AvadhootaDatta Peetham

~ Viswaroopa Datta Kshetra at Ganagapuram ~
Its uniqueness as described by Sri Swamiji during the consecration ceremonies

Jaya Guru Datta

Datta is unique. He is Guru to all. He shows no distinctions of caste, creed, race, color or gender. He is accepted by all religions. He accepts and transcends all religions. The ancient scriptures mention him, including the most ancient Vedas. The agama shastras acknowledge him.  Many saints and composers have sung about him including Annamacharya, Purandaradasa, Kanakadasa, and Thyagaraja.

Datta gives spiritual knowledge that leads to liberation. He also gives wealth and health. He is of the form of the Trinity as Creator, Preserver, and Destroyer, the three aspects that are common to everything that exists, living or non-living. In the Hindu tradition these three aspects of divinity are referred to as Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.

The new temple consecrated at Ganagapuram for Viswaroopa Datta, Dattatreya of Universal Form is unique in many ways.  His Holiness Sri Sri Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji of Avadhoota Datta Peetham, Mysore got the divine inspiration while he was visiting Greece that he should build a temple in the Greek architectural style, referred to in the ancient Indian Agama Shastras as Gajaayam. It has carvings of elephants. It is circular in shape. It is completely built of stone. It is over 200 feet in circumference.  This temple has come into being by divine will, not by human design.

Most Indian temples have a tower atop the sanctum sanctorum. This Viswaroopa Datta temple has instead, a towering 18 foot tall enchantingly beautiful monolith sculpture of Lord Dattatreya that greets all pilgrims as they approach the sacred town of Ganagapura, also known as Gandharva Pura, the City of Celestials.

This temple does not have the traditional Mukha mantapa as most other temples in India do. Instead it has a circular walkway that goes around the sanctum sanctorum. The walls inside the walkway are adorned with lighted paintings depicting the divine life history of Sri Narasimha Saraswati, the previous incarnation of Lord Dattatreya (the present incarnation is Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji of Mysore) who lived for many years in Ganagapuram and spread the message and glory of Datta. The paintings are accompanied by verses in Sanskrit composed by Sri Vamshi Krishna Ghanapathi that vividly describe each episode.

Underneath the paintings, on the rust colored rock are inscribed the verses of the entire Guru Gita, the scripture that extols the glory of the Spiritual Guru, who is God Himself. The powerful Datta Kavacham is also inscribed in rock.

The main idol in the sanctum sanctorum is carved out of emerald stone, a  green healing rock. It also depicts, as the towering monolith does,  Lord Dattatreya, the Adi Guru, the first and foremost immortal divine Guru of all including the Celestials, Demons, and Mortals in the traditional aspect with three heads and six arms depicting his comprehensive all inclusive attributes.

In front of the Markata Dattatreya are placed Manikya Padukas of Datta, sculpted in Ruby stone. These will receive daily abhishekam with fragrant waters of the holy river Ganga.

The old temple built in Ganagapuram several centuries ago in honor of Sri Narasimha Saraswati have the Nirguna Padukas of the 15th century incarnation of Lord Datta in the sanctum sanctorum as the object of worship. They represent Datta’s transcendental formless nature. The ritual worship that is offered here consists of anointing daily with sacred sandal paste.

For the benefit of the common man of today who needs the aid of form in addition to name to develop and maintain focus and devotion towards the indescribable, omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient Godhead, Sri Swamiji has built this Viswaroopa Datta Kshetra as per the instructions he received from Sri Narasimha Saraswati during his super sensory level conversation with him in Greece.

Now with Datta represented here in this most holy town that is situated at the confluence of the two divine rivers, Bheema and Amaraja, in both of his  Formless as well as the Universal Form aspects, Sri Swamiji believes that the Guru principle of Lord Dattatreya is truly represented and will draw devotees in large numbers from far and near.

The temple has several separate shrines where the Guru Parampara, the lineage of gurus is honored, along with the parents of Lord Datta, Sage Atri and his devout and chaste wife Anasuya.

For the first time, from the inspiration received by the powerful vibrations that permeated this holy center on the most auspicious day of the consecration amidst thousands of ardent devotees who had gathered here from not only all over India but all over the world, the Minister of Karnataka State Sri Ramadas made a pledge to bring Sri Swamiji’s Music Therapy to Ganagapura with Government initiative.

In the Ganagapura panchayat it is proposed that a hospital will be built where Music Therapy treatment will be given to the ailing, using Sri Swamiji’s Healing Music.
Veda, Nada, and Yoga are revered and practiced here. The religious ceremonies are conducted in strict adherence to the rules stipulated in the scriptures. Music reverberated in the premises taking the mammoth gathering on the divine boat called Sadguru across the ocean of Samsara, worldiness, to the other shore of infinite bliss, peace, and oneness with God. Food was a plenty in this remote village with difficult road access to the thousands who converged here drawn by the magnetic pull of the Sadguru. Kriya Yoga was taught and practiced with diligence in the presence of the Datta Sadguru, Sri Swamiji. 

This morning, just now, Viswaroopa Dattatreya was worshipped by Sri Swamiji and Sri Bala Swamiji as the first golden red rays of the rising sun decorated the sacred feet of the Lord standing majestically over the temple fully adorned with garlands accompanied by Kamadhenu, the wish-fulfilling divine cow.
Jaya Guru Datta Sri Guru Datta

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