Dattatreya: Special Places of Presence
“I am Datta. I am the sole phenomenon that pervades millions of universes.”
- Srīpāda
Book: Sri Dattatreya
Overview Dattatreya section
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Salagrama is a sacred, natural stone, in circular or spherical shapes, formed out of shells (found in riverbeds). The tree of audambara, the cow, the dog, and the saint, give the perceptible presence of Lord Dattatreya.
Thursdays, the month of Sagittarius, the eleventh moon phase, the full moon, the new moon, are the special times to experience Srī Guru Datta. His birth is celebrated at the full moon of Sagittarius.
In sandalwood and in the sacred ash, vibhudi, His presence is experienced and is therefore recommended to be used on the body.
In the pilgrim centres, banks of the sacred rivers, mountain ranges, and in places of silence the presence can be felt easily.
The Audumbara Tree
The audumbara tree is a very sacred Indian fig tree (ficus racemosa); it is considered to carry the energy of Jupiter, the guru vibration, causing extension of consciousness. Srī Datta very much likes the audumbara tree and promised that He would reside at the base of each audumbara tree in a subtle form. Worship of Audumbara tree is an important duty of Datta devotees. If an audumbara tree is in the house, it is as though Srī Dattatreya is verily in the house.
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Sources:
- K. Parvathi Kumar: Srī Dattatreya / notes from seminars. The World Teacher Trust - Dhanishta, Visakhapatnam, India (www.worldteachertrust.org)
- Shankar Bhatt: Srīpāda Srīvallabha Charitāmrutam