Dattatreya Jayanti 2026 is on Wednesday, 23 December (Drik Panchang), the day of Margashirsha Purnima. The Purnima tithi runs from 10:48 AM on 23 December to 6:59 AM on 24 December (Drik: 10:47 AM to 6:57 AM), so the whole evening of 23 December is Purnima. By tradition Dattatreya was born in the evening (pradosh), so the puja is done in the evening; in New Delhi sunset is at 5:30 PM and moonrise at 4:41 PM. By the Bhagavata Purana Dattatreya is the son of the sage Atri and Anasuya, and a portion of Lord Vishnu.
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At a glance
- Date
- Wednesday, 23 December 2026
- Tithi
- Margashirsha Purnima
- Purnima tithi
- 10:48 AM on 23 December to 6:59 AM on 24 December (Drik Panchang: 10:47 AM to 6:57 AM)
- Puja
- in the evening, by tradition at pradosh
- Parents
- the sage Atri and Anasuya (Bhagavata 4.1.15)
- Brothers
- Soma (the Moon) and the sage Durvasa (Bhagavata 4.1.33; Vishnu Purana 1.10)
- Avatar
- the Lord’s sixth avatar in the Bhagavata (1.3.11)
- Kept above all in
- Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat
- Other names
- Datta Jayanti, Gurudev Datta
Dattatreya Jayanti 2026: the evening of 23 December
Drik Panchang gives Dattatreya Jayanti 2026 on Wednesday 23 December. For New Delhi, Drik has the Purnima tithi from 10:47 AM on 23 December to 6:57 AM on 24 December (our calculation 10:48 AM to 6:59 AM). This Purnima touches no sunrise: sunrise on 23 December (Drik: 7:11 AM) comes before it, and it ends before sunrise on 24 December. So the evening and night of 23 December are Purnima, and the Jayanti and Margashirsha Purnima both fall on this day. Drik Panchang gives no separate puja muhurat for the day. Several articles (Aaj Tak, Webdunia) say tradition places the birth at pradosh, in the evening, and the puja is done then; in New Delhi on 23 December sunset is at 5:30 PM and moonrise at 4:41 PM.
Who Dattatreya is
By the Bhagavata Purana the sage Atri and his wife Anasuya had three sons: Soma (the Moon) from Brahma’s portion, Dattatreya from Vishnu’s, and Durvasa from Shiva’s. The Vishnu Purana and the Markandeya Purana name the same three sons. The Puranas we read give no date for the birth; placing it on Margashirsha Purnima is tradition.
The name Datta
Pleased with Atri, who longed for offspring, the Lord said, “I have given myself to you” (datto mayāham), and so he was called Datta; as the son of Atri, Atreya. Together, Dattatreya.
Bhagavata Purana 2.7.4The sixth avatar
The Bhagavata counts Dattatreya sixth in its list of avatars: at Anasuya’s prayer he became Atri’s son and taught the knowledge of the self to Alarka, Prahlada and others.
Bhagavata Purana 1.3.11Guru of Kartavirya Arjuna
The Haihaya king Kartavirya Arjuna (Sahasrarjuna) won a thousand arms and great strength by serving Dattatreya.
Bhagavata Purana 9.15.17–19; Markandeya Purana, chapters 18–19The three-headed form
Today Dattatreya is mostly worshipped with three heads and six arms (holding a rosary and kamandalu, conch and discus, trident and damaru), with four dogs and a cow. This is later iconography; older pictures and images with one head are also found. The Puranas we read do not describe this form.
Wikipedia: Dattatreya (iconography); Bhakti BharatThe story of his birth, in short
By the Bhagavata Purana (4.1), at Brahma’s word Atri went with Anasuya to the Riksha mountain and performed tapas for a hundred years standing on one leg, asking that the Lord of the world give him offspring like Himself. The fire of his tapas began to scorch the three worlds, and Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva all came to his hermitage. Atri asked why, when he had meditated on one Lord; the three said that the one was the three of them, and that sons would be born to Atri from their portions. The story more often told is that of Anasuya’s test, in which the three gods come as sadhus and Anasuya, by the power of her chastity, turns them into infants; it is not in these Puranas but is told in the Gurucharitra (chapter 4), a text of the Datta tradition. Both stories and how they differ are on the katha page.
