Has Sri Dattatreya been mentioned in Rig Veda?

 

Sri Dattatreya, also known as Datta, is an incarnation of the almighty and is believed to have descended on Earth on the Purnima day or Full Moon day in the Hindu calendar month of Margashirsha (December–January).

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The 3 heads of Sri Guru Datta are said to embody his identity as the of the Trinity, namely, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. He is also the one who has transcended the 3 qualities or the Triguna and is one with the Sublime Energy of the Absolute Guru.

This is why he is also regarded as the Teacher or the Divine Guru.

Sri Dattatreya is most often shown as having 6 hands, each holding the Sankha, the Chakra, the Gada, the Trishul (Trident), the Kamandalu (water pot) and the Begging Bowl.

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Natha are a sub-tradition within Shaivism, who trace their lineage to nine Nath gurus, starting with Shiva as the first, or ‘’Adinatha’’. 

Sri Dattatreya has been the revered as the Adi-Guru (First Teacher) of the Adinath Sampradaya of the Nathas, the first "Lord of Yoga" with mastery of Tantra (techniques).

Though Sri Dattatreya is described as Adi Guru or First Teacher, as far as SPIRITUALITY is concerned, and an ascetic, he was mentioned only  in Puranas as such.

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A)       Datta Puranam

According to Datta Puranam , Atri maharshi Is one of the seven sons of  Brahma and born of pure will. Anasuya is the daughter of Maharshi Kardama. Both of them were Highly knowledgeble in spirituality and were profound devotees of God. Atri Maharishi did a great penance for Parabrahman on the mountain called Rushika and impressed by his long penance 

Trinity appeared before him and said that they gave themselves to him. After that Atri and Anasuya ma were blessed with three sons. Chandra was born with power of Brahma, Durvasa with the power of Shiva and Datta with power of Vishnu. Chandra and Durvasa left their amsa(powers) to Datta and left for their respective places. 

Lord Datta remains on this earth since then for the sake of devotees.

The name Dattatreya can be divided into two words - "Datta" (meaning given) and "Atreya" referring to the sage Atri, his physical father.

It indicates that the Almighty or BRAHMAN had given itself to (enlightened) the Sage Atri, who transferred the spiritual knowledge to others at that  point of time, ultimately for the spiritual benefit of humankind.

B)       Mahabharata

In Mahabharata, Sri Dattatreya was mentioned as the son of Sage Atri.  It was also mentioned therein that he had a son by name Nimi.

C)       Valmiki Ramayana

In Valmiki Ramayana, Sage Atri and his wife named Anasuya are mentioned .

Sri Rama, accompanied by Sita and Laxmana, had visited the ashram and obtained his blessings from Rishi Atri and Anasuya. Anasuya at this time was very old with wrinkled face. 

Ramayana does not mention any children born to Atri and Anasuya.

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Rig Veda

a)   Sri Dattatreya was not mentioned explicitly, as Indra, Agni, Vishnu, etc, were mentioned in Rig Veda, which is the source for all subsequent spiritual literature in Hinduism, though mentioned in Puranas as Adi Guru.

b)   Rig Veda starts with the prayer  aghnimīḷe purohitaṃ ..... dedicated to AGNI, an epithet of BRAHMAN.

अ॒ग्निमी॑ळे पु॒रोहि॑तं य॒ज्ञस्य॑ दे॒वमृ॒त्विज॑म्। होता॑रं रत्न॒धात॑मम्॥१॥
अ॒ग्निः पूर्वे॑भि॒र्ऋषि॑भि॒रीड्यो॒ नूत॑नैरु॒त। स दे॒वाँ एह व॑क्षति॥२॥

Agni do I invoke—the one placed to the fore, god and priest of the sacrifice, the Hotar, most richly conferring treasure.

c)   The Rig Veda mostly mentions many issues in esoteric sense only but not directly.

