Hindu Festivals No 26.

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Dear friends and devotees,

 

Bhakti is eternal.

 

26. Dutta Jayanthi.

(Margasira suddha chathurdasi)

 

dattAtrEyam mahAtmanam varadam bhaktavatsalam,

prasannArtiharam vandE smartagAmi sanOvatu.

dIna badhum kRpAsindhum sarvakAraNa kAraNam,

sarvarakshAkaram vandE smartagAmim.

 

Besides the major incarnations, there have been many other occasions, when God

had deigned to be born to men of great austerity and tapas. One such incarnation

is the Dattatreya form, which he assumed for the sake of Sage Atri.

Worshipped as the Trinity aspect of the almighty, the lord appeared in this

particular form to fulfill the wishes of Atri and Ansuya. Sage Atri is one of

the Saptarishis and derives his name from the fact that he had transcended the

three gunas of matter (Satva, Raja and Tamas) indicating that he is a realised

soul.

Dattatreya is symbolic of a Composite image of the three gods. Brahma, Vishnu

and Shiva.

 

The story of Dattatreya goes like this:

 

Once Narada, the sage of gods went to meet the gods in Swarga Loka (heaven)

but not meeting them, he only met their consorts Savitri, Lakshmi and Parvati.

During his visit, Narada felt that they were all proud of their loyalty towards

their husbands. Narada to tease them said that he had not seen a more loyal wife

than Anasuya, the wife of saint Atri. The three wives felt jealous and coaxed

their husbands to make Anasuya, immoral.

The three gods went to Atri’s ashram and in disguised forms, sought food in

charity from Anasuya. She requested them to go, have a dip in the Ganga and come

back.

When the three returned, they put forth a condition that they will take food

from her if only she stood naked before them. Anasuya felt suspicious and

consulted her husband Atri.

Atri, who had great foresight, gave her some water to wash their feet and

sprinkle water on them.

Anasuya did, as advised. All the three gods turned into infants who started

suckling her breast and enjoyed themselves in a cradle.

The three goddesses, after long wait, sought advice from Narada who pointed

them to Atri’s ashram. The three went there and asked Anasuya about their

husbands. Anasuya indicated them to a cradle, in which three infants were

playing and sucking their fingers. Unable to recognize them, the goddesses

requested Anasuya to identify them. Anasuya told them who they were and that as

they had sucked her breast and had been her children, so they must now remain

with her.

On this a bright illumination, as a composite result of the three gods

appeared and a three headed and six armed Dattatreya appeared. Anasuya sprinkled

water given by her husband Atri, and the three gods came into themselves, in

original form.

 

Thus Dattatreya is a composite of the divine trinity.

(A collection)

 

With love and regards,

 

Sastry.

 

 

 

 

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