Sree Datta Jayanti - a spiritual celebration

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Worshipping Lord Datta

3. Celebrating the birth of Lord Datta (jayanti)

4. Worship for protection from ancestral problems

5. Remedies for ancestral problems

6. Spiritual experience (anubhutis)

1. Introduction*

On the day of Datta Jayanti, the Lord Datta principle is 1000 times more active as compared to other times. On this day if one worships Lord Datta with devotion then he gets maximum benefit from the Datta principle.

2. Worshipping Lord Datta*

There are certain steps taken to worship each deity and each step has its own spiritual significance. By following these steps one receives the maximum benefit of that deity's principle. Knowledge received about what should be done while worshipping Lord Datta, is given below.

3. Celebrating the birth of Lord Datta (jayanti) *

There is no specific spiritual scientific ritual found, which guides us in Datta Jayanti celebrations. There is a tradition though of reciting the Gurucharitra (a holy scripture which describes the glory of Lord Datta), seven days before this celebration. Singing holy songs (bhajan and kirtan) and ritualistic worship (puja) are the types of devotion that are prevalent in the celebration. In Maharashtra (a state in western India), the towns of Aoudumbar, Nrusinha Vadi and Gangapur are famous for the celebration of Datta Jayanti. Datta Jayanti is also celebrated in Tamilnadu (a state in southern India).

4. Worship for protection from ancestral problems *

In the present times most people suffer from the trouble caused by their departed ancestors' souls as they do not do spiritual practice or perform shraddha-paksha (ritual for helping ancestors move forward). Only a spiritually evolved person can tell us if there is a possibility of suffering due to departed ancestors.
If one does not meet a spiritually evolved person, then one may consider the following types of problems as caused by departed ancestors: Inability to get married, if married then husband and wife not getting along well, getting along well but not able to conceive children, if conceived having an abortion, or having a premature baby, baby being mentally challenged or handicapped, or having all daughters, etc.

5. Remedies for ancestral problems *

1. If one is not facing any kind of ancestral problems, then in order to avoid problems in the future or if there are mild problems, one should regularly chant a minimum of 15 minutes (or 3 rounds of a 108 bead rosary) of  the 'Sree Gurudev Datta' chant. Along with this, an ordinary person or seeker in the initial stage of sadhana should chant his family deities name as much as possible, so that he does not face ancestral problems and progresses spiritually.

2. If ancestral problems are of medium severity then one should chant six rounds of japmala (rosary) of 'Sree Gurudev Datta' along with chanting the family deity's name. Also one should visit Lord Sree Datta's temple every Thursday, circumambulate the idol seven times and chant 1-2 rounds of japmala while sitting there. One should do this for a year. After that one should continue with 3 rounds of japmala everyday.

3. If the ancestral problems are severe then one should chant nine rounds of japmala (rosary) of the 'Sree Gurudev Datta' chant. One should visit any Jyotirlinga (shrines of Lord Shiva) and perform the rites of narayanbali, nagbali, tripindi shraddh, kalsarpashanti (ancient rituals). Along with that one should live and do spiritual practice in areas that are famous for Lord Datta's worship or serve a Saint and receive His blessings.

6. Spiritual experiences (anubhutis) *

A. A spiritual experience of the Holy feet at Nrusinhavadi (India)

Experiencing heaviness and pain in the head when I glanced at trees on the way to Nrusinhavadi but reduction in headache and seeing a yellow-reddish light after taking the darshan of the Holy feet (paduka) of Lord Datta and doing collective chanting of the 'Sree Gurudev Datta' chant in the Lord Datta temple: 29.5.2005

When I was looking at trees on the way to Nrusinhavadi, I experienced heaviness and pain in my head. The headache increased after going to the Lord Datta temple. When I closed my eyes while doing the collective chanting of the 'Sree Gurudev Datta' chant with some other seekers, I saw reddish light. After a while the light became bright red and later yellowish red. At that time I was getting energy from Lord Datta Guru in the form of light. I felt that there is a battle going on between Lord Sree Datta and the negative energies. While the battle was going on, I saw a bright red light and when the negative energies were destroyed, I saw yellowish red light. After that my headache reduced considerably. I experienced bliss and the headache disappeared when I took darshan (seeing) of the Holy feet (paduka) of Lord Datta

- Mrs Sujata Ashok Sawant, Andheri, Mumbai, India.

