Sri Guru Datta Vrat Katha | Dattatreya Vratham Story

Story of Datta Vratam

Sri Guru Datta Vrat Katha

Once upon a time there lived a sage called Vedadharma. He had a student named Depakudu. He once asked his teacher Vedadharma to narrate the story of Lord Dattatreya.

Vedadharama narrated as follows:

Once when all the sages were performing the satra yagam in Naimisharanya Suutha maha muni(great sage Suutha) came. That was the starting of the Kaliyuga. All the sages asked Suutha to tell them any vrata that could give them all the happiness in kaliyuga. The sag said that it was hearing to the Datta history (Datta Charitra) and narrated the same.

First part:

Once sage Atri, the one who was as a son to Brahma along with this wife Anasuya, did great penance at Rukshkeeladri to have the Lords themselves as a son for 100 years.

The three lords Brahma,Vishnu,Maheshwara were pleased with his penance and offered him a boon for which he said he wanted the Almighty to be their son and the three answered that we three are no different and we are one and same and since you wanted us as soon we came to you as Dattata (the meaning being born to one and going as son to another couple). Hence the name Dattatreya.

Hence Dattatreya is the incarnation of all the three Gods Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva(Maheshwara).

Once there was a Brahmin who studied all the Vedas and Shastras but was very unhappy. He prayed to lord Dattatrey and when the lord presented himself and asked the reason for his unhappiness, the Brahmin replied that as he was studying the Vedas and Shastras more and more instead of clearing his doubts, his was getting more confused and hence asked the Lord to lead him. The Lord pleased with him said that “ only with selflessness can the dirt that is attached to the hear can be removed so are the doubts .Pray me and you will get rid of all your confusions and would attain salvation.”  From then on the Brahmin prayed and became a ardent follower of Lord Dattatreya.

Second Part:

Every human being has to do good deeds and doing good deed would fetch him the boon of seeing the God. That Brahmin had from that day onward on every Porrnima, and every Thursday did the Datta Vratam. He offered wheat flour, cow ghee,sugar, cows milk,grapes etc as offering and to his behest fed the Brahmins. Due to all these deeds the Brahmin finally got the Brahma Gynana(knowledge of the universe)  and then salvation.

Third Part:

Once there was a king in the Chandravasam. He wanted a son and hence consulted with his Guru (Teacher) Saunaka, the teacher advised him to  do the Dattavratam. The king followed the advise of his teacher and performed the Dattavarata with lot of devotion.

Lord Datta appeared in the dream of the queen and sprinkled milk which was mixed with pearls on her. This she narrated to the king who in turn narrated to his Teacher. The Teacher replied that Lord Datta was pleased with them and they would soon be granted a child. The queen became pregnant.

There used to be a demon by the name Hundasura, who through his sister comes to know that, the child of the king would kill him and so tries to kill the child before he is birth. But all his efforts go in vain, as the child is protected by Lord Datta. On a fine day the queen gives birth to a beautiful baby boy.

Hundasura finally succeeds in kidnapping the baby and gives it to his wife to cut the baby into pieced and make a dish  out of it. Wife gives the baby to  the cook, who when tries to cut the boy with the knife the knife is broken into two. The lord has kept his Sudarshana Chakra as the protection for the child.

Seeing this, the cook and his wife take the baby and leave him at the Ashram(hermitage) of sage Vasishta. In return from the hermitage they kill an animal and make a dish out of it. The demon eats it to his stomach full and thinks that the threat to his life is gone.

At the hermitage, Arundathi wife of Vasishta finds the boy and names him Nahushudu. With the blessings of Vasishta, Nahusha learns all the Shastras by the age of 10.

Fourth Part:

After the baby is kidnapped, the king and the queen are inconsolable. They again pray to their Lord Datta without eating any food. Sage Narada comes to their palace and explains them that their son would come back after killing the demon and asks them to wait until then.

One fine day Vasishta calls Nahusha and tell him that he is a son of the king and born with the blessing of Lord Dattatreya and orders him to go and kill Hundasura. Nahusha fights with the demon and kills him with the weapon by the name of Indrayudha as a result of the blessings of the Lord Dattatreya. This news reaches the palace and people and every one is happy.

After few days, Nahusha marries a girl by name Sundara, takes the blessings of Vasishta and heads towards the palace to meet his parents. When Nahusha reached the palace, his parents and the people of the country are very happy. He is crowned as the king and the parents take the vanaprasta ashram where in the parents leave the kingdom and go to forests seeking the lord with penance and finally attain salvation.

Finishing this story Sutha tells Saunakadi sages that “ You heard the most powerful mahima of lord Datta. If any one performs Datta vratha that would bless him with all happiness and no evil can survive or do anything to them.

Fifth Part:

Once there was a Brahmin on the banks of river Godavari. After the marriage of his son, the son acquires a lot of diseases. The wife of the son prays to Vishnudatta an ardent devotee of  lord Datta and prays to save her husband. Vishnudatta goes to their home and helps them to perform this vrata. And explains them the above parts of the story. After the vrata is completed the husband is free from all the diseases and they are also blessed with children.

 Ending the story Vedadharma tells Deepaka that by performing this vratha everyone can be happy and every possible good happens to all those who perform this vratha. He also advices Deepaka to pefrom the “Sri SatyaDatta Vratam“.