Datta Jayanthi on 12th Dec 08, Friday at Smt & Sri Nirmala Seshathalpa Sai Potharaj’s Residence.
Dear Sai Devotees pranamam, With the blessings of Sri Samardha Sadguru Sainath Maharaj and Guru Vanamma let us all get together and celebrate Datta Jayanthi at Smt & Sri Nirmala Seshathalpa Sai Potharaj's residence. Pooja starts at 9 AM on Friday 12th Dec 2008. Datta Jayanthi Pooja will be performed under the guidance of a priest. As it is a week day, devotees who can not attend the pooja can come and take the blessing of Sri Guru Datta later in the evening.
Sri Seshathalpa Sai Potharaj’s Residential Address: 32056 37th PL S Auburn, WA 98001
Contact # 253-203-5414., 253-838-3808
Datta Jayanti is a Hindu festival celebrated to commemorate the birth of Lord Datta, which is the day Datta Principle became active on earth. This festival is celebrated on the full moon day in the Hindu month of Margashirsha.
In ancient times there was a very austere rishi called Atri. He was believed to be the son of Brahmadev, since he was born from the splendour of Brahmadev's eyes. His wife's name was Anasuya, who was a model of conjugal fidelity, Pativrata Dharma – unparalleled devotion to her husband.
Goddesses Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati wanted to test Anusuya’s Pativrata Dharma, so they sent their husbands Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh to test her. Trimurthi then transformed into three Sanyasis and came as guests to Anusuya. Anasuya at once welcomed the guests. She got food ready for them and requested them to accept the meal. They then said that they would eat only on one condition. The strange condition was that Anasuya should serve them the food without any clothes on.
Anasuya was dumbfounded. She was in a great dilemma, then by the power of her Pativrata Dharma the pious lady took some water and sprinkled it on the three Sanyasis in order to clean their feet before giving food. Immediately, the three Sanyasis were transformed into three babies. The babies began to cry. She kept them in a cradle and with great love she began to rock them. Anasuya suddenly felt like she is a mother and fed the three babies with her milk. Thus she gave alms to the Trimurtis in the way they wanted it. Soon Atri Maharshi returned and realized that the three babies were Trimurtis who had come to fulfill the wish of Anasuya. The sage embraced the three children and they suddenly took the single form of Dattatreya.
Sri Guru Datta is the son of Anasuya & Atri and therefore his name became Dattatreya. Dattatreya learned the Vedas and then began to teach them. Anasuya wanted him to get married. But Dattatreya was pleased with his celibate state. So after instructing her on Brahmavidya (doctrine of Brahma) he obtained her permission and left home to serve the entire world. Dattatreya remained an Avadutha – a sage who remains pure by nature. He was the supreme yogi. Dattatreya narrated the secrets of Vedanta to Lord Subrahmanya and this teaching later came to be known as Avadhuta Gita.
While Shri Dattatreya was the primal manifestation in "Datta Sampradaya" and Guru tradition, His incarnations are:
1. Shripad SriVallabh
Dattatrya Avatar --- Trimurthi Svarupa
Object in the hand-----Who it represents
1. Lord Brahma--------- Kamandalu( He always carries a bowl so as to teach us the lesson that we will have to share our wealth and food with others) and Japamala(Signifies chanting the sacred name of the Lord) 2. Lord Vishnu-------Shankh (conch- represents the eternal sound ‘OM’) and Chakra ( the wheel -Signifies indicates that He is beyond the cycles of time i.e. the past, present and future and His holding of 'chakra' means He is the controller of time). 3. Lord Shiva--------Trishul( He has transcended the three gunas, which constitute the illusory world: Sattva-illumination, Rajas-activity and Tamas-inertia) and Damaru 4. The Cow, which is always with Him, represents the Mother Earth and Dharma. She is the wish fulfilling cow 'Kamadhenu'.
5. The four dogs symbolise the four Vedas – the external repositories of Spiritual Wisdom.
Jai Guru Datta !
Sai Ram
Asha Tayi.
