Dattātreya
Subtitle: the immortal guru, yogin, and avatāra : a study of the tranformative and inclusive character of a multi-faceted Hindo deity
By: Antonio Rigopoulos.
Series: SUNY series in religious studies
Publisher: State University of New York Press
Published: 1998
Place of publication: Albany
Language: eng
Number of pages: 342
Subjects: Dattātreya (Hindu deity)
Description: The book presents the multi-faceted Hindu deity Dattatreya from his Puranic emergence up to modern times. 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 sprituality: precisely this complexity of themes constitutes Dattatreya's uniqueness.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 265-295) and index.