The names of Gods, viz., Indra, AGNI, Vishnu, Brishaspati, Saraswati, etc, mentioned in Rig Veda are epithets to indicate the same Almighty or BRAHMAN.

d)  Rig Veda I.164.46 says

एकं॒ सद् विप्रा॑ बहु॒धा व॑दन्त्य॒ग्निं य॒मं मा॑त॒रिश्वा॑नमाहुः ॥
कृ॒ष्णं नि॒यानं॒ हर॑यः सुप॒र्णा अ॒पो वसा॑ना॒ दिव॒मुत्प॑तन्ति ।

They say it is Indra, Mitra, Varuṇa, and Agni, and also it is the winged, well-feathered (bird) of heaven [=the Sun]. Though it is One, inspired poets speak of it in many ways. They say it is Agni, Yama, and Mātariśvan

e)  Further, the father of Sri Dattatreya, Sage Atri is one of the oldest seer that was mentioned in Rig Veda.

f)  5th Mandala was stated to have been composed by Sage Atri and his descendants.  However, Sage Atri was mentioned in 8th Hymn of 2nd Mandala, which was composed by Sage Grtsamada.

अत्रि॒मनु॑ स्व॒राज्य॑म॒ग्निमु॒क्थानि॑ वावृधुः । विश्वा॒ अधि॒ श्रियो॑ दधे ॥५॥

Atri and Agni, (each) according to his own sovereignty, have the solemn pronouncements strengthened. He has laid on himself all beauties

g)  It indicates that Sage Atri lived much earlier to Sage Grtsamada.

h)   In one of the mantras composed by Sage Atri  Bhauma, Surya says to Sage Atri that he belongs to him. (Rig Veda V.40)

i)  In the very mysterious episode of Svarbhānu covering Sun with darkness (which many equated with Rahu engulfing Sun in an eclipse), Sage Atri removed the darkness and restored the glory of Sun.

5. When, o Sun, Svarbhānu Āsura pierced you with darkness, like a befuddled man not knowing the territory did the living beings perceive. 

6. Then, o Indra, when you smashed down from heaven the circling magic spells of Svarbhānu, Atri with the fourth formulation found the sun, hidden by darkness because of (an act) contrary to commandment. 

7. [The Sun:] “O Atri, let him not, deceived by jealousy and fear, swallow me, who am one of yours. You are an ally whose bounty is real; do you and King Varuṇa help me here.” 

8. The possessor of the sacred formulation [=Atri], having yoked the pressing stones, serving the gods with plain reverence, doing his utmost.  Atri placed the eye of the sun in heaven. He hid away the magic spells of Svarbhānu. 

9. Which sun Svarbhānu Āsura pierced with darkness, that one the Atris found, for no others were able.

j)   As Rig Vedic mantras speak about spiritual concepts in an esoteric sense, the above issue can be understood in that line only.

Svarbhānu Āsura can be understood to be  illusions or mAya that engulfs human's intellect or dormant knowledge, due to which human tends to be ignorant.

When repeated prayers to God removes the ignorance, the knowledge of SELF is restored and it radiates as SUN.

k)   Some scholars say that there is no such historical figure as Sage Atri.  AGNI, an epithet of God, is none other than Sage Atri.

Thus, when the BRAHMAN or AGNI removes ignorance in humans, the SELF REALISATION is restored in humans.

l)   In the above Svarbhānu Āsura episode, Sun says he belongs to Sage Atri.  That is he has given himself (datta) to Sage Atri - Rig Veda 5.40.7

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m)  In Rig Veda, AGNI in one form radiates the Earth, in another form fills the mid-space with the name INDRA and finally shines the heaven or ether as SUN.

n)  The energy of SUN in heaven is called Savitṛ.   

o)  In my view, AGNI, who is praised as BRAHMAN in Rig Veda, is none other than Sri Dattatreya, who is also praised as brahmanyam.. in Sri Datta Stavam by  Sri Vasudevananda Saraswati, who is considered to be an incarnation of Sri Dattatreya.

brahmanyaṃ dharma tattvajnam bhakta keerti vivardhanaṃ ǀ
bhaktābhiṣṭa pradaṃ vande smaṛtrgāmi sano’vatu ǀǀ