Drik Panchang
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Drik Panchang
According to Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana, Lord Dattatreya is considered the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Lord Dattatreya is also known as Shri Guru Devadatta and Datta Guru. In his Dattatreya Avatara, Lord Vishnu bestowed the knowledge of Guru-Shishya tradition upon humankind. As described in religious scriptures, Lord Dattatreya is the unified incarnation of the divine Trimurti of Lord Vishnu, Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva.
Lord Dattatreya accepted 24 Gurus during his lifetime. The 24 Gurus that imparted wisdom upon him are Earth, Water, Air, Fire, Sky, Surya, Chandra, Ocean, Python, Pigeon, Moth, Fish, Deer, Elephant, Honeybee, Hawk, Maiden, Snake, Child, Pingala the courtesan, Spider, Caterpillar, Arrowsmith and Beekeeper.
According to Puranic stories about the incarnation of Lord Dattatreya, Devi Anasuya, the wife of Sage Atri who was one of the Saptarshi, was among the Sixteen Satis.
Once upon a time, Devarshi Narada appeared in front of Tridevi - Goddess Lakshmi, Goddess Saraswati and Goddess Parvati. He told them that in all the three worlds, there was no other woman more virtuous and devoted to her husband than Devi Anasuya. Upon listening to Sage Narada's words, the three Goddesses overcame with extreme jealousy and decided to test the chastity and virtue of Mata Anasuya.
Meanwhile, on Earth, Mother Anasuya was immersed in intense penance, desiring to bear sons like Trideva - Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Mahesh. The three Goddesses requested their husbands to descend on Earth to test the chastity of Devi Anasuya. At first, the three Gods tried to reason with the Goddesses that Devi Anasuya was an extremely virtuous woman and it wasn't appropriate to test her chastity like that. But the three Goddesses remained adamant with their demand, and thus Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Mahesh descended on Earth, disguised as ascetics, to test the virtue of Devi Anasuya.
Upon arriving at the hermitage of Devi Anasuya, the three Gods, disguised as ascetics, asked her for food as alms. She politely invited them inside her abode and requested them to be seated. The three Gods took their seats. Mother Anasuya said to them - "Please wait here for some time while I prepare food for you." However, the three Gods, disguised as ascetics, said to her - "We will only accept the milk from your breast and nothing else. If you refuse to breastfeed us, we will depart without accepting anything."
Devi Anasuya was astonished upon hearing the ascetics' demand. On one hand, there was the unusual nature of their demand; and on the other, she would be left conscience-stricken if she allowed them to depart unfed. In such a dilemma, Mother Anasuya invoked her husband, Sage Atri, in her mind and sought his counsel. Sage Atri was engaged in penance and after learning about the entire situation, he asked Anasuya to fulfill the ascetics' wish.
Upon getting the permission from her husband, Sati Anasuya took some water in her hands, consecrated it with Mantra, and sprinkle the holy water on the three ascetics. As the consecrated water touched their bodies, Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Mahesh transformed into infants due to the power of Anasuya's virtue. Thereafter, she fed them her breast milk and laid them in a cradle. When a long time had passed and Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Mahesh had not yet returned to Swarga Loka, the three Goddesses became worried. Growing anxious, the Tridevi searched for their husbands and arrived at the hermitage of Devi Anasuya. There, Goddess Saraswati, Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Parvati saw that their husbands were lying in a cradle as infants, and Devi Anasuya was rocking the cradle.
The three Goddesses entreated Devi Anasuya to transform their husbands back in their original forms. Sati Anasuya said to Tridevi, "Since I have breastfed Trideva, they will have to stay with me as my sons." Trideva accepted the request of Devi Anasuya and grant her the boon that they would incarnate from her womb as her sons in the form of Lord Dattatreya, Sage Durvasa and Chandra Deva.
Thereafter, Mother Anasuya restored the three Gods to their original forms and handed them over to Tridevi. In due course of time, as per the boon, Lord Dattatreya, Sage Durvasa and Chandra Deva incarnated from the womb of Mother Anasuya. Lord Dattatreya was the unified incarnation of the three Gods. He was born with three heads and six arms. According to beliefs, Lord Dattatreya is considered the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, Chandra Deva of Lord Brahma and Sage Durvasa of Lord Shiva.
Once, King Yadu asked Lord Dattatreya about his Guru. Answering the question Lord Dattatreya said - "This soul is my Guru, however, I have accepted twenty four Gurus and received wisdom from them."
According to the legend associated with the wife of Lord Dattatreya, Anagha Devi, once, at the age of five, Lord Dattatreya got into a lake, while his followers waited for him at the bank. After many years had passed, he manifested his Yogic powers into the form of a Goddess and sent her at the shore to see who among his followers were still waiting for him. Emerging from the lake, the Goddess began to dance, due to which people started addressing her with various derogatory names. Lord Dattatreya also emerged from the lake and named the Goddess Devi Anagha, which means someone who is sinless. Thereafter, all the devotees who considered Devi Anagha pious attained happiness and prosperity in their lives.
The father of Lord Dattatreya is Maharishi Atri who is one of the Saptarshi. His mother is Sati Anasuya. Maharishi Durvasa and Chandra Deva are His brothers. Lord Dattatreya's consort is Anagha Devi, with whom he had eight sons.
Lord Dattatreya is depicted with a human body and three heads. He is clad in a Dhoti and wears a Janeo over his shoulder. He has six arms in which he carries, a trident, a conch, a lotus, a mace, a mirror and a Kamandalu. In various print depictions of His forms, Lord Dattatreya is shown with a cow and dogs.
Dattatreya Beej Mantra -
Om Dram॥
Dattatreya Mula Mantra -
Om Dram Dattatreyaya Namah।
Dattatreya Gayatri Mantra -
Om Digambaraya Vidmahe Yogishvaraya Dhimahi।
Tanno Dattah Prachodayat॥
Dattatreya Jayanti is the birth anniversary of Lord Dattatreya. Lord Dattatreya is the incarnation of the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesha, collectively known as Trimurti. Lord Vishnu in the form of Dattatreya bestowed the knowledge of Guru-Shishya tradition upon humankind.
The given Shri Vishnu Dashavatara Stotram is a very melodious and effective Stotram dedicated to the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu.
Lord Vishnu is the protector of the entire universe and one of the Trimurti. It is believed that, this visible world is the dream of Lord Vishnu sleeping in Kshirsagar. On this page you can get many information related to Lord Vishnu.
The list of the ten major incarnations of Lord Vishnu and the dates of their birth anniversaries are given on this page. From this page you can also get interesting information about all the incarnations.
Lord Vishnu keeps taking various incarnations forms from for the welfare of the universe. Here is the ten main incarnations of Lord Vishnu have been described in the religious scriptures as Dashavatara. According to religious scriptures, Kalki incarnation, one of the Dashavatars, is going to appear at the end of the present Kaliyuga.
A complete list of Ekadashi dates is given here. Go through the Ekadashi fasting dates list here so that you never miss fasting on Ekadashi. Ekadashi fast is observed with great enthusiasm by the devotees of Lord Vishnu.
ISKCON devotees can get the complete list of ISKCON Ekadashi fasting dates here. This list will prove highly informative and useful to those who observe the fast of Ekadashi as per the ISKCON.
The list of Mantras used in the worship and chanting of Lord Vishnu is available on this page. Some of these Mantras are legendary and some are Vedic. Along with this, the powerful Yantra of Lord Vishnu can also be seen from this page.
