Who is Dattatreya?
Q: Who is Dattatreya?
A: Dattatreya is the God who is an incarnation of the Divine Trinity Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
Q: Why is Dattatreya called "Given"?
A: Datta means "Given", and Dattatreya is called so because the divine trinity have "given" themselves in the form of a son to the sage couple Guru Atri and Mata Anusuya.
Q: Who were Guru Atri and Mata Anusuya?
A: Guru Atri and Mata Anusuya were a sage couple.
Q: What is the meaning of the name Atreya?
A: Atreya is the name given to Dattatreya as he is the son of Guru Atri.
Q: What is Dattatreya considered to be in the Nath tradition?
A: In the Nath tradition, Dattatreya is seen as an Avatar or incarnation of the Lord Shiva and as the Adi-Guru (First Teacher) of the Adi-Nath sampradaya of the Nathas.
Q: What were Dattatreya's traits in the beginning?
A: Although Dattatreya was at first a "Lord of Yoga" with Tantric traits.
Q: How is Dattatreya approached by millions of Hindus today?
A: While still worshiped by millions of Hindus, Dattatreya is approached more as a benevolent God than as a teacher of the highest essence of Indian thought.