The 24 gurus
In the Bhagavata Purana (11.7.33–35) a young avadhuta brahmana tells King Yadu that he learned from 24 gurus: the earth, air, sky, water, fire, the moon, the sun, a pigeon, a python, the sea, a moth, a honeybee, an elephant, a honey-gatherer, a deer, a fish, the courtesan Pingala, a kurara bird, a child, a young girl, an arrow-maker, a serpent, a spider and a wasp. The Bhagavata does not name the avadhuta; the commentator Shridhara Swami and tradition hold him to be Dattatreya.
What is done on the day: custom
The customs below are tradition, not the rite of any Purana; they vary by region and family.
Fast and puja
A bath in the morning, a fast through the day, and in the evening puja of Dattatreya’s image or picture with flowers, incense, a lamp and naivedya; the name “Shri Gurudev Datta” is chanted.
Bhakti Bharat; Incredible India; Wikipedia: Datta JayantiReading
The Avadhuta Gita and the Jivanmukta Gita, which tradition holds to be Dattatreya’s words, are read; in Maharashtra and north Karnataka the Gurucharitra is read.
Swami Sivananda (Divine Life Society); Aaj Tak; Wikipedia; Gurumandir, KaranjaDatta shrines
In Maharashtra large festivals are held at Narsobawadi (Shirol, Kolhapur), Mahur (Nanded), Audumbar (Palus, Sangli) and Karanja Lad (Washim); Ganagapur in Karnataka and Pithapuram in Andhra Pradesh are also well-known Datta places.
Incredible India (Government of India); Wikipedia: Datta JayantiHow to perform the puja
- Step 1
Bath and resolve
Bathe in the morning and make the resolve of the fast; many fast through the day (custom).
- Step 2
Getting ready for the puja
Before evening, place a picture or image of Dattatreya at the place of worship, and get flowers, incense, a lamp, turmeric and sandal paste and naivedya ready.
- Step 3
Evening puja
After sunset, while Purnima lasts, worship Dattatreya; by tradition this is done at pradosh.
- Step 4
Katha and reading
Read or listen to the story of Dattatreya’s birth; if there is time, read a chapter of the Avadhuta Gita or the Gurucharitra.
- Step 5
Japa and aarti
Chant “Shri Gurudev Datta”, do the aarti and share the prasad.
Frequently asked questions
When is Dattatreya Jayanti 2026?
On Wednesday, 23 December, Margashirsha Purnima (Drik Panchang). The Purnima tithi runs from 10:48 AM on 23 December to 6:59 AM on 24 December.
At what time should the Dattatreya Jayanti puja be done?
By tradition in the evening, at pradosh, since the birth is placed in the evening. On 23 December 2026 the whole evening is Purnima; in New Delhi sunset is at 5:30 PM. See your city’s sunset in the box above. Drik Panchang gives no separate muhurat for the day.
Who were Dattatreya’s parents?
The sage Atri and Anasuya. By the Bhagavata (4.1.15, 33), the Vishnu Purana (1.10) and the Markandeya Purana (chapter 17), Anasuya had three sons: Soma (the Moon), Dattatreya and Durvasa.
Why does Dattatreya have three heads?
The form with three heads and six arms is taken as a sign of the portions of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. It is later iconography; older pictures and images have one head, and the Puranas we read do not describe this form.
Who are Dattatreya’s 24 gurus?
In the Bhagavata (11.7.33–35) an avadhuta brahmana tells King Yadu of his 24 gurus, such as the earth, air, water, fire, the moon, the sun, a pigeon, a python, a honeybee, a fish and a spider. Tradition holds the avadhuta to be Dattatreya; the Bhagavata does not name him.
Sources
- Bhagavata Purana 1.3.11, 2.7.4, 4.1.15–33, 9.15.17–19, 11.7.24–35 (Sanskrit text and translation, vedabase.io)
- Vishnu Purana 1.10 (H. H. Wilson’s translation, wisdomlib.org)
- Markandeya Purana, chapters 16–19 (F. E. Pargiter’s translation, wisdomlib.org)
- Drik Panchang: Dattatreya Jayanti 2026 (New Delhi) and the panchang of 23 December 2026
- Customs and Datta shrines: Incredible India (Government of India), Bhakti Bharat, Gurumandir Karanja, Wikipedia (Datta Jayanti, Dattatreya)
- The tradition of a birth at pradosh: Aaj Tak (2022), Webdunia (2014, 2024)
- Swami Sivananda, Divine Life Society: Dattatreya Jayanthi
- Tithi, sunrise, sunset and moonrise: SanatanBodh panchang calculation (astronomy-engine, Lahiri ayanamsha), checked against Drik Panchang (New Delhi, 2026; read on 20 October 2026)
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