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Dattatreya is considered by Hindus to be god who is an incarnation of the Divine Trinity -
Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
The word "Datta" means
"To Give", Datta is called so because the divine trinity have "Given" themselves in the form
of a son to the sage couple Atri and Anusooya. He is the son of Atri, so the name
"Atreya", Hence the name
"Dattatreya".
Dattatreya was born on Wednesday, the fourteenth day of the full moon in the month of 'Mrigashira'. Symbolically Lord Dattatreya is depicted with three heads, six hands, four dogs, standing in front of a cow and tree. In his hands He holds a drum (Damaru), Chakra, Conch Shell (Shankh), Rosary (Japa mala), Water Vessel (Kamandala) and a Trident (Thrishula). The Lord's three heads represent Brahma Tatwa, Vishnu Tatwa and Shiva Tatwa. All powerful creative cause is Brahma, sustaining energy is Vishnu and and annihilating energy is Shiva. |
(Srishti, Sthithi and Laya energies) are the three heads. Lord Dattatreya is also holding
a rotating discus -chakra. It is a round circle with no beginning and no end. Like
the universe, it too is constantly moving, always in a flux. He uses this Chakra
to destroy all kinds of karmic bonds of His devotees. His right hand holds a Rosary-Japa Mala. With this the Lord counts His devotees, liberating them by merely thinking
of their name. In another hand the Lord is carrying the Water Pot-Kamandala. This
holds the nectar of pure wisdom. With this He revives the souls thirsty for knowledge,
liberating them from the endless cycle of life and death.
The four dogs of Dattatreya are the embodiments of the four Vedas. They follow the Lord as "hounds of heaven, watchdogs of the ultimate Truth". They help the Lord in "hunting" and finding pure souls, wherever they may be born. Behind the Lord Dattatreya is the cow named Kamadhenu. This divine cow grants the wishes and desires of all those who seek the Lord. She grants all material and spiritual wishes of the Lord's devotees.
The Lord stands in front of the Audumbara tree. This is the celestial wish -yielding tree. It fulfills the wishes of those who prostrate before it. Audumbara is the bearer of nectar, and wherever it is found, Lord Dattatreya is always found in it's shade.
Lord Dattatreya's Birth
Sage Narada praised Anusooya's "Pativratyam" (Devotion to her husband) a lot before the wives of Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva making them jealous of her. They requested their husbands to reduce her Pativratyam. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva went to Anusooya as guests when Atri was not there at home and asked her to serve them food (lunch). When she agreed to do so, they said that they will accept her alms on the condition that she serves them in NIRVANA state. Anusooya falls into a dilemma. If she comes in NIRVANA state in front of other men her pativratyam will be reduced. If she refuses then that is dishonor to the guests and they can take away all the power of Atri. Anusooya felt that the three guests who asked such a strange favour are not normal people since they are trying to place her in a tricky situation. Since the guests asked for alms saying "Bhavati Bhikshan Dehi" (Oh Mother! Give us some food). Anusooya told them that she would serve if they come as small children. Because of her greatness and her presence of mind, when she came to serve food the three gods became small children. She feeds them and put them to sleep in a cradle. Atri came back afterwards and hearing the story from Anusooya, praised the three gods sleeping in the cradle. They woke up in their original form and praised Anusooya's pativratyam and gave her a boon. Anusooya requested that these three should be born as her children--the incarnation of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
Datta's Travels - Lord Datta spent most of his life wandering in the area around North Karnataka through Maharashtra and into Gujarat as far as the Narmada river. Datta attained realization at a place called Ganagapur in North Karnataka. The original footprints of Lord Datta are believed to be located on the lonely peak at Mount Girnar
Avatars of Lord Dattatreya - In Datta Sampradaaya the first avatar is Shri ShriPaadaSriVallabha and the second is Shri Narasimha Saraswati then Akkalkot Swami, Swami Samarth, Shri Vasudevanand Saraswati, Shri Manik Prabhu, Shri Krishna Saraswati, Shri Shirdi Sai Baba and Shri Ganapathi Sachchidananda Swami(Mysore-Karnataka) are considered as avatars of Dattatreya.
The four dogs of Dattatreya are the embodiments of the four Vedas. They follow the Lord as "hounds of heaven, watchdogs of the ultimate Truth". They help the Lord in "hunting" and finding pure souls, wherever they may be born. Behind the Lord Dattatreya is the cow named Kamadhenu. This divine cow grants the wishes and desires of all those who seek the Lord. She grants all material and spiritual wishes of the Lord's devotees.
The Lord stands in front of the Audumbara tree. This is the celestial wish -yielding tree. It fulfills the wishes of those who prostrate before it. Audumbara is the bearer of nectar, and wherever it is found, Lord Dattatreya is always found in it's shade.
Lord Dattatreya's Birth
Sage Narada praised Anusooya's "Pativratyam" (Devotion to her husband) a lot before the wives of Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva making them jealous of her. They requested their husbands to reduce her Pativratyam. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva went to Anusooya as guests when Atri was not there at home and asked her to serve them food (lunch). When she agreed to do so, they said that they will accept her alms on the condition that she serves them in NIRVANA state. Anusooya falls into a dilemma. If she comes in NIRVANA state in front of other men her pativratyam will be reduced. If she refuses then that is dishonor to the guests and they can take away all the power of Atri. Anusooya felt that the three guests who asked such a strange favour are not normal people since they are trying to place her in a tricky situation. Since the guests asked for alms saying "Bhavati Bhikshan Dehi" (Oh Mother! Give us some food). Anusooya told them that she would serve if they come as small children. Because of her greatness and her presence of mind, when she came to serve food the three gods became small children. She feeds them and put them to sleep in a cradle. Atri came back afterwards and hearing the story from Anusooya, praised the three gods sleeping in the cradle. They woke up in their original form and praised Anusooya's pativratyam and gave her a boon. Anusooya requested that these three should be born as her children--the incarnation of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
Datta's Travels - Lord Datta spent most of his life wandering in the area around North Karnataka through Maharashtra and into Gujarat as far as the Narmada river. Datta attained realization at a place called Ganagapur in North Karnataka. The original footprints of Lord Datta are believed to be located on the lonely peak at Mount Girnar
Avatars of Lord Dattatreya - In Datta Sampradaaya the first avatar is Shri ShriPaadaSriVallabha and the second is Shri Narasimha Saraswati then Akkalkot Swami, Swami Samarth, Shri Vasudevanand Saraswati, Shri Manik Prabhu, Shri Krishna Saraswati, Shri Shirdi Sai Baba and Shri Ganapathi Sachchidananda Swami(Mysore-Karnataka) are considered as avatars of Dattatreya.