16. Atri
Volume I: Part I pp. 261–264
The revered sage Atri finds specific mention in the Manusmṛti, in chapter three, verse sixteen, establishing his ancient authority. His influence is notably embodied in the Ātreyadharmaśāstra, a text structured into nine adhyāyas, for which a summary of its comprehensive contents and its distinctive form is well-documented. Indeed, numerous works are styled as Atrismr̥ti, reflecting a broad textual tradition. Among these, a detailed summary of the Atrisamhitā, as printed by Jīvānanda, provides valuable insights into this lineage. Significantly, Atri is cited as an authority particularly on the intricate subject of adoption, underscoring his practical contributions to dharma. Further attesting to the diversity of texts attributed to him are the Laghu Atri and Vr̥ddhātreyasmr̥ti. His authoritative stature is cemented by citations in other foundational works, such as a verse from Atri quoted in the Mahābhārata, specifically in Anuśāsana 65.1. Moreover, Aparārka extensively draws upon Atri's wisdom, quoting approximately a hundred verses attributed to him across a wide array of dharma-related topics. The enduring scholarly engagement with Atri’s legacy is highlighted by modern editions, including the Ātreya-smr̥ti edited by Aiyangar.
— Synopsis by P.V. Kane, from History of Dharmaśāstra
16. Atri
16. Atri
That Atri was an ancient writer on dharma follows from a reference to him in Manu ( III. 16 ) as holding the view that a dvijāti taking as wife a śūdra woman became fallen (patita). In the Deccan College collection there are several msṣ ( Noṣ 185-187 of A 1881-82 ) of the Ātreyadharmasāstra in nine adhyāyas. They treat of gifts, prayers (japa) and tapas by which men are freed from all sinṣ Some of the chapters are in mixed prose and verse. The first three chapters are entirely in verse and some of the verses ( such as ekākṣaram param brahma) occur in the Manusmṛti. The fourth opens with a long sūtra, which, in style, resembles later bhāṣyas and commentarieṣ1 The 5th also is in verse and contains several verses found in Vasiṣṭha ( Db. S. 28. 1, 4, 6 ). The sixth speaks of the specially holy hymns and verses of the Veda. Some of the verses here are the same as Vasiṣṭha ( 28. 10-11 ). The seventh refers to secret prāyaścittas and the very first sūtra after the opening words speaks of several non-Aryan tribes 2 such as the Śakas, Yavanas, Kāmbojas, Bālhikas, Khaśas, Vaṅgas and Parāśa ( Persians ? ) &c. It is to be noted that the same sūtra ( with slight variations ) is quoted as Atri's by Aparārka ( on Yāj. III. 266 p. 1123 ). The 7th and 8th chapters are in mixed prose and verse. The 9th is in verse and speaks of Yoga and its angas. It refers to the fact that Śiśupāla, son of Damaghoṣa, because in his hatred of Govinda he always thought of the latter, went to heaveṇ The same sūtra work is noticed in I. O. Cat., pp. 380-81, Noṣ 1305 and 1306. There are several works styled Atri-smṛti or saṃhitā in the msṣ One of them is in six chapters on secret prāyaścittas, gifts, pitṛmedha and ācāra ( vide I. O. Cat., p. 381, No. 1303 ). There is another work styled Atrisaṁhitā printed in Jīvanan- da’s collection ( part I. pp. 13-46 ). It contains about 400 verses and deals with the following topics :- importance of honouring guru; duties of four castes; purifications of several malas ; virtues of Brāhmaṇas such as śūca, anasūyā; defini- tion of iṣṭa and pūrta, ten yamas and niyamas; importance of sons; adopted sons; prāyaścittas for taking forbidden food or drink and for other transgressions; impurity on birth and death; cāndrāyaṇa, Kṛchra, Sāntapana; gifts; purifications from avoidable contacts with rajasvalā &c.; Śrāddha and the brāhmaṇas to be invited for it.
