“Dattatreya“
"Datta" means not only "that which is given", but also as the ideal of "giving" without
desire for reward, i.e. selfless giving. The whole life of Dattatrey a shows us that this
"giving" selflessly is the true renunciation/sacrifice. The significance of this sacrifice
is stated in the Dattatreya Upanishad where the Lord says, "Not by action, not by
progeny, nor even by self, but by renunciation (tyaaga) alone is immortality attained.
"Real renunciation is the giving up of "I" and mine, not the mere abandoning of duties.
Living a selfless life require giving up one's ego. That is what Lord Dattatreya
describes as true sacrifice.
Dattatreya was born as the son of Atri Maharshi and Anasuya. Datta Jayanthi is
observed on the full moon day in the month of Margashirsha maasa.
Anasuya gave birth to three male children. They are Datta – Vishnu, Doorvasa – Shiva
and Soma-Chandra (With Brahma’s avesha).
A§Éå: mɦrÉlÉxÉÔrÉ §ÉÏlÉç eÉ¥Éå xÉÑrÉzÉxÉ: xÉÑiÉÉlÉç |
S¨ÉÇ SÕuÉÉïxÉxÉÇ xÉÉå qÉqÉÉiqÉåz ÉoÉë ¼xÉÇpÉuÉÉlÉç ||
(cÉiÉÑkÉïxMÇükÉ AkrÉÉrÉ 1.15)
atrE: patnyanasUya trIn jaj~JnE suyashasa: sutaan |
dattam dUrvaasasam sOmamaatmEshabrahmasambhavaan ||
(Bhagavatha chaturdhaskandha adhyaaya 1.15)
Sage Atri did Tapascharya on the Ruksha parvatha (Kula Mountain). He was doing
Pranayama, and sitting on a single foot, taking only Vaywahara (only air was his food).
He did the tapas for one hundred years. The PRayanayaabhyasa agni which came
out of his Shiras was burning the entire world. Pleased with the Tapas of Atri
Rushigalu, the three lokapalakaas Brahma-Vishnu-Maheshwara came before the
sage, alongwith Apsares, Sages, Gandharvaas, Siddhaas, Vidhyadharaas, etc.
When Sage Atri opened his eye he saw Trishooladari Shiva, Hamsarooda
Kamandaladhari Brahma, and Shanka Chakra Gadha padmadhari Garuda Vahana
Srihari, he was very happy, did the sastanga namaskara, did Arghyapadyaachamana.
Then Atri told :
ÌuɵÉÏ°uÉÎxjÉÌiÉsÉrÉåwÉÑ ÌuÉpÉerÉqÉÉlÉæ:
qÉÉrÉÉaÉÑh ÉæUlÉÑaÉÑh ÉÇ mÉëaÉ× WûÏiÉSåWûÉ: |
Wåû oÉë ¼ÌuÉwhÉÑÌaÉËUzÉÉ: mÉëh ÉiÉÉåx qÉëÑWÇ û uÉ:
iÉåprÉ: Mü LuÉ pÉuÉiÉÉÇ qÉ CWûÉåm ÉWÕ ûiÉ: |
(chaturdhaskaMdha adhyaaya 1.27)
vishvIdbhavasthitilayEShu vibhajyamaanai:
maayaaguNairanuguNam pragRuhItadEhaa: |
hE brahmaviShNugirishaa: praNatOsmruham va:
tEbhya: ka Eva bhavataam ma ihOpahUta: |
LMüÉå qÉrÉåWû pÉaÉuÉÉlÉç ÌuÉoÉÑkÉmÉëk ÉÉlÉ:
ÍcɨÉÏM×üiÉ: mÉëeÉlÉlÉÉrÉ MüjÉÇ lÉÑ rÉÔrÉqÉç |
A§ÉÉaÉiÉÉxiÉlÉÑpÉ×iÉÉÇ qÉlÉxÉÉåÌmÉ SÕUÉ:
oÉÚiÉ mÉëxÉÏSiÉ qÉWûÉlÉÌiÉÌuÉxqÉrÉÉå qÉå |
(pÉÉaÉuÉiÉ cÉiÉÑjÉï xMÇükÉ 1.28)
EkO mayEha bhagavaan vibudhapradhaana|
chittIkRuta: prajananaaya katham nu yUyam |
atraagataastanubhRutaam manasOpi dUraa:
bRUta prasIdata mahaanativismayO mE |
(bhaagavata chaturtha skandha 1.28)
Atri praised - You three are the World’s Srusti, Sthiti, and Layakartharu, and
Pravartakaas of Satva, Rajass and tamas Gunaas. Why all three have come. I am
surprised to see you all three.
Then Brahma – Vishnu- Maheshwara told, smilingly, You will have three children who
are equal to us in Swaroopa with Bhinnaamsha.
As such Chandra was born with the amsha of Brahma (Brahma does not avatara, so
Chandra in whom his Brahma’s avesha is there was born), Vishnu born as
Yogeshwara DattatrEya and Shankara was born as Doorvasa.
Atri Rushi must have three children with Trimoorthi’s amsha. That is why they came
to give asurajana mohanartha “the three are equal” – only for asurajana
mohanaartha, they came.
Sri Madhwacharyaru in his Bhagavatha Tatparya Grantha has given an illustration of
“DattatrEya Yoga”. Chakravarthi Kartaveeryarjuna is one of the famous shishya of
Datreya and he was a Dattopasaka.
Srimadacharyaru has clarified clearly that the Dattatreya roopa is sakshat Vishnu
roopa. There are some versions about Dattatreya which tells that “Dattatreya is only
one son, born with tri-roopa, 6 heads, 6 hands and with 4 dogs next to Datta” is a
wrong concept. They are three different roopaas clearly with Chandra, Doorvasa
and Datta.
Collection by Narahari Sumadhwa
For www.sumadhwaseva.com
