The most sacred and holy name of Lord Sri Dattatreya evokes the deepest reverence in the minds and hearts of millions of people though the complete implications of the rich symbolism philosophies and stories are known only to a few people. He is the personification of an avadhuta a liberated soul. He has taken off all worldly attachments and has attained the state of consciousness equal to that of god.

It is a state higher than that of simple renunciation of worldly attachments. It is neither attachment nor detachment but higher than that. He has no need to observe the social or religious codes of living. He does not seek anything and does not avoid anything. Having realized his true identity Lord Dattatreya lives constantly in that state of realisation. He is one of the ultimate manifestations of godhead appearing to humanity in tripartite form the divine trinity the creator the preserver and the Destroyer. His appearance on this earth was for the purpose of establishing the Vedic values that should continue as time passed on.

This deeply spiritual and philosophical book shall go a long way to reveal the divine light to the readers at large.

Dwarika Mohan Misra was Born in 1934 at Talcher Orissa. He dropped out of college during the all Orissa student movement and plunged into the trade Union movement. A fiery orator and a writer a prominent and pioneer trade unionist and journalist Dwarika Misra was honored by leading cultural organizations of the state. At present he is the chairman of the Sri Dattatreya Sai Ashram Trust the chairman of Sri Bishnu Sahashra Naman Parayana Trust the vice Chairman all India Shirdi Development committee and Member National environmental Science Academy. He continues to provide social service in his humble way of silence and sincerity.

Our spiritual heritage is vast and varied comprising several different streams including Vedanta Bhakti and Tantra. Lord Dattatreya is par excellence a unique deity who combines the characteristics of Brahma Vishnu and Shiva but also is the parton saint of a particular stream of activity which involves getting growth and realisation. A powerful and potent deity. Lord Dattatreya is believed to appear in human form from time to time and lead his devotees on the spiritual path. Sri Dwarika Mohan Mishra’s guru Swami Ganeshnath ji belongs to the nath Sampradaya which particularly worships Lord Dattatreya.

Lord Dattatreya is not widely known and Shri Dwarika Mohan Mishra has performed a useful service by bringing together interesting material on lord Dattatreya including translations of significant text such as the Awadhuta Gita. After an earlier publication entitled spiritual Education, I welcome this new effort by Shri Mishra which I am sure will be of wide interest not only to followers of the Avadhuta tradition but also generally to scholars of Hinduism and particularly to those on the spiritual path.

The most sacred and holy name of Lord Sri Dattatreya evokes deepest everence in minds and hearts of millions of people through complete implications of the rich symbolism philosophies and stories are known only to a small number of general masses.

Lord Dattatreya is the Personification of an avadhuta ‘Avadhuta’ means A liberated soul. He has shaken off all worldly attachments and has attained the state of consciousness equal to that of God. He is God on Earth. It is a state higher that that of simple renunciation of worldly attachments. It is neither attachment nor detachment but higher than that. He has no need to observe the social or religious codes of living. He does not seek anything and does not avoid anything.

Having realized his true identity. He lives constantly in that state of realisation.

Lord Dattatreya is one of the great primordial symbolizations of the one supreme Holy Truth and Reality. He is one of the ultimate manifestations of godhead appearing to humanity in tripartite form a divine Trinity the being with three faces representing creation sustenance and withdrawal. The primordial vision and experiences of holy sages found expression in the subsequent name and form and was later couched in the religious and philosophical concepts stories of his birth and activities iconographies and inspired religious art. Such tripartite approaches and visions of god are also seen elsewhere in other religious experiences among the world’s religions especially and centrally in Christianity as holy trinity.

We also get glimpses of the idea of Trinity in the Rig Veda the oldest document of the world wherein various triads were also indicated. The universe is classified into three domains viz the earth the air (atmosphere) and the heavens and this tried favor wish Rig Vedic sages in their literary works. Coming to the Upanishadic concept of the Trinity Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara the Function and Significance of the three aspects of Parabrahma the absolute as creation preservation and destruction is glorified that are not rigorously distinct or different but invisibly correlated to each other in perfect coordination.

Man derives confidence strength and solace from the form of God or no form of God or no form concept and owes allegiance to a particular Sampradaya. In the turmoil amidst the jolts, blows and shocks that he is subjected to it is only faith that sustrains him helps him to bear through it is his armour and protection. When the faith is secured in god of his choice nothing will ever shake him up.

All distinctions and distractions that arose in human enterprise were seen entirely due to ignorance the non awareness of the human being of his true identity with blissful Brahman. The appearance of the compassionate Sri Dattatreya is actually for the purpose of establishing the Vedic values that should continue as the time passes on (Brahma Purana) 213-106-112). The Vedas in essence do not propound any philosophy. They don’t owe their origin to any specific person prophet or preacher. They are virtually that product of suprasensory perception of the sages who it is said had seen the hymns.

This spiritual and philosophical book shall go a long way to reveal the divine light to the readers at large which contains the foreword of the highly spiritual and the great learned luminary of our country. Dr. Karan Singh who has always graciously inspired me to carry on the divine mission and to whom I am indebted conveying my humble regards.

Sri Datta is all auspiciousness all compassion and all wisdom.