Dattatreya Jayanti is celebrated on the tenth day of Margashirsha Krishna Paksha. Lord Dattatreya was the son of Maharishi Atri and mother Anusuya. Maharishi Atri is one of the Saptarishis, and Mother Anusuya is cited as the epitome of chastity. Lord Dattatya is believed to be an incarnation of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. It is said that they are considered to be part of the Tridevas. According to the Puranas, Dattatreya had three heads and six arms. Dattatreya is famous in mythological history due to his pluralism. The story of his birth is very strange.
The worship of Maharaj Dattatreya, which is comprised of all the three divine powers, is very successful and gives quick results. Maharaj Dattatreya was a Brahmachari, Avadhoot and Digambara. He is omnipresent and is very quick to take care of the devotee in any kind of crisis, if the worship of Maharaj Dattatreya is done by mental, or by deeds or by speech, then the devotee gets away from any difficulty quickly.
Adau Brahma madhe Vishnurante Devah Sadashivah
Murttrayaswarupay Dattatreya Namostu te |
brahmajnanmayi mudra vastre Chakashabhotale
Pragyanghanbodhay Dattatreya Namostu Te ||
Meaning - One who is Brahma in the beginning, Vishnu in the middle and Sadashiva in the end, salutations to those Lord Dattatreya repeatedly. Those who have the posture of Brahmagyan, whose clothes are in the sky and the earth, and who are the embodiment of corporeal wisdom, those Lord Dattatreya are repeatedly saluted. (Jagadguru Sri Adi Shankaracharya)
Lord Dattatreya was once asked by King Yadu the name of his guru, Lord Dattatreya said: "The soul is my guru, although I have taken education from twenty-four persons as my guru."
1) Earth, 2) Water, 3) Air, 4) Fire, 5) Sky, 6) Sun, 7) Moon, 8) Sea, 9) Dragon, 10) Kapot, 11) Moth, 12) Fish, 13) Deer, 14) Elephant, 15) Bee, 16) Honey-maker, 17) Kurar bird, 18) Miss girl, 19) Snake, 20) Boy, 21) Pingala Vaishya, 22) Arrow maker, 23) Spider, 24 ) beetles
Once Narada Muni went to heaven to meet Lord Shankar, Vishnu and Brahma. But he could not meet any of the trinity. He met Parvati, Lakshmi and Saraswati, the wives of the trinity. To break the pride of all three, Naradji said that I keep traveling around the world. But I have not seen a virtuous wife, a woman of modesty and virtue like Anusuiya, the wife of Atri Rishi. All three of you goddesses are also behind them in following the holy religion. Hearing this, her ego got hurt because she understood that there is no pious woman like us in the world.
After the departure of Naradji, the three goddesses urged their respective gods to destroy the sacred religion of Sati Anusuiya. Coincidentally, Tridev reached the hermitage of Atri Muni at the same time. All the three gods had the same purpose. Destroy the husband religion of Anusuya. Together they made a plan. The three gods dressed as sages and asked for alms from Anusuiya. In alms he expressed his desire to eat.
Anusuiya, who considers hospitality as her religion, said that you come after retiring from bath etc., till then I prepare the kitchen for you.
When the three gods came after taking a bath, Anusuiya asked them to take a seat. On this, the three Daves said that we can take the seat only when you feed us in a natural state without clothes.
Anusuiya's body then caught fire, but due to her husband's dharma, she understood the tricks of the trinity.
Anusuiya sprinkled the feet of the sage Atri on the trinity and said that if my virtuous religion is pure, then these three should turn into small children. Then, according to the condition of the three gods, Anusuiya offered food and on the cradle started swinging them separately.
When Tridev did not return even after a long time, Tridevis started getting worried. Tridevis reached the hermitage of Atri Rishi in search of Tridevs and Sati started inquiring about Tridevs from Anusuiya. Anusuiya pointed to the rears and said that your gods are resting in the rears. Take the identity of your own deity, but they could not recognize all the three being the same face. When Lakshmi ji very cleverly picked up Vishnu from the cradle, he turned out to be Shankar, on which he had to face a lot of ridicule.
On requesting the three goddesses, Anusuiya said that these three have drank my milk. So they have to be with me in some form or the other.
On this a special child of the part of the Tridevas was born, who had three heads and six arms. This child grew up to be called Dattateya Rishi.
Anusuiya again undone the trinity with the help of Pit Charnodak.