Jai Shri Gurudev Datta: Guru Charitra (A Divine Narrative of Shri Gurudev Datta) Originally Narrated by Siddha Yogi to Naamdharak

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Shri Guru Charitra' is a scriptural text devotedly followed by devotees majorly from the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The two incarnations depicted i.e Shripad Shrivallabh & Nrusinha Saraswati stayed in these states. It is in a conversational form between the Guru & his disciple and depicts the life of 'Lord Dattatreya' an incarnation of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh.The scripture was later translated into Sanskrit by Shri Vasudevananda Saraswati (Tembe Swami), who is regarded by many as an incarnation of Lord Dattatreya.

I am an engineer by profession, associated with the automobile industry and now residing in Pune. It is with great pleasure that I offer this translated English version of original Shri Guru Charitra to the reader's at large.

I myself had difficulty in reading the Gurucharitra & had this thought of translating it into English: Swami Samarth Maharaj presented me this opportunity and drove me to carry out the task during the lockdown of Covid19 Pandemic.

After 6 months of pure pleasure the book was completed. Indeed, today, in the true sense, apart from the Marathi speaking, the door is now open for people of other languages to read the "Shri Guru Charitra".

This volume is regarded as Divine; capable of blessing one and all who read it with respect and is held in high esteem and adored by almost all devotees' of Maharashtra. It is much respected and very popular Sanskrit scripture just like the Vedas, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagwat Gita and other Puranas as well as and Dnyaneshwari, Dasbodh in Marathi. In the last century, it has spread its influence far and wide and the devotees who read it regularly with respect have been blessed with miraculous experiences.

Due to the time constraint when performing the Parayana, there is no opportunity to interpret the scripture. Incarnation's of Lord Dattatreya like Shripada Shrivallabha, Shri Nrusinha Saraswati, and Shri Swami Samarth bestowed grace on the devotees and left behind a lot of this power of grace behind them. This has been called as a miracle. But it is left behind purposely for the growth of faith and devotion. So when the desires are fulfilled, one should continue service towards the Guru and attain enlightenment. That is why one should search for the devotional rules behind the miracles performed by the Guru and understand the feelings behind the same.

This popular scripture had 52 chapters and 7491 lines. Some texts have 53 chapters and are divided into three parts i.e. 'knowledge', 'Ritual' and 'Devotion'. Through various stories, the combination of these three has been achieved. It explains how the guidance of the Guru is essential for all these three worships.

Since the basic guidance of how to behave in order to reach God is given through the Guru Charitra, this divine scripture has a place in the heart of the devotee like a fifth Veda. As Param PujyaTembe Swami Maharaj used to say always, "Even if you are unable to do any form of worship it is OK, but at least recite five verses of Guru Charitra regularly."

'Shri Guru Charitra' is a scriptural text devotedly followed by devotees majorly from the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The two incarnations depicted, stayed in these states. It is in a conversational form between the Guru & his disciple and depicts the life of 'Lord Dattatreya' an incarnation of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. It was originally written in a poetic Marathi metre form (ovi) by the author Shri Saraswati Gangadhar. His ancestor Sayandev had personally lived and served Guru Nrusinha Saraswati with devotion. Nrusinha Saraswati was an incarnation of Lord Dattatreya about 600 years ago. The scripture was later translated into Sanskrit by Shri Vasudevananda Saraswati (Tembe Swami), who is regarded by many as an incarnation of Lord Dattatreya and who lived about a hundred years ago. It has been later translated into several other languages.

I had attended a spiritual discourse at Goregaon Mumbai along with a common friend and by the end of it was drawn by the simplicity by which the Sadguru explained how spirituality and Naamsmaran could be an inclusion in our daily life. Very soon I also had an opportunity to take blessings of Lord Dattatreya atop the peak of Mount Gimar on two occasions consecutively. These memorable experiences changed my outlook towards life and I was drawn towards god and spirituality. I was now a staunch devotee of Lord Dattatreya and Shri Swami Samarth Maharaj. I wanted to carry out the Guru Charitra Parayan, but the book's colloquial Marathi language was difficult to understand. I searched the internet for ant English version and getting hold of one I tried to correlate all the chapters to assimilate the gist of the stories and in the process realized the gap in the two. I however completed my parayan. But since that day I have had this thought of putting together an English translation of the Marathi Guru Charitra as near to the original as possible.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages