Lord Dattatreya and His 24 Gurus

Lord Dattatreya is considered as among one of the 24 Vishnus Incarnations.

Lord Dattatreya was born of Rishi Atri and Anausya. The name Dattatreya can
be divided into two words, Datta (means Giver) and Atri (Sage Atri). Lord
Dattatreya considered as guru of environmental education, gained enlightenment
by his observation from surrounding, which provided him 24 gurus. These gurus
explain the problems of mundane attachments, and teach the path towards the
spiritual self-realization of the Supreme.
The core message of Lord Dattatreya is:

Never judge by surface appearances but always seek a

deeper Truth.
Lord Dattatreya is imaged with three faces, six hands and single body. The three
faces represented the Trinity (Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva). Each pair of hands carries
two of the symbols of the three deities. The four dogs are shown with the image of
Lord Dattatreya represents the Four Holy Vedas. A cow standing behind in the
image represents the Mother Earth.

Narration of Story as in Srimad Bhagavatam

Shri Krishna the Supreme Personality of Godhead narrates the story of Lord
Dattatreya and his 24 Gurus, in His final teaching to his dear friend Uddhava. This
teaching is considered as second best teaching by Shri Krishna after Bhagavad
Geeta, and is known as The Uddhava Geeta.
Once King Yadu saw Lord Dattatreya (Avadhoot) wandering in a forest happily,
free from worries. The king with humbleness asked the sage, about the secret of his
happiness and the name of his Guru. Further said to sage, that despite you look
capable and wise, why do you live in the forest. Even though you have no family,
nor any loved one, how could you be so blissful and self-contented?
To answer the Yadus enquired queries, the Lord Dattatreya (Avadhoot, one who
have given up all worldly desires) replied:
"My bliss and contentment are the fruits of self-realization. Soul (Aatmaa)
alone is my Guru, yet I have gained the necessary wisdom from the whole
creation, via 24 individual who were therefore my Gurus. I shall elaborate
the same for you".
Further Lord Dattatreya said:

( I have taken shelter of twenty-four gurus, who are the

following: the earth, air, sky, water, fire, moon, sun,
pigeon and python; the sea, moth, honeybee, elephant
and honey thief; the deer, the fish, the dancing girl
Pingala, the kurari bird and the child; the young girl,

arrow maker, serpent, spider and wasp.

(Srimad Bhagavatam: Canto 11: Chapter 7: Slokas 33~35)

The 24 Gurus of Lord Dattatreya

1. Earth (Prithvi) (Along with Mountain &

Trees)
The Earth teaches course of Dharma, art of Tolerance, art of Performing Duty. One
can learn Patience and Forgiveness from Earth. Like mountains and trees, one
should devotedly dedicate self to the welfare of other living beings.

2. Air (Vaayu)
The Air being pure and odorless in its characteristics, move freely among all objects
and yet remain unaffected. The Air teaches the value of being free from all
contamination, and of staying clear of material worlds disturbances.
When Air blows out of control, the atmosphere becomes agitated, similarly if the
mind is constantly attracted and repelled by material objects, it will be next to
impossible to think of the Absolute Truth, Supreme Personality of Godhead, Shri
Krishna.

3. Sky (Aakash)The Sky having no boundaries, beyond the reach of

material nature. Infinite in nature, sometime clouds cover the sky but yet sky
remains unaffected. In the same way, the soul is never affected, by the material
body contamination. Like sky, the Soul is omnipresent, all-pervading, and infinite in
nature. The inner emptiness of sky i.e. space, teaches the sage should be free of
emotions within insight.

4. Water (Jal)The sage is like water because he is free from all impurities,
gentle in nature and while speaking he creates a beautiful vibration like the flowing
of water. By seeing, touching or hearing such a saintly person, the living entity is
cleansed as if coming in contact with pure water. Water quenches the thirst of every
creature, very important element for all creatures. Without feeling any proud, water
serves all living beings. The sage too should likewise bestow health, peace and joy
to every creature that resorts to him. The Sage should ever live as the humblest of
Gods creation. Water teaches the quality of purity. Just as the pure water cleanses
others, so also the sage, who is pure and free from selfishness, lust, egoism, anger,
greed, etc., purifies all who come in contact with him.

5. Fire (Agni)
Fire burns bright, cannot be suppressed by others. It has no extra storage place, it

keeps all inside itself and it can eat anything and yet not get dirty when comes in to
contact of other dirty things. The sage's glory is like the fire, is made brighter by
austerities, his knowledge and tapas; having no vessel other than his stomach.
Although having no shape of its own, the fire assumes the shape of the firewood
through which it reveals itself. Similarly, having entered a particular body, the soul
reveals the traits through that body.

6. Moon (Chandarmaa)
The moon waxes and wanes, despite this continuous change taking place with the
moon, yet it remains unaffected by this process. Similarly the sage should not be
affected by the continual change of body from birth to death including diseases and
old age.

7. Sun (Surya)
The reflection of sun can be seen in many objects, but the actual sun is One and
undivided. That teaches the Supreme Soul is one, and reflected into various bodies;
but the soul is not body itself.The sun evaporates water, and it returns water back to
earth in the form of rain without any attachment or entangled with its act. Similarly
the sage can accept material things with his senses, but at the appropriate time he
should give these things back, as an act from sense of duty. Without getting
attached to material sense objects.

