The chosen deity (ishta-devata) is the central deity of the tradition of Sri Guru Swami Vishnudevananda Giri Maharaj and the Giri lineage of the Juna Akhara order.
This is Shri Avadhuta Dattatreya — the Teacher of all teachers, the original preceptor of all yogis and siddhas.
Dattatreya is the incarnation of the Trinity of gods (Trimurti): Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the preserver), and Shiva (the destroyer); he personifies the principle of the advaita view and self-liberated behavior.
The greatness and holiness of Shri Dattatreya are mentioned in many sacred scriptures.
Dattatreya is the Absolute itself, the inconceivable Parabrahman without attributes and qualities, the one who is beyond time, name, and form. He is the Supreme Intelligence, the source of Being, which is why he is called Bhagavan. He is immortal, eternal, for he is Sahajya itself — the infinite, eternal Truth.
History of Dattatreya's Appearance
"Dattatreya" consists of two words – "Datta" (given) and "Atri" (the name of the holy sage, his father). The "Shandilya Upanishad" provides the story of how Dattatreya took the form of Atri's son:
"Extremely pleased with the severe austerity (tapas) performed by the holy sage Atri, who desired children, the radiant Dattatreya gave himself to Atri, and, since he was born to Atri and Anasuya, he was named Dattatreya."
Once in ancient times, an old brahmin lived on the land of Bharata-varsha. He suffered from leprosy as a punishment for his sins. His wife was a practitioner of rare spiritual strength, endowed with humility and chastity. She was very faithful, caring, and despite everything, she loved her husband very much and cared for him with great devotion and selflessness.
One night, she was carrying her sick husband's body along a road that passed near a tree. Under the tree, a holy hermit, an ascetic endowed with great power, was meditating. Since it was dark, the woman did not notice the ascetic, and as she passed by, her husband's legs accidentally touched and brushed against the body of the meditating hermit. The hermit became angry and cursed her husband, saying: "He who touched, brushed, and pushed me, who disturbed my meditation, shall die tomorrow at sunrise."
The brahmin's wife was very frightened and depressed by this. But then, regaining her composure, she calmed her mind and thought that if the hermit could curse her husband by the power of tapas, then she could protect him by the power of her tapas; therefore she said: "If it is so destined, then from tomorrow, the Sun shall never rise on the horizon again! Rather, the Sun will never appear in the sky, rather there will be no light in the world, than my husband shall die!"
Since what was uttered by the holy woman must surely come to pass, the Sun could not rise the next day. The world was plunged into darkness, there was gloom everywhere, and chaos reigned supreme. Even the gods – the guardians of the world – became greatly troubled.
Gathering an urgent council and plunging into meditation, they quickly discovered the cause through the power of clairvoyance. But no one can cancel the vow of a practitioner. They arrived at the holy abode of Brahma (Brahma Loka) to the Creator to find a way out of this predicament. Brahma said: "Only a great power can overcome another great power, only tapas can surpass another tapas. The power of a holy woman has stopped the sunrise, so you must seek the help of another great holy woman who can rival her power and resume the sunrise." Having heard Brahma's advice, the gods, looking closely at people and peering into their karma, began to search for such a woman. After some time, they beheld the holy righteous woman, the great ascetic Anasuya, the pure, humble wife of the sage-rishi Atri, living with her husband in the forest. They told her the whole story about the Sun, what Brahma had told them, praised her holiness, and humbly turned to her for help.
Hearing their requests, Anasuya agreed to save the world from darkness and chaos. She came to the brahmin's wife and in an enchanting, melodic voice humbly said: "The power of your words has stopped the sunrise and, look, now the entire Universe is in chaos. I have come to see if we can agree with you so that the Sun may rise again. If you rescind your words and ask the Sun to rise again, and if your husband dies, I will resurrect your husband by the power of my spiritual practice."
The brahmin's wife agreed. The Sun rose, her husband, the brahmin cursed by the hermit, died, but Anasuya kept her promise. She resurrected him. The gods, very pleased with this, offered Anasuya as a token of gratitude to choose any blessing from them. In response, she asked that Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva be born as her sons, and they promised to fulfill this wish.
Avatars of Dattatreya
As an avatar, Dattatreya has manifested himself in sixteen forms at different times:
- Vishvambhara-avadhuta
- Mayamukta-avadhuta/Mayayukta-avadhuta
- Datta-avadhuta
- Adigurunamaka
- Samskahina-shivarupa
- Devadeva
- Datta-digambara
- Shyamakamalalochana
- Datta-yogiraja
- Atrivarada
- Digambara
- Yogirajavallabha
- Kalagnisamana
- Lilavishvambhara
- Siddharajanamaka
Jnanasagara
Historical incarnations of Dattatreya also include the holy siddhas Shripada Shri Vallabha and Shri Swami Narasimha Saraswati.
Attributes of Dattatreya
Sacred Texts of Dattatreya
Again and again I humbly praise that great Being, which permeates all creation, shines everywhere as Consciousness, eternally free, the witness of all actions, true knowledge, and in no way different from my own supreme Self."
Shri Avadhuta Dattatreya "Jivanmukta Gita"
Avadhuta Gita
Dattatreya Upanishad
Jivanmukta Gita
Yoga Rahasya
Yoga Shastra
Tripura Rahasya
