Dattatreya Jayanti is a Hindu festival that celebrates the appearance day of Lord Dattatreya, who is considered a combined manifestation of the holy trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.
Lord Dattatreya is considered to be an embodiment of divine knowledge and a guru to seekers of truth. Devotees on Dattatreya Jayanti express their devotion and gratitude to the deity by engaging in acts of charity, meditation, and selfless service. The festival falls on the full moon day (Purnima) in the month of Margashira (November-December) in the Hindu calendar. So this year, the Dattatreya Jayanti falls on December 26.
Devotees observe this day with special prayers, rituals, and celebrations. They visit temples dedicated to Lord Dattatreya, perform pujas, recite hymns, and seek blessings for spiritual well-being. Lord Dattatreya is believed to be an embodiment of divine knowledge and a guru to seekers of truth. Devotees on Dattatreya Jayanti express their devotion and gratitude to the deity by engaging in acts of charity, meditation, and selfless service.
Lord Dattatreya has six arms and three heads. People worship Dattatreya Jayanti in his child form. In the states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat, Lord Dattatreya Temples celebrate this day with great delight and grandeur.
Dattatreya Jayanti 2023 date and timings:
26 December 2023
Here are the Tithi timings for the same.
Purnima Tithi Begins – December 26, 2023 at 05:46 AM
Full moon date ends – December 27, 2023 at 06:02 AM
Story:
Once upon a time, there was a great sage named Atri. Atri and his wife Anasuya were devout followers of Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva. Pleased with their unwavering devotion and penance, the trinity decided to test their virtues.
Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva appeared before Anasuya in the guise of three wandering mendicants and made an unusual request. They asked her to serve them food in the nude. Anasuya, dedicated to her dharma (duty) as a wife and a devoted woman, prayed to her inner strength and transformed the trinity into three infants and breastfed them without any hesitation.
The trinity, realizing her purity and devotion, were pleased with Anasuya's unwavering faith and revealed their true forms. They granted her a boon, and Anasuya, in turn, requested them to be born as her children. The trinity agreed and, in a miraculous union, combined their energies to be born as one child.
Anasuya and Atri were blessed with a son who came to be known as Dattatreya. Datta means "given," and Atreya refers to the son of Atri. Dattatreya, therefore, signifies the combined energy of the trinity given as a son to Sage Atri and Anasuya.
Dattatreya grew up to be an extraordinary being, embodying the qualities of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. He became a wandering sage, often depicted with three heads and six arms, carrying the symbols of the trinity. Dattatreya is revered as a Guru (teacher) and is considered an embodiment of the ultimate reality.
Puja Vidhi:
To follow the path of righteousness, people worship the idols of Lord Dattatreya in their homes and temples. People engross themselves in bhajans and devotional songs devoted to Lord Dattatreya, and the temples are embellished. Some places also read the Avadhut Gita and the Jivanmukta Gita, which contain purportedly the words of the Lord.
Dattatreya's teachings emphasize the oneness of all existence, the importance of self-realization, and the path to spiritual wisdom.