| Char Dham Yatra – towards Badrinath, Day 46 |


Anasuya Temple

When Sage Atri was engaged in penance nearby, his wife Anasuya, in pursuance of her duties as a devout & chaste wife, established her hermitage at this place. When, on account of this, Devi Anasuya’s glory came to be sung in all the three worlds, Goddesses Saraswati, Lakshmi & Parvati compelled their Lords – Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, to test Devi Anasuya’s virtue and chastity. The holy trinity being compelled thus by their wives, assumed the form of Sadhus (saints) and arrived at Devi Anasuya’s hermitage. They expressed their hunger for food, but with a condition that she should seat them in her lap and feed them, holding them to her bosom in an embrace without clothes on her upper body. Hearing this Anasuya fell into a very big dilemma. Closing her eyes, she remembered her husband and was able to then perceive Brahma, Vishnu & Shiva in the forms of the 3 sadhus standing before her. Anasuya thought of her husband from the depth of her heart and no sooner she did that, the three Sadhus transformed into a 6 months old infant. Devi Anasuya was thereafter able to feed them, with complete fulfillment of the condition placed by them.

The holy trinity too began enjoying their days of infancy with Anasuya. Meanwhile, the 3 Goddesses became very sad owing to the separation from their husbands. Upon being advised by Sage Narada, the 3 Goddesses approached Anasuya and prayed to her to return their husbands in their original form. On the strength of her chastity and virtue, Devi Anasuya restored the holy trinity to their original forms. Since then, she came to be known as Maa Sati Anasuya. A fair or festival called Anasuya Mela is organized every year on Dattatreya Jayanti. It falls on the 4th day & full moon day of the 09th month of the Hindu Lunar calendar, considered to be very auspicious by all Hindus.

Seated inside the Sanctum Sanctorum is a grand, beautiful stone idol of Devi Anasuya, with a silver umbrella positioned overhead. There are idols of Lord Shiva, Parvati, Bhairav, Ganesha & other forest deities too, within the temple premises. Installed at a short distance from the temple, is a three-faced stone idol of Lord Dattatreya. A small temple has also been built around it now. To such a sacred and holy place, we offer our salutations and hail the Mother Anasuya who, with the strength of her penance and purity was able to overpower the three great powers of this creation. This truly is the power of penance, of love and devotion, which the Lord Himself gets bound to. The Lord wishes only for Love.

(To be continued …)