Parama Pujya Sri Swamiji's
Dattatreya Jayanti speech on Dec 8, 2003
Today, the Datta Jayanti is being celebrated with Datta Upasana not only in India but also in many places across the world. Datta’s teachings are profound and are propagated in the Atma Vilasa and Tripura Rahasya . The “Guru Brahma Guru Vishnuh Guru Devo Maheshvaraha – Guru Sakshaat Param Brahma Tasmai Sri Gurave Namaha” tells us the importance of Guru. Guru is the Brahma, the Vishnu and Shiva Himself. As Brahma He causes good and noble thoughts to come to you. They are generated in you. This is the creative Brahma aspect. All those thoughts are protected by the Vishnu principle of the Guru. The confusions that come along are removed through Shiva principle. Datta means ‘gifting’ oneself. Surrender, sacrifice. Datta says that He gifts Himself to devotees. Atri and Anasuya were the parents of Datta. Atri means the one who had conquered the ‘Tri Gunas’ of Satttva, Rajas and Tamas. Anasuya means the one who has no jealousy. When the couple was asked by God as to what boon they wanted, they requested that God should come to them in the form of a child.
As the analogy of creation is often explained, in the beginning of the creation, the Para Brahma caused the millions of life forms to be sparkling like god-dust on a ball of wax. Wanting to liberate these life forms stuck to the wax ball, He decided to give them mobility and life force. His main worry was that when given life with desire and destiny, His children would always languish in the Kaama and Karma and never return ‘Home’ (Brahma Loka). Therefore, to redeem them from this potential future problem, He caused the Guru Tattva to come to this world in the form of Dattatreya.
For anything to learn in life, we need a Guru. He is the guiding force. Guru commands total respect. As we respect our own breathing, we have to respect the Guru. So, our lifetime requirement is to return to that Brahma Loka. Like the famous Purandara Dasa said, “I am here but my real house is the Vaikuntha (Vishnu Loka)
”. We are in this house (body) as leaseholders. This is how we should understand.
Some may ask a question. “What about those who don’t have a Guru?” They certainly can help themselves. It would only take them a little longer. Everyone has to eventually reach the Creator. Those who can afford, they go in plane. Some go by bus. Some walk and go but some sit and meditate about that place. You must first understand that work is worship. Having satisfaction in what you have is itself a Guru like.
As it is said in the famous Shloka in Avadhuta Geetha – We seek refuge in the benign form of Lord Dattatreya who resplendently resides in our heart. Our concentration to Him must be like an unwavering light illuminating, steady and constant.
Each Devatha has a Beejakshara. It is like a code word. Dattatreya has the word – DRAAM as Beejakshara. Dattatreya has a beautiful smile on his lips, He is resplendent. He removes poverty. He lights up our heart. The Sattva Guna resides in him. He is as beautiful as is to watch a lotus blossoming. I pray to such Dattatreya! Just by touching the Padukas of Dattatreya, he gives unmatched knowledge to that person. Let us meditate on such Knowledge giving Datta in our hearts.
Datta Stava is very popular and important. Sri Vasudevananda Saraswati was instrumental in the spread of this great Mantra. It says in it that Datta can be realized just by remembering Him. No Abhisheka, Alankara etc that are needed for other deities. Datta is so easy to be realized. The Ashta Siddhis are the children of Dattatreya. Anagha vrata is a great way to reach Datta. Any one can perform this Vrata. There are no barriers to its performance like some Vratas have. It is for our spiritual assistance. It is for our knowledge. I urge all to perform Anagha Vrata.
Dattatreya was the Guru of ‘Devathas’, ‘Rakshashas’ and humans. Datta has been around since the time of creation. Datta has no leanings towards any one particular type of people. Datta’s consort is Anagha Devi, the triad power source of Maha Kali, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Saraswati. She gives knowledge and wealth. She is with Dattatreya.
On this important day we all are remembering the glory of Dattatreya. He has great affection for his devotees, his greatness is immeasurable. He removes sorrows of his devotees. He is like the relative for a helpless one. In the modern times, we are short of those who patiently listen to our problems and woes. Everyone himself is so full of sorrow that when you say your problems, he too wants to pour out his problems to you.