8. Pigeon (A Bird)
Once a devoted pigeon couple along with their babies lives happily in jungle. The
couple loves each other too much, also take care of their infant babies. The love
among them is ever growing every day. One day the couple went to bring food for
their children. In the meanwhile, the bird-hunter came to their nest and caught the
children in a net. When the couple returned back, they saw their dear children were
caught in net. Unable to live without their children, the couple foolishly also jumped
into that trap of net. The bird-catcher returned home with the complete
catch.Teaches:The pigeon story warns against developing obsessive love or
attachments in the transient material world. The sage would refrain from
attachment after attaining the human body, which is the open door to Mukti
(Moksha, Liberation), a door to God-Realization. Even after being born as an
intelligent living being, one is caught in the clutches of possessiveness and brings
about his own spiritual destruction. Excessive attachment and love with anything
except wisdom, is the cause of bondage.

9. Python (Ajgar)A python eats whatever comes in its way and

satisfy, whether it is sufficient or not, bitter or sweet etc.One should accept
whatever one comes across in the life with full contentment. While suffering the
hardships and miseries in life, one should think, it is due to past sinful activities that
one is being punished. A sage always goes for search of wisdom and refrains from
running after unwanted pleasures.

10. HoneyBee (Madhu Makhi)

Honeybee wanders from flower to flower to collect nectar from them, without
hurting the flower and draws honey.Similarly the sage takes the essence of different
various Holy Scriptures, study and practices them spiritually. The sage should
wander from door to door to beg just enough food for his living without troubling the
householders who provide them. The sage should not become greedy.

11. Honey-Theif (Honey-Gatherer)

The bees collect honey and store it with hard work, which they neither eat nor give
away it, themselves in charity to any other creature(s). The Honey-Gatherer (honeytheif), comes and takes the honey easily.
The sage should not store things for himself even for the next time. He should use
his palms to take food and stomach to store food. We have to leave all we store out
of trouble throughout our life, at once and depart when the Lord of Death Yama
come and take us with him.

12. Bird of Prey (Kurari Bird, Hawk)

One there was Kurari bird who pick some sort of food in the beak from somewhere.
At that time, the other stronger birds having no food to eat attacked that bird to
take food away from his beak. In order to get rid of the attack and to attain peace,
the bird dropped the food from beak.
Teaches:
The worldly possessions are source of trouble. If one run after sensual pleasures,
will soon come into clash with his fellow-beings, who too run for the same, and has
to face much miseries and strife. Happiness and Enlightenment belong to one who
lives simply, conquer his craving for worldly things and seeks only spiritual goals.
One becomes as happy and relieved only on abandoning the sensual pleasures.

13. Sea (Ocean, Samudra)

The ocean neither increases due to excessive inflow of rivers nor decreases due to
stoppage of flow of rivers, yet it maintains its level. The calm sea never disturbed,
always remains in its boundaries (except the Natural Catastrophe).
The sage should be equipoised and in state of calmness. The life of sage remains
balanced; the joys of life do not excite him, nor do sorrows depress him. The wise
sage never transgresses the highest standards of morality. The depth of such sages
wisdom cannot be easily comprehended by anyone, just as hidden pearls at the
depth of ocean cannot easily be discovered.

14. Moth (Grasshoper, Patanga)

The moth is tempted by fire, being attracted by the delightful beauty of flame, it
jumps into it and get burns within it.
Similarly a foolish man is enticed by the illusory pleasures of the visual senses and
thus gets caught in the ceaseless cycles of birth and death.
Teaches:
To control the sense of sight (and all other senses) and to try to avoid being greedy.

15. Elephant (Haathi)

The male elephant out of immense lust falls into a pit covered over with grass by
the scent of its mate, a paper and wooden made female elephant. The elephant
gets caught and enchained after being attracted towards its opposite gender mate.
Similarly, a passionate person is tempted by the opposite gender and falls into the
trap and come to grief. The seekers of Spiritual Truth should learn, to get rid from
the clutches of lust.

16. Deer (Hiran)

The deer is very fond of music and is very much attracted by it. The deer is trapped
by hunter through its love for music. Hunter employs music to lure the deer before
hunting it.
Teaches:
Passion and Sensual Desires will later or sooner bring down a sage from his spiritual
progress. A renounced person should never become attracted by mundane sounds
like sensuous music, specially the sweet singing and dancing of girl.

17. Fish (Machali)

Due to uncontrolled tongue, the fish is caught on hook. It is through tasteful bait
(small food use to catch fish), that the fish meets its end.
Teaches:
Among the sense, tongue is the most difficult to be controlled. When tongue is
controlled, other sense will become easy to be controlled. Apart from that, fish
never leaves its home (i.e. water), so one should never lose sight of his True Self.

