The Rigveda's fifth Mandala, also known as the Atri Mandala, is named after the sage Atri. This Mandala contains eighty-seven hymns that are said to have been composed by Atri and his descendants. Atri is also mentioned in various Hindu texts, such as the Puranas and the epic poems of the Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Atri statue at Atreyapuram village of AP.

According to Vedic legends, Sage Atri was one of the seven great sages or Saptarshi, along with Marichi, Angiras, Pulaha, Kratu, Pulastya, and Vashistha. He was married to Anasuya Devi and they had three sons named Dattatreya, Durvasa, and Chandra. Atri is believed to have originated from the tongue and is considered the last of the seven sages.

When Atri was instructed by a divine voice to do penance, he readily agreed and did severe penance. Pleased with his devotion and prayers, the Hindu trinity, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, appeared before him and offered him boons. Atri asked for all three to be born to him. Another version of the legend states that Anasuya rescued the three gods by the powers of her chastity and in return, they were born as children to her. Brahma was born to her as Chandra, Vishnu as Dattatreya, and Shiva in some part as Durvasa.

Atri's mention is found in various scriptures, notably in the Rig Veda. He is also associated with various ages, particularly in Treta Yuga during the Ramayana, when he and Anasuya advised Rama and Sita. The pair is also attributed to bringing river Ganga down to earth, as mentioned in the Shiva Purana. Valmiki Ramayana and Puranic tradition suggest that Atri was a resident of the south.

Sage Atri is known as the seer of the fifth Mandala of the Rigveda, which comprises 87 hymns dedicated mainly to Agni and Indra, and to other deities such as the Visvedevas, Maruts, Mitra-Varuna, Asvins, Ushas and Savitr. Many of Atri's sons and disciples have also contributed to the compilation of the Rig Veda and other Vedic texts.

The Atri hymns are significant for their melodic structure and the use of riddles to convey spiritual ideas. The hymn 5.44 is considered to be the most difficult riddle hymn in the Rigveda. Atri is also credited with verses in other Mandalas of the Rigveda.

In the Ramayana, Atri and his wife Anasuya are visited by Rama, Sita and Lakshmana in their hermitage in Chitrakuta, near a lake with divine music and songs. In the Puranas, several sages named Atri are mentioned, but the legends about them are diverse and inconsistent.

Cultural influence :

Left to right: Atri, Bhrigu, Vikhanasa, Marichi and Kashyapa.

The sage Atri is an important figure in Hinduism, known for his penance and devotion to the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. He is believed to have originated from the tongue and is one of the seven great Rishis or Saptarishis. Atri is also known for his contributions to the Rig Veda, particularly in the fifth Mandala, which contains hymns attributed to him and his clan, the Atreyas.

In the Ramayana, Atri is depicted as living in a hermitage in Chitrakuta, where Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana visit him and his wife, Anasuya. The Vaikhanasas sub-tradition within Vaishnavism in South India credits their theology to Atri and three other sages, Marichi, Bhrigu, and Kashyapa. The surviving fragments of the Atri Samhita, an ancient text of the Vaikhanasas tradition, discuss yoga, ethics of living, and precepts such as self-restraint, charity, and compassion. The Vaikhanasas continue to adhere to their Vedic heritage and are a significant community in South India.