3 (the demon’s wiles destroyed). ↩︎
  9. ṚV 1, 116.8; 1, 118.7 (strengthening draught). ↩︎
  10. ṚV 10, 39.9; 8, 73.7 (burning chasm or abode made agreeable). ↩︎
  11. ṚV 8, 73.8 (fire does not burn him). ↩︎
  12. ṚV 10, 80.3 (rescued in the heat). ↩︎
  13. ṚV 1, 119.6; 8, 73.3 (protected with coolness). ↩︎
  14. ṚV 1, 112.7 (burning heat made agreeable). ↩︎
  15. ṚV 10, 143 (Atri rejuvenated). ↩︎
  16. ṚV 5, 40.6–9 (Atri/Atris find and restore the sun from Svarbhānu). ↩︎
  17. AV 13, (passage cited) (Atri finding and placing the sun). ↩︎
  18. Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 4, 3, 4, 2 (Atri as priest who dispelled darkness). ↩︎
  19. Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 1, 4, 5, 13 (Atri originated from Vāc). ↩︎
  20. Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 14, 5, 2, 5 (Atri identified with Vāc). ↩︎
  21. ṚV 5, 39.5 etc. (plural “Atris” in hymn endings; Book V attributed to the Atris). ↩︎
  22. ṚV 2, 85 (atri used as an epithet of Agni; name possibly from ad ‘to eat’ = ‘devouring’). ↩︎
  23. ṚV 5, 78.5–6 (Saptavadhri released by the Aśvins). ↩︎
  24. ṚV 8, 73.8 (Saptavadhri “sharpens the blade of Agni” by prayer). ↩︎
  25. ṚV 10, 39.9 (burning chasm made agreeable for Atri Saptavadhri). ↩︎

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