AvadhootaDatta Peetham

Jaya Guru Datta

Sri Guru Datta

Dattatreya Guru moorti ki Jai

Sri Ganpathy Sachchidananda Swamiji ki Jai

Datta Jayanti, a very important festival in our Ashram, started today. We all look forward to this festival. Even the departed souls look forward to this festival. We just witnessed the very divine Punya Smarana. It is not possible to see such programs anywhere else in the world, but in Avadhoota Dattapeetham. Pujya Swamiji Himself has performed the rituals and prayed for the souls to reach higher worlds.

Pujya Swamiji has remembered those who left their mortal coils and reached the lotus feet of the Lord. Swamiji prayed that they find peace and reach higher worlds and that the ones that are left behind find courage. This is what the Punya Smarana ritual is about. We do not see such a program anywhere else in the world. Gurus usually remember and bless, but nowhere else is it possible to see Punya Smarana where the Guru is praying and blessing that the departed souls find peace. You can call it Swamiji’s love or His grace. It is very special. We are all blessed to witness this program.

Swamiji is teaching us a great tradition through this program. Rituals to ancestors are very important. We should never forget our ancestors. We should neither forget those who left us behind nor those who are with us. We should serve the elders and shower love on the younger ones. That is why Swamiji observes this ritual every year. During Punya Smarana, Pujya Swamiji usually prays for the devotees who served Pujya Swamiji and have now departed to other worlds in the past year. This year, Swamiji has given us a new opportunity: Swamiji let devotees enter the names of their families and friends that departed in the past – regardless of how long ago – and remembered them all today during Punya Smarana. There is no doubt that those souls have attained higher worlds.

Some have passed on due to natural aging. Some pass away in accidents and unexpected situations. Even though we do rituals like Narayana Bali for their peace, we are still not at peace especially when they pass at a young age or in tragic situations. But when Pujya Swamiji does Punya Smarana, have faith that those departed souls have attained higher worlds. Faith is very important. Do not ask silly questions about whether those souls have received the offering. Who has seen them receive the offering? Vedas and Veda Purush have seen. Have no doubt. It is Swamiji himself doing this ritual.

We saw the lovingly raised birds that received the offering. The birds were black in color and represent the deity Bhairava. This bird species’ population in the world has thinned down almost completely. You may not be able to see them anywhere else in the world, but in the Ashram. Swamiji made the ritualistic offering of rice to cows, fire, water and birds. Since the birds as living beings are eating that rice, the departed soul will find peace. The remainder of the rice is consumed by the cows. No one has the courage to undertake such a program. When we go to Gaya, Prayag etc, we remember our ancestors. At other times, we do not really undertake such rituals because it’s a complex ritual to invoke the ancestor and make the offering. But Swamiji does this out of immense love for devotees at the beginning of Datta Jayanti. Those who served Swamiji are blessed; their lives are fulfilled. These blessed souls have been remembered by Pujya Swamiji today. On behalf of all of you, I offer prostrations to Swamiji.

Observe Audumbara deeksha these three days. There will be no salt, chilli or sour taste added to the food. Those whose health does not permit may add some salt to their food. It is not difficult to observe this ritual. Study the Datta Darshanam book during this time and chant the Datta Stavam.