Ashrama (Temple)
Sati Anusuya ashrama is in Chitrakoot, in the present state of Madhya Pradesh located further upstream 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 Siva), lived and are said to have meditated.
According to the great epic, Ramayana, Lord Ram with his wife Sita and brother, Laxman spent eleven years of their fourteen years of exile in the deep jungles of Chitrakoot
In the Ramayana, Maha Sati Anasuya appears living with her husband sage Atri in a small hermitage in the southern periphery of the forest of Chitrakoot in the present state of Madhya Pradesh. She was very pious, and always practiced austerities and devotion. This made her attain miraculous powers.
Valmiki describes in the epic Ramayana that at one time there was no rain in Chitrakoot for ten years. There was a severe famine and nothing was left to eat or drink for animals and birds. Maha 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.
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 and his brother Laxman along with Sita had visited this place to meet Maharishi Atri and Maha Sati Anusuya. It is here Maha Sati Anusuya explained to Sita the grandeur and importance of satitva (purity).
My late father told me the story of Maha Sati Anusuya when I was young and it exemplifies the highest level of spiritual attainment, through the force of devotion and service to their husbands only, many women of yore have done miraculous deeds and shown to the world the power of chastity.
The deeper meaning of the above story is
Lord Siva has said – I am subject to control by means of devotion alone
“Pleased by the devotion of Maha Sati Anasuya to her husband Maharishi Atri and to the Gods, the Gods and their wives played out this divine Leela*”
Leela* is the nature of Supreme Consciousness, playful nature. The phenomenal world is manifested Leela. The play is without beginning – as well as endless. This divine Leela was played out by the Gods Brahma, Vishnu, Siva and their wives to expound to the future generations that there is no limit to what a chaste wife can accomplish by devotion to her husband and to the Gods and Goddesses and set an example to future generations what a devoted and chaste wife can accomplish.
The Gods ( Lord Brahama , Lord Vishnu, and Lord Siva) thus glorified Maha Sati Anasuya to the status of a Goddesses. Millions of people throng to the temple of Maha Sati Anasuya in Chitrakoot, to pray for deliverance from their troubles. Maha Sati Anasuya who is the ocean of kindness always answers the prayers of her devotees.
The late Swami Sivananda has said on Pativrata Dharma.
The house wherein the wife serves the husband with sincere devotion and observes Pativrata Dharma is heaven on earth. That house wherein the wife fights with the husband and disobeys his orders, is a veritable hell on earth. Ladies who practice Pativrata Dharma need not go to temples. They need not practice any Vrata or penance. Service of husband becomes worship. They can realize God through service of their husbands. Husbands also should be ideal persons with noble qualities. Husbands are the Gurus for their wives. Wives need not get any initiation from any Acharya (Gurus).Glory to such ladies who practice Pativrata Dharma. !
I was fortunate to visit the Maha Sati Anusuya ashrama in Chitrakoot on the 27th and 28th of March, 2012. It was a humbling experience to visit this temple where I could offer my prayers and obeisance.
The temple contains beautiful idols which depict the various stages of Maha Sati Anusuyas life including the main idol of Maha Sati Anusuya where pilgrims pray for her benediction. The following pages show the photos from this temple.
Maha Sati Anusuya had taken birth to remove the stress and strain of her devotees besides being the shining example of dharma.