| Accordingly, in
due course Anasuya gave birth to a number of children, the number being variously stated
to be either ten or three, Any way, three of her children were the amshas or parts or part
incarnations of the three gods. The first son, Soma, was an avatar of Brahma, the second
Datta that of Vishnu and the third Durvasa that of Shiva. In the best traditions of those
days Atri devoted great attention to the education and training of his sons, and soon all
the three were proficient in various vidyas, branches of knowledge. Dattatreya, a chip of the old block. undertook a penance equal in
severity with that of his father for the attainment of true knowledge.’ He made the
banks of the river Gomati his abode and after hundreds of years of tap acquired
satya-jnyana. He was now ready for the mission of his life. Here it is to be noted
that Datta is represented as the amshavatar, a partial incarnation of Vishnu alone and not of all the three
gods of the Trinity.There is another story of how Atri and Anasuya got Datta. Atri was a
great tapasvin. The power of his tapa was great and it increased as each day passed, to
the great discomfort of the gods. |
