GURU DATTATREYA OF GANAGAPUR

BIRTH OF DATTATREYA

It happened - Atri, one of the celebrated luminaries of the Saptarishimandala was doing penance for Santanaprapti, a son with divine powers in benign form, sharing all the traits of the Trimurthis. And he propitiated the TRIO. It was a severe penance that culimnated in the emergence of flames from his matted locks. And happily it ended with appearance of the Trio before him. Elated sage expressed his long cherished ambition, which met with 'Thadastu' by the three in unision; but to be materialized in the Vaivaswat Manvatar. As blessed, his wife, Anasuya, a by-word for chastity delivered three redoubtable sons partaking the amsas of the Trio and were christened Soma, an avatar of Brahma, Durvasa of Maheswar and Dattatreya of Vishnu. The divine couple imparted all the holy knowledge in the best traditions and they too blossomed into brilliant sons each in a characteristic way. Dattatreya born with Mahavishnu amsa metamorphosed himself into another superb edition of his venerable father, began penance for true knowledge, selecting his abode on the banks of river Gomati. And attained Satyajnana in no time and then began the work for which he was born into this world. Here Datta is represented as the amsa of Vishnu alone, but elsewhere in some other legends he is the incarnation of all the amsas of the Trio. Its origin is no less interesting, rather it is fantastic as the one narrated.

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