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Dattatreya was an incarnation of SriHari, born to sage Atri and his wife Anasuya. Along with him were born in the same family, Soma, an incarnation of Brahma and Durvasa, an incarnation of Shiva. Dattatreya desired to live in isolation and once hid himself in a lake through his yogic power. When Karthveeryarjuna wasn't prepared to take over kingship, a minister, Garga, advised him to worship Dattatreya and get the power that he needed.
Sage Brihaspathi also advised the Devas to take the help of Dattatreya if they wanted to regain all that they had lost to the asuras. Accordingly, Dattatreya advised them to somehow bring the asuras to him. The Devas started a battle with the asuras and came running to Dattatreya who was sitting with the beautiful Lakshmi. Naturally, this distracted the asuras who forgot their purpose of coming and carried away the beautiful goddess.
The Devas were asked to follow them and again engage them in battle as now, they had lost their merit by indulging in the heinous crime of carrying away Lakshmi. Yadu, an emperor , once asked Dattatreya how he managed to remain untouched by desires. Dattatreya's answer was very interesting - he said he had 24 preceptors ranging from the Sun to the tiny spider. At the request of the Devas and sadhus, he spoke to them at length on peace, truth, courage, righteousness and so on.
There was no one who came in contact with him and didn't derive something of value. He touched everyone with his great understanding of things.
