Thread by @BesuraTaansane

#GuruPurnima Thread 1/n
Lets begin with the prarthana : #ShriGurudevaDatta 🙏 Saashtang Namaskar to Shri DattaGuru 🙏🏻 the Primordial or Adi Guru who has manifested time & again in various avatars to guide humanity through the maze of life called YogaMaya

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Birth : Shri Dattatreya is known as Atri Putra-Son of Maharshi Atri & his wife Sati Anusuya who was the epitome of Pativrata
Brahma Vishnu & Mahadeva in order to test her approached her as sadhus & asked for Nirvana Daana

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Anusuya immediately prayed & wished that the 3 sadhus appear to her as infants so she could complete their wish without violating her pativrata-the power of her spirituality transformed the Tridev into 3 infants whom she could nursed & fulfilled their wish

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Pleased-they gave her a boon that they will take avatars as her sons

Mahadeva was born as Rishi Durvasa
Brahma as Somadeva (Moon) &
The 3rd child Datta was the Vishnu avatar with the anshas of Mahadeva & Brahma

Therefore Shree Dattatreya is depicted with 3 heads & 6 arms

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Shree Dattatreya is the AdiGuru or the Guru of all Gurus🙏
He is pure consciousness & is in the state of perfect equilibrium
At his feet are 4 shwaan/dogs denoting his control over :
Want
Lust/Desire
Jealousy
Greed
They also represent the 4 Vedas/4 Yugas/4 States of Existence

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By his side is the Cow-Kamadhenu who symbolises happiness peace health & joy which one can attain if they control their 4 prerna srotas

His 6 hands hold
Shankha-Conch
Chakra
Trishula
Damaru
Kamandala
BhikshaPatra

each symbolising the following

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Shankha-Shankha Naada resonates with the universal sound ॐक़ारा
Meditating on ॐ can help our senses resonate with the universe

Chakra-Denotes Kaalachakra & teaches us to remain steady through ups & downs of life by holding on to anchor of Bhakti & Shraddha towards the Guru

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Trishul-The 3 prongs denote 3 nadis/energies of :

Ida at the left giving d right to Material pursuits
Pingala at the right giving d right to Spiritual prowess &
Sushumna in the centre bringing abt the perfect state of balance between the two which is the path to Moksha

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Damaru-The Damaru which also resonates with the universal sound-ॐ
& denotes the state of awakening from the slumber of ignorance so that knowledge be acquired & deployed as a means to Moksha

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Kamandala-It carries water with which the Guru quenches the shishyas thirst for knowledge & wisdom-water also is essential for life & denotes the importance the of the Guru in all our lives

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BhikshaPatra-By begging for alms Guru Datta demonstrates the surrender of desires & ego and at the same time asks his Bhaktas to give him all their negativity so he can keep them on the path of realising the Brahma within them

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The Avatars of Shri Dattatreya :
1)Shripada Vallabh Digambara (1320AD-1350AD)- is Dattatreyas 1st Avatar
He was born on Bhadrapada Shuddha Chavathi (Ganesh Chaturthi) at Sri Kshetra Peethapuram (Andhra) After his Upanayana at the age of 7yrs he stared Teaching Vedas.....

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At the age of 17yrs he started on a Pilgrimage to Kashi Badri & Gokarna
He then stayed at SriGiri for 4 months & after visiting NivruttiSangam he finally settled down at Kurvapur(pic)
On Ashwina Vadya Dwadashi he disappeared in the Krishna River and concluded his Avatara 🙏

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2)Sri Narasimha Saraswati (1378-1458): He was born on Poushya Shuddha Dwitiya at Sri Kshetra Karanja-The child didnt utter a word except “ॐ” till his Upanayana was performed at the age of 7yrs when he suddenly started reciting the Holy Vedas 😃🙏 ....

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He then started on a Pilgrimage to Kashi and Badri & accepted Sanyasa from Sri Krishna Saraswati at Kashi
He travelled the length & breadth of the country making various Kshetras more holy with the Touch of his Feet

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After Staying at Shree Kshetra Narsobawadi (pic1) for 12 years he finally came to Sri Kshetra Ganagapur

Shri Guru as he lovingly called-stayed at Ganagapur (pic2 ) for 24 Years after which he Proceeded to Kardali Vana at SriSailam (pic3) & Concluded his Avatara

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3)Shri Manik Prabhu Maharaj of Shree Kshetra Humnabad (1817-1865)

4)Shri Swami Samarth Maharaj of Shree Kshetra Akkalkot (1st darshan in 1856 until1878)
GuruMantra : भीउ नकोस मी तुझ्या पाठी आहें = Fear Not I am always with u
& he is here amongst us even today blessing us

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5)Shri Sai Baba of Shree Kshtera Shirdi (around 1838-1918) is one of d most widely followed Avatars of Shree Dattatreya not just in India but all across d world-his miracles are being experienced by Bhaktas every min even as I am writing this thread 🙏 #OmSaiRam @SSSTShirdi

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Baba was 1st seen in Shirdi as a young boy of around 16yrs before he disappeared suddenly & re-appeared with a wedding procession in Shirdi & stayed there till his Samadhi on the Dasshera of 1918

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Babas home in Shirdi-the Dwarkamai at Shirdi was open to all & his Dhuni (Fire) is eternal-Its Udi is taken as Babas prasad by lakhs of bhaktas who have pinch of Udi daily with water & even when they have some illness anxiety pain etc 🙏

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Babas Guru Mantra : श्रद्दा और सबरी is so relevant today
If we have complete faith in our Bhagwan-our Sadhguru & if we are patient our problems are resolved
He also said "Sabka Maalik Ek" -meaning God is one & resides within us 🙏

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Sai Satcharita – The book on the life of Shri Sai Baba is also regarded as the Modern Day Bhagwad Gita & is read by many Bhaktas including me on a regular (some on a daily) basis – Link to an online version of Sai Satchirata saidhamsola.org/satcharitra.htm

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6)Sri Vasudevananda Saraswati Tembe Swami Maharaj of Maangaon (1854-1914)

7)Shri Gajanan Maharaj of Shegaon (First appeared in 1878 & performed his miracles & blessed bhaktas untli 1910)

Guru Mantra : गण गण गणात बोते = The soul is Brahma himself

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Important Datta Kshetras & their Details

• Sri Kshetra Girnar-Junagadh Gujarat-One has to climb around 10000 Steps to reach d Dattatreya Temple guruduttgirnar.org

• Sri Kshetra Peethapuram (pic3) AP-Birth Place of Shripada Vallabha Swami sreedattavaibhavam.org/pithapuram/

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• Sri Kshetra Kurwapur-near Raichur Karnataka : Shripada Vallabha Swami Concluded his Avatara here
sreedattavaibhavam.org/kuruvapur/

• Sri Kshetra Karanja-Maharashtra: It is d Birth Place of Sri Narasimha Saraswati Swami Maharaj (Sri Guru)
sreedattavaibhavam.org/karanja/