18. Pingala (A Dancing Girl)

There was a dancing girl named Pingala, she was tired of looking for customers one
night to come and give her sensual pleasure along with lot of money. She became
hopeless and ultimately out of frustration gave her plans for earning money via this
means. Feeling satisfaction from her abandonment of material desires, she was

contented with what she had, and then had sound sleep. She has realized that
divine spirit lies within herself, who is of the nature of bliss eternal.
Teaches:
The abandonment of expectation from people, leads to contentment and infinite joy.

19. Child
A child has no grievance, anger, jealousy, hatred and above all Free of Ego and
Arrogance. Both child and sage are free from anxieties, and fully engrossed in the
supreme joy. A child is happy and enjoying due to ignorance, while sage is happy
free from all worldly desires, which is transcended the three gunas (satva, rajas and
tamas).
Teaches:
Live like being child at heart, innocent, care free and full of Supreme Joy.

20. Maiden (Un-Married Girl)

Once some people came home to see a Maiden Girl. Her parents were not at home,
so she had to entertain them herself. She went to kitchen and started beating rice
for their food. At that time her hand bangles started making noise. She did not like
that noise [because it showed that they were so poor that she herself had to beat
the rice]. So she broke all the bangles except two in each hand. But still they made
noise. So she broke one more bangle from each hand. Hence no noise produced.
Teaches:
When there are number of spiritual seekers living together, there will be clash of
interests. Even among two persons, there might be disturbance, dispute etc. The
sage should live alone in solitude, as it is better to live alone, without creating any
unwanted noise, gossips.

21. Serpent (Snake, Saaamp)

The snake lives alone and avoids the company of other creatures. In order to seek
Self-Realization, one should abide in the cave of his own heart.
The snake leaves of its old skin after sometime, and gets the newer one; that make
resemblance with phenomenon of death. A true sage never frightened by the death,
knowing sooner or later he will get a new life based on his karmic actions.

22. Arrow-Smith (Maker of Arrow)

Once there was an arrow maker, he was so absorbed in making the tip of an arrow;
that he didnt notice the procession of King passes nearby him. He was very much

keen in his work.

Teaches:
Focused Mind, Concentration is the way to achieve Self-Realization.

23. Spider (Makari)

Spider builds a beautiful web from his heart through the mouth; play and enjoys
with it and then after some time swallow that very same web.
Teaches:
Lord Supreme creates material universe from His Maya, preserves it and after a
while draws it back into the Self. The Supreme Self has no desires and is beyond the
reach of cause and effect.

24. Caterpillar (Wasp, Bhringee)

The wasp catches hold of a worm (caterpillar), put it in its hive (nest), gives it a
sting and goes on buzzing about it. The caterpillar is so frightened by this whole
ongoing process of buzzing, that it cannot think anything else apart from wasp. The
constantly kept thinking of caterpillar of about wasp, eventually make a caterpillar,
a wasp itself.
Teaches:
Whatever form a man constantly thinks of (knowingly, unintentionally, be it with
love, jealousy or fear etc.), he attains in course of time that form. As a man thinks,
so he becomes. Even at the time of death, whatever one's mind focused on, one
attains the same living species form in his next life.
Thus one must try to give up all attachment to the body and attain Moksha or
liberation.
If one constantly, devotedly without any sort of deviation mediates upon the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, one will achieve a spiritual body just like that of
the Lord, qualitatively.
Further Lord Dattatreya explains what he has learned from his own body.
My Body teaches me Gyaan (knowledge) and Vairaagya (detachment).
Birth and death are along with it. It means that if we hold on to this body
then we have to bear sorrows. Although it helps to think about Tattwa
(elements) still I never consider it mine.
To please whatever body, the living being is always busy in desiring many
things, does Karma (deeds) and collects wealth with great difficulties; the
same body is destroyed after its time is completed.
Although Bhagwan created many Yonis (as many as 84 millions), but he
did not get satisfied with them, then he created (Manushya Yoni) human
being. Mokash is the main objective of this Yoni, because pleasures can be

achieved in many other Yonis, but Mokash can be attained only in this
Yoni. Therefore one should not waste this valuable Yoni in enjoying
pleasures. Thinking thus I took Vairaagya. Neither I love anything, nor am
I proud of anything."
With humbles and full devotion, I looked upon the whole of Gods creation as my
various Gurus; trying to gather Wisdom from them and realizing my goal of Spiritual
Enlightenment.

Summarizing the 24 Gurus

The Earth represents the Dharma. The Wind symbolizes freedom of Truth. The Sun,
Moon and Ocean emphasizing the unchanging Nature of Truth. The Sky shows the
Infinite Nature of Self. The Spider reminds the Transient Nature of Material World.
The Moth, Elephant, Deer and Fish warn against the Overwhelming of distraction
caused by desires. The Pigeon, Honeybee, Kurari Bird and Pingala warn against the
Worldly Attachments. The Child evokes the happiness of freedom from material
care. The Python and Honeybee emphasize the benefits of simple living. The Fire
and Water teaches the Power to Purify the Contamination of Material World. The
Maiden and Snake teaches to avoid any distraction caused by unwanted things. The
Arrowsmith, teaches to remain focused and concentrate towards the goal. The
Caterpillar teaches that by concentrating on God, one can return to Godhead, the
Ultimate Goal.