Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c21.36

c21.36

The mythical rishi Atri was made one with the mythical Atri, who is called a primaeval prajāpati⁵ and father of Soma,⁶ the moon. Then he is confused with the Atri who was the father (or progenitor) of Datta and Durvāsas (who will be noticed in chapter XIX), and so Soma is made the brother of those two rishis.⁷ Prabhākara, the earliest Ātreya mentioned, is connected in a fable with the sun,⁸ and the fable has no doubt been evolved out of his name and Svastyātreya the name of his descendants, and is explained as referring to an eclipse of the sun.⁹