Dattatreya Tattva

Sri Mahatripurasundari Chandramoulishwarebhyo namaH

Sri Dattatreya is described as the son of Atri and Anasuya in the Puranas. We generally read Purnas superficially
essence of the stories told therein. The primary purpose of the Puranas is to teach the essence of Vedanta to those
directly. If, in this light the Puranas are studied, the stories told therein take a whole new dimension.

Atri means a+tri one without the three i.e. AdhyAtmikAdi tApatrayarahitattvena atrishabdavAchyo jIvanmuk
a liberated one who is free from the Tapatrayas. The fact that he is free from Tapatrayas is also indicative of his b
Gunas (Satva, Rajas and Tamas). It is also indicative of the Bhedana of the three Granthis Brahma, Vishnu and
Kundalini. Thus, Atri represents a great Sadhaka who is beyond the three attributes. His wife Anasuya represents
the state of mind of the Sadhaka here called Atri. Now, when can one be totally devoid of asUyA? Only when t
existent truth - dawns on the Sadhaka. When there is none but the Self, where is the second entity one can be jeal
actually indicates the Jivatman who is free from Maya.

The above truth has been expressed as yet another Puranic story. The trinity seeks Bhiksha from Anasuya in Nirv
and feeds them in Nirvana. Without understanding the Tattva behind this incident, if some preach nudity as a requ
not quite surprising!
The varAha purANa says:
kAmakrodhastathA lobho mado mohashcha pa~nchamaH |
mAtsaryaM ShaShThamityAhuH paishunyaM saptamam tathA |
asUyA tvaShTamI j~neyA ityetA aShTamAtaraH ||

AsUyA or jealousy represents the cumulative effect of the first seven on a human being. Freedom from asUyA th
kAma, krodha etc. The birth of Datta consciousness is possible only in such an Upasaka who has gained anasUya
state called anasUyA, Tamas and Rajas are pre-dominated by Sattva which in turn leads the Sadhaka to the Nirva

There are other incidents described in the Puranas regarding Dattatreya Avatara. The Parabrahman appeared as yo
was performing penance on RkSha Parvata on kArtika shuddha pourNami. He again appeared to Sri Atri on kArt
Pleased with the penance of the sage, he granted (datta) himself to Atri and came to me known as Dattatreya. It w
anasuya. From Suta Samhita, one can know that Datta Avatara first occurred in Krta Yuga vaishAkha bahuLa d
mIna lagna. The incident of Sri Dattatreya discoursing to Prahlada further proves this fact.

Thus, considering the present cycle of creation, the great manifestation of the Supreme as Dattatreya happened in
completed swAyambhuva, swArochiSha, uttama, tAmasa, raivata and chAkShusha manvantaras and the current m
Manvatara approximately maps to about 3086 crore years. Thus, from the beginning of the latest cycle of creatio
18516 crore years.

Scientists claim the present age of our Solar system to be 500 crore years, of earth about 450 crore years and of

This estimate exactly matches with the beginning of Shweta Varaha Kalpa described in our Puranas. Also, the pre
of the three worlds) happened at the end of chAkShuSha manvantara according to the Puranas. In that Manvantar
wiped out. The current manvantara Vaivaswata, is running from 125 crore years now. This discussion was to po
Sri Dattareya has existed from time immemorial. Thus Chakradhara, in his work sUtravichAram, describes Sri D
Sri Dattatreya is also the guru to the entire universe Vishwa Guru. He taught:
- Srividya to Parashurama
- Dattavidya to Brahma
- AdhyAtma Vidya to Prahlada
- Yoga Vidya to Vasishta and
- Atma Vidya to Kartaviryarjuna.
He also incarnated as Sri Sripada Vallabha and Sri Nrsimha Saraswati in the age of Kali to uphold Dharma.

The gross form of Dattatreya itself is a mirror to Datta Tattva. The trinity represent his three faces, his body is pu
are his six hands, the four dogs are the four Vedas, the cow is Dharma, universal peace is the Oudumbara tree and
complete with sixteen kalAs, which is a personification of the knowledge of the Self is the unfathomable Murti

However, this form of Dattatreya commonly worshipped is one of his later incarnations. shAnDilyopaniShat desc
chaturbAhumudArA~Ngam. The idol of Sri Dattatreya worshipped by Sri Vasudevananda Saraswati (Tembe Ma
and Abhaya Mudras, seated on siddhasana and having a single face. The same form is described in Advaita Datta
devaM sacchidAnandavigraham) and in the Dhyana Shloka of Dattatreya Vajra Kavacham of Rudrayamala Tantr
dakShiNenAbhayapradam). Nepal, which is reputed to be birth-place of Sri Dattatreya, has an ancient Dattatreya
houses a similar idol of Dattatreya. This idol is worshipped as Adi Dattatreya Murti.

Sri Dattareya is an ocean of compassion. By merely remembering his name, one earns his grace. Hence he is call
immediately appears to the devotee who remembers the Lord. A sage called dalAdana once wanted to test the tru
Dattatreya. The Lord immedieately reached dalAdana and said:
mama prakrtirId^iShI, smartrgAmI na sandeho swisaptabhuvaneShwaham|
abhakyA vA subhaktyA vA yaH smarenmAmananyadhIH |
tadAnImahamAgamya dadAmi tadabhIpsitam ||

"It is my very nature to reach that person who remembers me, instantly. Whether with devotion or not, if a man
instantly reach him and grant his desires". This is Dattareya's sacred promise to us, his children.

Also, the other unique quality of Sri Dattareya is that he is bhaktakIrtivivardhanaH he is more interested in sh
than of his own. This is yet another example of his immeasurable grace towards his devotees.

