Lord Dattatreya is a divine form worshipped as an incarnation of the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwar. The word “Datta” means “offered”, because the trinity presented themselves as the son of Atri Maharshi and Anasuya. That is why he is also called “Aatreya” as Dattatreya and the son of Atri. In the North, Dattatreya is considered an incarnation of Shiva, but he holds a special place in the Vaishnava tradition. Worshipped by crores of Hindus, Dattatreya is not just a guru but also a benevolent deity.
The story of Dattatreya’s birth is narrated in the past by sage Narada Maharshi Anasuya to the consorts of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. As a result, the jealous goddesses asked their fathers to test Anasuya’s chastity. Once, when Atri Maharshi was not in the ashram, Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara visited Anasuya as guests and asked for food. However, they said that they would eat only if she served them naked. In this alert state, Anasuya was afraid that if she appeared naked in front of other men, she would lose her chastity, and if she refused the guests, her husband would lose his penance. She meditated on her husband in her mind and, feeling that she was not affected by lust, served the food without fear.
Due to her greatness, the three gods turned into small children. Milk flowed from her breasts, and she gave the milk to the three who had become children, and laid them in a cradle and put them to sleep. After that, Atri Maharshi, who returned to the ashram, came to know about this incident and praised the Trimurti. They took their true form and, appreciating the glory of Anasuya’s devotion, granted her a boon. Anasuya requested that the Trimurti be born as her son. Therefore, Dattatreya was born with the elements of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.