Dattatreya: The Immortal Guru, Yogin, and Avatara: A Study of the Transformative and Inclusive Character of a Multi-faceted Hindu DeityPresents the multi-faceted Hindu deity Dattatreya from his Puranic emergence to modern times. This book presents the multi-faceted Hindu deity Dattatreya from his Puranic emergence up to modern times. Dattatreya's Brahmanical portrayal, as well as his even more archaic characterization as a Tantric antinomian figure, combines both Vaisnava Saiva motifs. Over the course of time, Dattatreya has come to embody the roles of the immortal guru, yogin and avatara in a paradigmatic manner. From the sixteenth century Dattatreya's glorious characterization emerged as the incarnation of the trimurti of Brahma, Visnu, and Siva. Although Maharastra is the heartland of Dattatreya devotion, his presence is attested to throughout India and extends beyond the boundaries of Hinduism, being met with in Sufi circles and even in Buddhism and Jainism via Nathism. The scarce attention which most Western scholars of Indian religions have paid to this deity contrasts with its ubiquitousness and social permeability. Devotion to Dattatreya cuts through all social and religious strata of Indian society: among his adepts we find yogis, Brahmans, faqirs, Devi worshippers, untouchables, thieves, and prostitutes. This book explores all primary religious dimensions: myth, doctrine, ritual, philosophy, mysticism, and iconography. The comprehensive result offers a rich fresco of Hindu religion as well as an understanding of Marathi integrative spirituality: precisely this complexity of themes constitutes Dattatreya's uniqueness. "I learned a great deal from this book. Although I had known about Dattatreya as an important figure in Hinduism, I had never realized the richness and complexity of this truly Protean deity. As Rigopoulos notes, Dattatreya has been largely neglected by scholars, and this book makes you wonder why, since he is so intriguing. I suspect that this will become a classic in its area, since there really is no comparable work which does so much relating to Dattatreya. In a way, to read the history of Dattatreya as presented by Rigopoulos is to engage the history of Hinduism! Virtually all of the major historical phases and issues are there, from the Vedic period up to the last decade." -- Glen Hayes, Bloomfield College |
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Contents
Purāṇic Mythology of Dattatreya | 27 |
Dattatreya in Minor Upanisads | 57 |
Dattatreya in the Literature of | 89 |
The Gurucaritra and the Rise of | 109 |
Eknāth Dāsopant and the Unfolding | 135 |
The Tripurarahasya | 169 |
The Avadhūtagītā | 195 |
The Development of Dattatreyas Iconography | 223 |
Conclusion | 249 |
General Bibliography | 265 |
285 | |
297 | |
Other editions - View all
Dattātreya: The Immortal Guru, Yogin, and Avatāra : a Study of the ... Antonio Rigopoulos No preview available - 1998 |
Dattatreya: The Immortal Guru, Yogin, and Avatara: A Study of the ... Antonio Rigopoulos No preview available - 1998 |
Common terms and phrases
According appears ascetic asked Atri attain Avadhūta Avadhūta-gītā Avatāra become believed body born Brahmā Brahmin called caste century chapter connection consciousness cult Datta Dattatreya deity described Development devotion divine dogs Durvāsas edited Eknath existence figures Finally four goddess gods Guru hand head Hindu identified identity important India influence Janaka Joshi king knowledge known Kṛṣṇa later literally literature living lord Mahābhārata Mahānubhāva Mahārāj Maharashtra manifestation mantra Marāṭhī Mārkaṇḍeya means mentioned mind movement Muslim narrates Natha nature notes Nrsimha offered once one's Origin Paraœurāma performed popular practice present Press Purāṇa pure realization refers Religion religious represent ritual sacred sage saints Sanskrit Sarasvati saying sect Œiva Soma spiritual Œrī story Study symbol Tantric teacher teachings temple thought tion tradition translation University Upaniṣad Vaiṣṇava various Veda Vedic viewed Viṣņu worship Yoga Yogin