According to scriptures:
1. Sri Dattatreya sleeps in Mahura (200 Kms from Nagpur in Maharashtra)
2. Resides on Sahyadri Hills
3. Takes bath in Ganges in Varanasi
4. Performs Achamana in Kurukshetra
5. Applies Bhasma in Dhoot Papeshwar (in Maharashtra)
6. Performs Sandhya in Karnataka
7. Performs mAdhyAhnika in gANigapur
8. Bhiksha in Kolhapur
9. Wears Tilaka in Pandarapur
10. Eats the Bhiksha in Panchaleshwar (near Pune)
11. Drinks water from river Tungabhadra
12. Rests in Girnar
13. Listens to sacred chants and praises in Badari Kshetra and
14. Performs Sayam Sandhya on the West Coast.

These fourteen places are Datta Kshetras. These are the Kshetras where one can easily feel the presence of Sri Da
meditating on him. These are also best suited for Dattatreya Mantra Purashcharana.

Sri Dattatreya is beyond the four Ashramas and forever resides in turIyAtItAshrama. Those in this Ashrama are
from the three attributes and non-different from Sri Dattatreya. This is what is called avadhUtAshrama. We recog
foremost of the Avadhutas. One can learn the lakShaNas of an Avadhuta from Avadhuta Gita which flows from S
The word avadhUta has four letters.

A- represents freedom from the bondage of desire, purity in all three dimensions (past, present and future) and un

va stands for the one who resides in the present, without any botheration about the future and past (i.e. vAsanA
vAsanA).

dhU stands for complete mastery over the body and the mind and freedom from all malas (kArmika, mAyika et
ta stands for constant contemplation on Atma tattva, and total freedom from Tamas and Ahamkara.

An Ashrama which is characterized by these characteristics is the fifth Ashrama called Avadhutashrama. An Avad
regulations. One should earnestly read and contemplate on Avadhuta Gita and Jivanmukti Gita to understand and
Nowadays, Dattatreya is generally associated with Vama/Kaulachara. Let us examine his own words:
Uttamo brahmasadbhAvo dhyanabhavastu madhyamaH |
Stutirjapo.adhamo bhAvo bahiH pUjAdhamAdhamaH ||

This verse occurs in both Dattatreya Samhita and Mahanirvana Tantra. Is not this the same as what is expressed i
Samhita? One who identifies the real Self as the same Brahman who pervades the creation and experiences the T
existence is the best worship of the Supreme. For those incapable of this, practices like dhyana, upAsana etc. are
Brahma Sadbhava. So, if one told you that all Dattatreya taught people was to indulge in literal Panchamakaras a
injunctions, understand that the person knows nothing about Sri Dattareya or Avadhutashrama. Dattatreya's teach
and not for the rest. For the rest, he has taught Bhakti, Vairagya and finally Jnana through his sixteen incarnation
Dattatreya taught senseless Indriya Bhoga and Swecchachara to all. That applies to only those who are in the Tur

Sri Tembe Maharaj descries the sixteen sacred Avataras of Lord Dattatreya. By remembering these Avataras with
from sins and misery.

1. Yogiraja Appeared on Kartika Shuddha Pournami as the manifestation of the combined power of all divinitie
2. Atrivarada - Kartika Bahula Padyami this incarnation indicates Sri Dattatreya as the essence of all Mantras.
3. Datta Prabhu Kartika Bahula Dwitiya Granted himself to sage Atri.
4. Kalagnishamana- Margashirsha Shuddha Chaturdashi Took birth as Atri's son.
5. Yogijanavallabha Margashirsha Pournami indicates the compassion of the Lord towards his devotees.
6. Lila Vishwambhara Paushya Pournami appeared as a child to protect his devotees.
7. Siddharaja Magha Pournami Resurrected the system of Yoga as a preparatory step for Jnana.
8. Jnanasagara Phalguna Shuddha Dashami indicated the necessity of Jnana for liberation.
9. VishwambharAvadhUta Chaitra Pournami Established Bhakti Yoga.
10. MayayuktAvadhUta Jyeshtha Shuddha Trayodashi Grants worldly desires of his devotees.
11. MayamuktAvadhUta Vaishakha Shuddha Chaturdashi Destroys kAma in his devotees.

12. Adi Guru AshAdha Pournami Grants Brahma Jnana to Uttamadhikaris.

13. Sri Shivarupa Shravana Pournami Grants Sayujya to Madhyamadhikaris.
14. Sri Devadeva Bhadrapada Shuddha Chaturdashi grants Atmapada to his devotees.
15. Sri Digambara Ashwayuja Pournami to establish Vairagya.

16. Sri Krishna Shyama Kamalanayana Kartika Shuddha Dwadashi complete with sixteen kalAs, is the comp

Though we celebrate Datta Jayanti only once a year, a sincere Upasaka should worship Dattatreya on the above-s
achieve Siddhi of Sri Dattatreya Anushtup Mahamantra.

I had the privilege of getting an invaluable tip from a Datta Yogi in Andhra Desha who said, "If one recites the gr
received it from Sadguru, sixteen thousand times on each of these sixteen Tithis, he will surely see Dattatreya".

The Datta Anushtup Mantra itself is a concise summary of the essence of these sixteen Avataras and holds the ke
Uttamadhikaris should learn the significance of the Mantra and its Dharana in the sixteen Chakras in the body to
This mantra is the most ancient and the king among the other 32 mantras of Sri Dattatreya. The Uttaranga mantra
Mahavidya and Sri Datta Sahasrakshari.
dattaM vande digambaram

Goraksha Samhita, Goraksha Gita, Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati, Yoga Martanada, Yoga Siddhanta Pa
Chintamani