lord dattatreya
Shodasha Datta Avatara are 16 incarnations of Lord Dattatreya which are believed as the manifestations of Sri Datta before Kaliyuga. As Dattatreya swamy is the eternal wanderer of earth, his divine appearance in front of Maharshis and his beloved devotees are known as his Shodasa avataras.
‘Datta Puranam’, a scripture written by Sri Vasudevananda saraswati swamy, details the 16 Datta avatarams and the appearance days of each avatar and in front of whom the avatara was appeared.
Here is the detailed information on Avatara of Dattatreya, Datta Avatara dinotsavam and to whom the avatara was born.
When you click on the link given on particular Datta Avatara, you can read story and Dhyana Shloka and Arghya Stotras of that Avatara.
- Yogiraja avatar – Kartika Purnima – to Athri and Anasuya
- Atri Varada avatar – Kartika Krishna pratipada – to Atri and shown his ‘Trimurti’ tathwa
- Dattatreya avataram – Kartika Krishna dwitiya – to Atri
- Kalagni Shamana avatara – Margashirsha Purnima – As son of Anasuya
- Yogijana Vallabha – Margashirsha Purnima – Blessed salvation to Yogis
- Leela Vishwambhara – Poush Purnima – reappeared after severe penance for 100 years in water
- SiddhaRaja – Magha Purnima – blessed Siddhis to Siddha purushas
- Gnana Sagara – Falguna Shukla Dasami – Has done Gnanabodha to Siddhas
- Vishwambhara Avadhoota – Chaitra Purnima – Appeared ugly to Siddhas and then shown his Vishwarupa
- Mayamuktavadhoota (Sri Avadhoota Shakti) – Vaishakha Shukla Chaturdasi – Begged bhiksha along with a dog
- Maayayuktavadhoota – Jyeshta Shukla Trayodashi – Appeared with a woman in lap
- Aadi Guru – Ashada Purnima – Appeared in front of Alarka, the son of Madalasa
- Shiva Guru Dattatreya (Sivarupa Datta) – Sravana Shukla Ashtami – The one who answered to Pingalanaga
- Sri Devadeveshwara Avadhoota (Devadeva Avadhoota) – Bhadrapad Shukla Chaturdashi – Appeared in front of Lord Brahma under Amalaka Tree
- Digambara Avadhoota – Ashwin Purnima – The one who blessed Yadu Maharaja
- Sri Krishna Shyama Kamalanayana – Kartika Shukla Dwadashi – The one who appeared In blue colour on Gnana Thalpa to his disciples
I saw the website of Sri Vasudevanand Sarasvati ji Maharaj shrivasudevanandsaraswati.com/index.htm. Books available here for downloads are in Sanskrit and Marathi which I can not understand. I am trying to study Bhagwan Shri Duttatreya. I am here confused about the 16 incarnations of Shri Duttatreya as many say that Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi is also one of the incarnation. For this, I downloaded “Shodasavatarah” from shrivasudevanandsaraswati.com/index.htm but the book is in Sanskrit so can not understand and find all 16 avatars. The list you have provided here does not include the name do Sai Baba. Kindly put some light on it. Thanks.
All the 16 incarnations of Lord Dattatreya were the Avataras of the Lord. Sripada Srivallabha, Nrisimha Saraswati, Akkalkot Swami Samarth, Shirdi Saibaba, Humnabad Manikprabhu, and many others are the Amshas or the Gurus in Datta Sampradaya of Kaliyuga.
The above 16 incarnations were mentioned in Puranas or ancient Scriptures when any of these amshas (Sripada Srivallabha, Nrisimha Saraswati, Akkalkot Swami Samarth, Shirdi Saibaba, Humnabad Manikprabhu) descended to the earth.
16 avatars of lord dattatreya adiguru Sai samsthaan