http://kirtan.tribe.net/thread/a09a67e6-09a3-4d99-9f98-0e41f9eeb0bd?format=rss Tribe.net. Local Connections http://Kirtan.tribe.net/thread/a09a67e6-09a3-4d99-9f98-0e41f9eeb0bd#66a01031-867a-4108-bef0-dc6d174d8e99 Today is Dattatreya Jayanti. So who is Dattatreya and what does this Dattatreya Jayanti mean to all who worship him? Dattatreya Jayanti is celebrated on the full moon day of the Margaseersha (Margashirsha) month. On that day, the feast of Dattatreya is celebrated by his worshippers. Dattatreya is the combined avatar of Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu. There is a very interesting story behind the birth of Dattatreya. Many centuries ago, there lived a rishi (sage) called Atri. His wife Anasuya was very devoted and a pativrata. Narada used to talk a lot about Anasuya and her devotion to her Atri. That made Saraswati, Lakhsmi and Parvati jealous of Anasuya. They decided to really test the strength of Anasuya's fidelity to her husband Atri. So they requested their husbands Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara (Siva) to test Anasuya. So Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva (Shankar) disguised themselves as sages and go to pativrat Anasuya's house when her husband Atri was not at home. Anasuya welcomed the trinity and requests them to stay for lunch. Brahma, Visnu and Shiva agree to that but they put one condition. They ask Anasuya to serve them naked. Anasuya is shocked but cannot refuse the sages. But at the same time she is a devoted wife and hence cannot stand naked before three strange men even though the three are sages. Finally Anasuya hit upon a solution. With the power of her sincerity and devotion she turned the trinity into three babies. She then removed her clothes and served the three babies their food. She treated the babies as if they were her own. Anasuya's husband Atri returns and immediately recognizes the babies for who they are. Anasuya tells her huband about the sages. Atri explains to his wife who the three actually were. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva reappear in their own forms and bless the devoted couple. They leave back to the heavens but they also leave a part of themselves in the form of a baby. This baby is named Dattatreya and thus Dattatreya is born. Dattatreya remained the son of Anasuya and Atri. He grew up to be a sage and a celibate. He remained digambara (naked) throughout his life. Dattatreya Mantra: OM namo bhagavate dattaatreyaaya, smaraNa-maatra-samtushhTaaya Translation: Om salutations unto Lord Dattatreya who is appeased by devotion and remembrance Fri, 12 Dec 2008 07:44:16 GMT http://Kirtan.tribe.net/thread/a09a67e6-09a3-4d99-9f98-0e41f9eeb0bd#66a01031-867a-4108-bef0-dc6d174d8e99 padma 2008-12-12T07:44:16Z