Dattatreya Jayanthi is the festival ascribed to the incarnation of Sri Dattatreya, the Deity in the combined form of Bhagwan Shiva, Bhagwan Vishnu and Sri Brahma. The festival occurs on the Pournami (Full moon day) of the Margashira month.
For the Year 2023, Dattatreya Jayanthi occurs on Tuesday, 26th December 2023. The exact duration of the Pournami Tithi has to be ascertained from the respective regional calendars. The festival is also called as Datta Jayanthi.
Legend
Atreya denotes the lineage of Atri Maharishi, one of the seven maharishis. He had composed several hymns on various Deities. His wife was Anasuya.
Anasuya was very much devoted to the service of her husband and she had never wavered in her devotion. She had also yearned for a son who has all the qualities of three murthies, Sri Shiva, Sri Vishnu and Sri Brahma.
As per the legend, Sri Narada, the Sage who travelled all the worlds came to know the piousness of Anasuya. He had boasted about her virtues to the Goddesses Sri Parvathi, Sri Lakshmi and Sri Saraswathi.
The Devis were also aware of the prayer wish of Anasuya for a holy son. However, the Devis wished to test Anasuya’s virtuousness. So, they sent Sri Shiva, Sri Vishnu and Sri Brahma to test Anasuya.
The three Gods went to the ashram of Atri Maharishi and asked for alms. As the Sage was not home, Anasuya met them. They sought alms from Anasuya on the condition that she should not wear any clothes while making the donation.
Hence, Anasuya, to save her virtue as well as to follow the dharma of giving alms to the seekers, had converted the three Murthis into three Babies named them as Sri Datta (Sri Vishnu), Sri Durvasa (Sri Shiva) and Sri Chandra (Sri Brahma).
All the three Babies were crying at the same time for food. Sri Atri Maharishi, who was back home was surprised to see the babies. Anasuya apprised him of the situation.
Atri Maharishi had then converted the three Babies into a single Baby with three heads and six arms. He made the baby his adopted son. Sri Dattatreya means the adopted son of Atri Maharishi.
The day of emergence of Sri Dattatreya is the full moon day of Margashira month.
Hence Sri Dattatreya is the combination of the three Gods. He is depicted as a monk / sanyasi with three faces (Sri Shiva, Sri Vishnu and Sri Brahma) and six hands holding trishul (trident), kamandal, shank (conch), chakra (wheel), japamala (prayer beeds), Gada etc., and followed by four Vedas (Rig, Yajur, Sama and AdharvaNa) in the form of four dogs.
Sri Dattatreya had blessed the devotional scripts such as Avaduth Gita and Jeevanmuktha Gita. At Maharashtra Region, there are lots of temples and places of worship for Sri Dattatreya.
Rituals
The devotees rise early in the morning and take holy bath. The Puja place at homes is cleaned and decked up with flowers. The idol / picture of Sri Dattatreya is adorned with Chandan, Kumkum, turmeric and flowers. Lamps and incense sticks are lit.
The Slokams / Stotrams in prayer to Sri Dattatreya are read and recited with devotion. It is considered auspicious to recite Sri Dattatreya Stotram composed by Sage Narada on this occasion.
Some ardent devotees observe fasting for the day. After recitation of Slokas, sweets and fruits are offered as Neivedyam. Then the prasadam is distributed to all.
It is considered virtuous and auspicious to read and recite Guru Charita, the life history of Sri Dattatreya for seven days from Ekadashi to the Pournami day on which Sri Datta Jayanthi occurs.
Benefits
The following benefits are believed to result for observing Sri Datta Jayanthi.
-Eradication of anxiety
-Improved concentration in studies
-Achievement of objectives
-Alleviation of Karmic effects
-Removal of ill effects of planetary alignments
ॐ दत्तात्रेय विद्महे अत्रि पुत्राय धीमहि तन्नो दत्त: प्रचोदयात्
Om dhaththaathreya vidhmahae athri puthraaya Dheemahi thanno dhaththah prachodhayaath
