The Nativity of Soma and Saumya (.Budha) - Verse 2-3

The Nativity of Soma and Saumya (.Budha) Suta said: I. O Brahamanas, the progenitor of the Moon-god was Atri, the holy sage. He surpassed all the worlds by means of his brilliance. He was a holy lord. He always performed only holy rites physically, mentally and verbally. We have heard that formerly, for a period of three thousand years, he performed a penance that was indeed very difficult to be performed in the worlds, wherein with his arms upraised he stood firm (unmoved) like (a piece of ) wood, a wall or a piece of rock.