Datta Jayanti 2026

Puja Vidhi

Who Should Do This Vrat?

• Devotees of Dattatreya: Followers of Lord Dattatreya and the Datta sampradaya observe the day with devotion, seeking the guidance of the Guru.
• Spiritual Seekers: Those who seek knowledge, wisdom, and a path of spiritual growth (Gyan Prapti) pray to the Adi Guru.
• Families Seeking Protection: Households pray for harmony, prosperity, and freedom from the troubles of ancestors (Pitru Dosha).

When Should This Be Performed?

• Morning Preparation: Bathe early, during Brahma Muhurta (the pre-dawn period), and take the Sankalp.
• Puja Muhurat: The main puja is done in the evening during Pradosh Kaal (the period after sunset), the time of Lord Dattatreya's birth. Check the puja muhurat for your city on this page.
• Bhajan and Reading: Chanting and reading the Gurucharitra continue through the evening (some families complete it over several days).
• Closing the Fast: After the aarti and prasad, in the evening.

About the Festival

Datta Jayanti is a deeply revered observance celebrated across India, marking the birth of Lord Dattatreya, the form of the three deities Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. It takes place on the Purnima (full moon day) in the month of Margashirsha.

The Vrat Katha (Story of Anasuya and the Trimurti)

Once upon a time, there lived the sage Atri and his devoted wife Anasuya, famed throughout the three worlds for her purity and devotion. The goddesses Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Parvati, wondering about her virtue, asked their husbands, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, to put it to the test.

The three gods came to the hermitage disguised as ascetics, while Sage Atri was away, and asked Anasuya for alms, on the condition that she serve them without clothes. Anasuya was troubled, but she prayed to her husband, and sprinkled holy water over them, turning the three into infants.

When the three goddesses came to the hermitage seeking their husbands, Anasuya told them with calm respect: "O Devis, these are your husbands, who came as guests. Pray with a pure heart, and they shall be restored." Humbled, the goddesses asked for forgiveness, and Anasuya returned the gods to their true forms.

Pleased with her devotion, the Trimurti merged into one divine child with three heads and six arms, and gave Atri and Anasuya a son named Dattatreya. He grew to be the Adi Guru, who learnt from twenty-four teachers in nature. Since that day, devotees have observed Datta Jayanti to seek the blessings of the Guru.

Samagri List (Items Needed)

Gather these items before starting the evening puja:

• Image / Painting: Picture or idol of Lord Dattatreya with his three heads, the cow, and four dogs
• Tilak & Sacred Powder: Sandalwood paste, Roli, Kumkum, and Akshat (unbroken rice grains)
• Lamps & Lights: A brass or clay Diya with Ghee and cotton wick, along with incense sticks and camphor
• Sacred Leaves: Audumbar (fig tree) leaves, Tulsi leaves, and Bilva leaves, as families customarily offer
• Food Offerings (Naivedya): Fruits, Panchamrit, milk, and sweets such as Sheera or Kheer
• Devotional Accessories: Flowers (preferably yellow or white), sacred thread (Kalava), and the Gurucharitra book

Puja Vidhi (Step-by-Step Guide)

Follow these step-by-step instructions carefully to perform the ritual correctly:

Step 1: Morning Preparation and Sankalp

1. Wake up early during Brahma Muhurta, bathe, and wear clean, auspicious clothes.
2. Take a small amount of water in your right palm and take a Sankalp (solemn vow): "O Lord Dattatreya, today I observe this vrat on your birth anniversary. Guide me on the path of wisdom, and bless my family with peace and prosperity."
3. Observe the fast throughout the day with a simple diet of fruits and milk, or keep to the practice of your family.

Step 2: Preparing the Puja Altar (Late Afternoon)

1. Clean the northeastern corner (Ishan Kone) or the puja room.
2. Place the picture of Lord Dattatreya on a wooden stool (Chowki) covered with a clean yellow or white cloth.
3. Keep a Kalash with water and a few Audumbar leaves near the picture.

Step 3: Performing the Evening Rituals

1. Lighting the Lamp: Light a Ghee Diya and incense before Lord Dattatreya.
2. Applying Tilak: Apply sandalwood paste, Kumkum, and Akshat to the picture.
3. Offering Flowers & Leaves: Offer fresh flowers, Tulsi, and Audumbar leaves with devotion.
4. Offering Naivedya: Place the fruits, Panchamrit, and sweets before the deity.

Step 4: Reading the Katha and Gurucharitra

1. Hold a few grains of rice and flower petals in your right hand.
2. Sit respectfully in front of the altar and recite or listen to the Datta Jayanti Katha or a chapter of the Gurucharitra.
3. After completing it, offer the grains and petals at the deity's feet.

Step 5: Bhajan and Aarti (Pradosh Kaal)

1. Chant "Shri Gurudev Datta" or "Digambara Digambara Shripad Vallabh Digambara" with devotion.
2. Perform the Datta Aarti using the lit Ghee lamp, while singing devotional hymns.
3. Pray for the guidance of the Guru, and for peace for your ancestors.

Step 6: Seeking Blessings and Closing the Fast

1. Touch the feet of the elders in your family to seek their blessings (Charan Sparsh).
2. Distribute the prasad among family members and neighbours.
3. Close your fast by partaking in the prasad and a simple sattvic meal.