When you fold your hands and say NAMASTE, you are infact seeking the hidden meaning of the principle of Jeevatma and Paramatma and you bow your head. When you bow your head, Guru shows his right palm implying that you WAIT. Patience is the greatest penance. This is the assurance he gives. But when you do Namaste to your friend, he in turn folds which implies, “I too don’t know”. This is a part of great symbolic code of conduct and Indian tradition is very rich in this regard.
In these times of wealth chase and success chase, everyone feels at one time or the other that there must be a higher meaning to this existence and that a greater force must be leading them throughout. Even a hard-core non-believer would get this thought. We have to understand that our body is the temple in which the great God resides. That is why we want our body to be pure and clean so that it is a fit place for Him to reside. Many call the body as Shiva (energy) but once that Shiva leaves the body, it is nothing but a Shava (dead body). So, in the short time you have on earth, do some good. Help the poor and the needy. This is the Tattva of Lord Dattatreya. Puja is one type of Yoga. It is a science to clean our Chitta. After ‘cleaning’, the Jnana automatically comes. We do Abhisheka as if we are washing our own conscience. We try to teach lesson to our sense organs with Puja. It is
a great science. It is a Yoga-Kriya.
After Chitta cleaning, the teachings of Sadguru will become evenmore clearer and apparent. Why do we go to temple then? Can’t we pray here? No. It is to forcefully cultivate that habit of spiritual discipline. It is like wearing a uniform. You work more sincerely when you don a uniform.
Why ring bell so much in a temple? Is God deaf? No. You are deaf. That is why we ring bell so that your ever-loitering mind can be hooked to the deity. To increase concentration and discipline, we do Puja. Puja increases your faith in the system.
When you think who feeds the frog under a stone? Who feeds those ants? We worry about the few around us. But God ensures that those who help are helped. Datta protects us at all times. Remember those who helped you. That very act will be beneficial to you. That is the first lesson.
Datta yearns to help the unassisted and troubled. He removes all dangers and difficulties. He protects you wherever you are. Be it a forest, mountain or river. He resides in Church, Mandir and Masjid. Whether you do prayer or Namaaz or Puja, it is all the same. He is in Koran, He is in Bible. He is in the Puranas. To Such God we pray. He is Vishva Rupi (Universal).
Puja is nothing but being harmless to yourself and others. He knows the secrets of the Dharma Shaastras. He gives protection to the needy. He removes the passions and shackles of family. He is the source of true Ananda (Bliss). One has to remember that we have to go back to that true Ananda. Datta gives peace of mind to those in distress. From time immemorial, Datta has been worshipped.
The last stanza in the Datta Stava says about the merit of chanting Datta Stava (Jaya labha yashah kaama …). It means that by chanting Datta Stava, one gets victory, gain, Success, name & fame and fulfillment of desires.
Today is the silver jubilee year of the Datta Temple in Ashrama here. It was in 1978 that the Datta temple was inaugurated.
Swamiji has started many such temples thoroughout the world. Important ones among them are in Mekedatu and in Manginapudi. Mekedatu is the place where the Sahyadri hill ranges start. Temples are there in Canada, Malaysia, USA, Caribbean and Europe.
We all do four types of Karma every day. Dharma. Artha, Kaama and Moksha. Dharma includes all acts that we do after we wake up. We pray to God, meditate and wear a ‘Bindi’ on our forehead. Then starts the Artha activity, which involves working to earn money. Kaama starts once you return home and engage in your family affairs. While sleeping, you are like in Moksha. So, we are doing this quartet of activities everyday. Don’t think that those who don’t want a Guru cannot get liberation. If you work selflessly, that it self is the Guru. Attending to your duties without self-interest is itself Guru.
Everyone has a right to worship the God in his own way. I pray that we follow the oath of peace. Let us not force our principles on anyone else. Let us keep our boat in balance and not try to cause imbalance in others’ boats.
This is the teaching of Guru Tattva.
Let everyone say :
JAI GURU DATTA
SRI GURU DATTA*********