DATTA DATTA IDAM VAAKYAM || THAARAKAM SARVA DEHINAAM||

SHRADDHAYUKTHO JAPE NITYAM  || DATTA ITHYAKSHARA DWAYAM||

The two letters of DA and TTA  means “DATTA” nama smarana, Datta nama sankeerthan, Datta nama dhyaana only will give Paramardha to every life. He is “BHUKTHI, MUHTHI PRADAATHA” which  means, he will always sanction Sukha in this Loka and also in Paraloka.  . Hence the Datta sadhaks can lead the superb  Materialistic and Spiritualistic  life. Miraculous growth and life settlement of  Children/Generations  of Datta Sadhaks  can be seen . This is Permanant (SHAASWATHA) , True (SATHYA) and Happy (AANANDA).

The Petromax does not talk, but it shines and sheds light all around. The jasmine does not speak, but it wafts its fragrance everywhere. The lighthouse sounds no drum, but sends its friendly  light to the mariner. The Unseen beats no gong, but Its omnipresence  is felt by the dispassionate and discriminating sage.
Behind all names and forms is the one nameless, formless Essence. Behind all governors is the one Supreme Governor of governors. Behind all lights is the one Light Of lights. Behind all sounds, there is the soundless Supreme Silence. Behind all teachers is the  one Supreme Guru of Gurus. Who is that Guru?  JAGADGURU DATTATREYA!! !!!!!

Dattatreya tatwa is AVYAKTHA, NIRGUNA, NIRAAKAARA, NIRANJANA, NISHKRIYA, PARABRAHMA, SAGUNA SWAROOPA and it is SHREEMANNARAAYANA, PARAMESHA TATWA. The Upanishads are clearly telling that, “DATTA VEEJASTHAM JAGATH SARVAM” …means total Universe is Datta swaroopa.

Lord Dattatreya,  is an important Diety  in the Indian Spiritual Panorama. His personality integrates the elements of the three Gods, Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara. Sri Dattatreya is also the guru to the entire universe – Vishwa Guru. He taught:
– Srividya to Parashurama
– Dattavidya to Brahma
– Adhyatma Vidya to Prahlada
– Yoga Vidya to Vasishta and
– Atma Vidya to Kartaviryarjuna.

He also incarnated as Sri Sripada Vallabha and Sri Nrsimha Saraswati in the age of Kali to uphold Dharma. The trinity represent his three faces, his body is pure chit, the six branches of knowledge are his six hands, the four dogs are the four Vedas, the cow is Dharma, universal peace is the Oudumbara tree and the great incarnation of Brahman, complete with sixteen kalas, which is a personification of the knowledge of the Self – is the unfathomable Murti of Sri Dattatreya.

Shandilyopanishat describes Datta as having two hands – Chathurbaahumudraangam. The idol of Sri Dattatreya worshipped by Sri Vasudevananda Saraswati (Tembe Maharaj) had two hands showing Vara and Abhaya Mudras, seated on siddhasana and having a single face. The same form is described in Advaita Datta Mala mantra (varAbhayakaram devam sacchidanandavigraham) and in the Dhyana Shloka of Dattatreya Vajra Kavacham of Rudrayamala Tantra (vamahastena varadam dakshinenabhayapradam). Nepal  has an ancient Dattatreya temple on anasuya parvata, which houses a similar idol of Dattatreya. This idol is worshipped as Adi Dattatreya Murti.

A segment of Guru bhaktaas  are having a feel that Guru-Avataras like Shirdi Sai Baba, Gajanan Maharaj,etc are very libertine and that achara-vyavaharas need not be followed for them and they are quite ‘cool’ about anything. But Sai philosophy is clearly telling that the persons who do Sandhyavandana and other Nimmitta and Nitya Karmas must continue without fail and have to follow that achara-vyavaharas who are having as a tradition in their families. When Shirdi Sai Baba was in live form on earth, Tembey swamy(Shri Vasudevanand Saraswathy Swamy) who translated Shri Gurucharitra from Marathi to Sanskrit and who brought Datta stotras to us   happened to be his contemporary. Shirdi Sainath Maharaj instructed one of his devotees Kusha Bhau to read Shree GuruCharitra for 108 times to clear his Karma. This is already mentioned in Sri Sai Satcharitra written by Hemadpant. Hence,  Shirdi Sainath Maharaj  is  indirectly telling  us to  follow the Datta Sampradaya.When Baba is telling,   then we are nothing to give any details.  So, have faith and recite Dattanama/Gurucharitra parayana  without any doubts.  Crush fear and move ahead.

Sri Dattareya is an ocean of compassion. By merely remembering his name, one earns his grace. Hence he is called “SMARTHRUGAAMI” – one who immediately appears to the devotee who remembers the Lord. A sage called Dalaadana once wanted to test the truth in this statement and remembered Dattatreya.

The Lord immedieately reached Dalaadana and said:
Mama prakrtirId^ishi, smartrugami na sandeho swisaptabhuvaneshwaham|abhakyavA subhaktya va yah smarenmAmananyadhih |tadanimahamagamya dadami tadabhipsitam ||

– “It is my very nature to reach that person who remembers me, instantly. Whether with devotion or not, if a man remembers me sincerely, I will instantly reach him and grant his desires”.  This is Dattareya’s sacred promise to us, his children.

Also, the other unique quality of Sri Dattareya is that he is – BHAKTA KEERTHI VIVARDHANA – he is more interested in showcasing the glory of his devotee than of his own. This is yet another example of his immeasurable grace towards his devotees.

The Bhagavata-purana and the Markandeya-purana, are the most authoritative sources on the Dattatreya-avatara and they identify Him exclusively with Lord Vishnu.

Atreh patny anasuuyaa triin~ jajn~e suyashasah sutaan dattam duurvaasasam somam aatmesha-brahma- sambhavaan (Srimad Bhagavatam 4.1.15)

The Vishnu-dharmottara Purana describes in great detail the iconographic details of the avatara-s of Lord Vishnu and here is the reference for Sri Dattatreya:

Brahmanda Purana says–“Lord Dattatreya gave the memory of Vedas to the Vedamurthy Sree Brahma Deva Himself.

The Upanishads Avadhutopanishad and Jaabaaldarshanopanishad mention that the philosophy is given by Shri Dattatreya.

Upanishads and Puranas  are openly telling and Guru avatharas are guiding  us to recite Datta Nama Smaran. Dattaguru is always ready on his toes to reach those who remember him and shower his unbounded blessings on them. Come forward and recognize him and join his mission by serve him in the propagation of  Datta Nama to make your materialistic life easy and create your path to reach the stage of SALVATION by glorifying the Glory of Lord Dattatreya.