Puranic encyclopaedia
by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222
This page describes the Story of Atreya included the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani that was translated into English in 1975. The Puranas have for centuries profoundly influenced Indian life and Culture and are defined by their characteristic features (panca-lakshana, literally, ‘the five characteristics of a Purana’).
Story of Ātreya
A sage. This sage had acquired the power to go from one planet to another. Once this ṛṣi went to devaloka as the guest of Indra and there he drank Amṛta (the celestial elixir) and enjoyed the dances of the celestial maidens A desire to have a similar heaven of his own budded in his mind and he approached Viśvakarmā who gave him a new heaven of his own. But before long the demons took over this heaven from him. Though Viśvakarmā took back the same from the demons, Ātreya did not go back but returned to his old āśrama on the banks of Gomatī and doing penance there for a long time attained salvation (Brahma Purāṇa).
More details.
Ātreya was also present among the ascetics who assembled at the sarpasatra of Janamejaya. (Śloka 8, Chapter 55, Ādi Parva, Mahābhārata).
2) Ātreya was a disciple of Vāmadeva. (Śloka 6, Chapter 192, Vana Parva, Mahābhārata).
3) This ṛṣi taught his disciples about Nirguṇabrahma. (Śloka 7, Chapter 137, Anuśāsana Parva, Mahābhārata).