Dattātreya Jayantī 2001

Dattātreya Jayantī celebrates the birth of Lord Dattātreya on the full moon night of the Mārgaśīrṣa month. Dattātreya is unique in Hindu theology: he is the combined avatar of the Trimūrti (Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva) appearing simultaneously in a single form. His iconography shows three faces (the three gods), six arms (two each), and four dogs (the four Vedas) at his feet, with a cow (Kāmadhenu) standing behind him.

The name Dattātreya means "gift of Atri": he was born to the sage Atri and his devoted wife Anasūyā. When the wives of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva grew jealous of Anasūyā's fidelity and virtues, they sent their husbands to test her. Unable to break her devotion, the three gods merged into a single infant (Dattātreya) and were born to her as her son.

Lord Dattātreya is the original guru in Hindu tradition: the Ādi Guru. The Avadhūta Gītā records his teachings on non-dualism and liberation. He is said to have had 24 gurus ranging from the earth and sky to a prostitute and a python: teaching that wisdom can be found in every aspect of creation. He is especially revered in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, and by the Nātha sampradāya (the tradition of Gorakṣanātha).