If there is pain and heaviness in the head for no apparent reason, these are the symptoms of distress due to negative energies. When a person having negative energy problems visits a sattvik (spiritually pure) place, then the negative energy cannot bear the purity there and hence the distress increases. The increased headache of the seeker is a symbol of this. The seeker saw bright red light when the battle was going on as red symbolises the destroyer principle of God. When the negative energies were destroyed, the seeker could see yellowish red light because when negative energies were destroyed there was increase in divine consciousness (chaitanya) in the atmosphere. The colour of divine consciousness (chaitanya) is yellow.- Editor

B. Spiritual experiences related to ancestral problems being relieved

1. When a seeker began chanting the Lord Sree Datta chant, ancestors opposed her. She explained to them that 'if you allow me to do spiritual practice, then you will get momentum' and the opposition stopped.

On 8.4.2002 at 6.30 a.m, I saw black figures, like snakes, in the room. At that time I was chanting the Lord Sree Datta chant. While I was chanting, I heard a sound saying, 'You shouldn't chant. We experience distress.' I asked them 'What do you want?' They said, 'We need liberation.' I was experiencing pressure in my throat. I said to them, 'If you let me do spiritual practice, you will get momentum. Do not trouble me.' They agreed to this and the pressure in my throat was reduced.

- Ms.Madhura Bikaji Bhosale, Ramnathi Ashram, Goa, India.

2. The obstacle in getting married was overcome within 10 days, after chanting Lord Sree Datta chant

My employer was worried as there were obstacles in getting her daughter married, despite making a lot of efforts. She was not able to chant the 'Sree Gurudev Datta' chant. One day we got the 'Sree Gurudev Datta ' chant done from her. Less than 10 days after that, her daughter got engaged.

- Mrs. Meenu Khaitan, Danbad, Zarkhand, India.

3. Seeing a snake and my deceased father in the house and ancestral problems reducing after chanting the Lord Sree Datta chant

Our house is located in an area allocated for widow rehabilitation. In this area almost every person faces some kind of problems. After my father's death, the problems in my house increased more. Myself and my children used to see a snake on the oil lamp in the altar. I used to see my late father in my dreams, tied up with a chain. We were chanting our family deities name for few months. When I told the Sanatan organisation about my father they asked us to chant 9 malas (rounds of a 108 bead rosary) of the 'Sree Gurudev Datta' chant. From the time I started doing this chant, our problems started reducing slowly and now we are all happy.

- Mrs. Sushil Sachdev, Faridabad, Haryana, India.

C. Spiritual experiences related to reduction in negative energy problems by chanting Lord Sree Datta chant

1. Lord Sree Datta chant starting automatically when the body was pressed during sleep and a vision of Lord Sree Datta's shadow releasing the pressure:

In October 2004 one night while I was asleep I experienced that my body was being pressed down by someone. I tried to move but I could not. Then the chant 'Sree Gurudev Datta' started automatically. I could not even chant aloud. Prayers and chanting was occurring from within. Later I felt that Lord Sree Datta kept His hand around me and protected me. The pressure on my body disappeared. At that moment a prayer happened to Lord Sree Datta, 'You protected me so it means you are here, if I could get a vision of You......' and I turned on the other side. Then I could see the shadow of Lord Datta Guru for a moment.

- Mrs. Sujata Ashok Sawant, Andheri, Mumbai, India.

* Based on divine knowledge received by some seekers doing saadhanaa per Gurukrupaayoga.

  To know more about this divine knowledge please visit the about us section of this website.

• The spiritual significance of Datta Jayanti

• Ancestral problems

• Why did Lord Datta acquire knowledge from twenty-four Gurus?

• What is the significance of chanting Sri Gurudev Datta?

• What are the names and functions of Lord Datta?