In this work Atri is himself cited as an authority. Other authors and works quoted are: Āpastamba ( p. 30 ), Yama ( p. 41 ), Vyāsa ( p. 24 ), Śaṅkha ( pp. 22, 35 ), Śatātapa ( p. 35 ). The Vedānta, Sāṁkhya, Yoga, Purāṇas, Bhāgavatah ( p. 45 ) are mentioneḍ It contains ( on p. 14 ) the verse ‘ sadyah patati māṁsena’ which is found in Vasiṣṭha Dh. S. ( 2. 27 ) with the words ‘ athāpyudāharanti’. There are other verses also which occur elsewhere e. g. ‘atha cen-mantravid’ occurs in Vasiṣṭha 11. 20, ‘tryaham pratāh’ ( p.23 ) is also Manu XI. 211. On p. 26 occur the words ‘atrāpyudāharanti’ and so what follows is a quotatioṇ On p. 32 there are three verses in another metre.
Atri’s verse about adoption3 is quoted as the first autho- rity on adoption in the Dattakamīmāṁsā. He mentions the seven antyajas to be the washerman, the shoemaker, naṭa, buruḍa, kaivarta ( fisherman ), meda and bhilla ( p. 29 ). He further says4 that there is no question of untouchability in fairs, marriage seasons, in Vedic sacrifices and in all festivalṣ He says that Brāhmaṇas from Magadha, Mathurā and three other places are not honoured ( at a śrāddha ) though as lear- ned as Bṛhaspati.5 The work mentions the signs of the Zodiac, Kanyā and the Scorpion (p. 43 ), and hence was not composed before the first centuries of the Christian era.
In Jivananda there is a Laghu-Atri (part I, pp. 1–12) in 6 chapters and about 120 verses, dealing with the means of being freed from sins (such as prāṇāyāma, sacred formula, gifts &c. ), with purifications from impurity on death and birth, with giftṣ It mentions Manu. In the fourth chapter there are about ten lines in prose. There are numerous verses that occur also in the Vasiṣṭha-dharmasūtra, e. g. Vaṣ 26. 8-9 and 16–18 occur on p. 3; Vaṣ 28. 11-16 occur on pp. 4–5. It is difficult to say who the borrower iṣ
There is a Vṛddhātreyasmṛti in Jivananda (part I. pp. 47–59) in five chapters and about 140 verseṣ This closely resembles the Laghu-Atri-smṛti described above. In the commencement both have the same six verses beginning with ‘bhagavan kena dānena’ and the works have many verses in commoṇ In the fourth chapter of both the same prose passages occur.
Viśvarūpa on Yaj. (III. 257) quotes two verses from Atri on prāyaścitta which are found in none of the three works described above.6
In the Mahābhārata (Anuśāsana 65. 1) Atri is credited with the view that those who make a gift of gold give (practically) all objectṣ This bears a close resemblance to two verses that occur in Laghvatri (Jivananda part I. p. 5) and Vṛddhātri (part I. p. 51).7 Aparārka quotes about a hundred verses of Atri on vari-ous topicṣ Aparārka quotes ( on Yāj. III. 61 pp. 966-7 ) twelve verses of Atri on the repetitions of om, prāṇāyāma, and the virtues to be practised by him who desires to go into samādhi, 7 verses on Yāj. III. 64 pp. 971-72 on 24 tattvas and puruṣa as 25th : on p. 1123 a prose passage on prāyaścitta for partaking of the food of or receiving gifts from actors, dancers and Andhras, Drāmiḍas, Śakas, Kāmbhojas, Tukkhāras, Vālhikas and Khaśaṣ Śaṅkarācārya on V. S. III. 40-43, quotes two verses from Smṛtis, one of which ‘ Ārūḍho naiṣṭhi-kam karma &c.’ occurs in Atrismṛti VIII. 16 ( Ānaṇ edition ). Mr. A. N. Krishna, Aiyangar edits an Ātreya-smṛti in Adyar Library Bulletin, vol. VI, part 4.