The Making of Shree Sadguru Punyakshetram
According to the Sankalpa of Sadguru Shree Aniruddha, the sacred work of establishing Shree Sadguru Punyakshetram commenced on the auspicious occasion of Margashirsha Pournima, that is, Shree Datta Jayanti in the year 2017. On 29th November 2017, the revered portraits of Shree Datta-panchaayatan, namely
- Shree Dattatreya
- Shreepad Shreevallabh
- Shree Nrusinh Saraswati
- Shree Akkalkot Swami and
- Shree Sainath,
were ceremoniously brought from Mumbai to Amalner, along with the Shree Dattatreya Udi Kumbh. The Shree Dattatreya Udi Kumbh preserves the sacred Udi from the Yadnyas and Havans performed as per Sadguru Bapu’s Sankalpa. This Utsav is now celebrated here annually. Besides, during the Vardhaman Vratadhiraj period, Datta Yaags are also performed here. These Yadnyas are now conducted not only during Vardhaman Vratadhiraj, but also on other days throughout the year, as per the bookings made by Pujaks.
Sadguru Shree Aniruddha Bapu’s great-grandfather, Shree Vidyamakarand Gopinathshastri Padhye, performed his austerities in this very place for three consecutive years (from Ramnavami 1906 to Ramnavami 1909. During this period, he received the ‘Shree Vardhaman Vratadhiraj’ in a vision. In the Anandasadhana, the third volume of the Shreemadpurushartha Grantharaj, we read in detail about Shree Vardhaman Vratadhiraj. Many Shraddhavans visit this Shree Punyakshetram at least once during the period of Shree Vardhaman Vratadhiraj and recite the Vratapushpa here.
Role of Shree Sadguru Punyakshetram in Strengthening Gurubhakti
In the 31st chapter of the Matruvatsalyavindaanam, Sadguru Aniruddha Bapu describes the eighth Avatar of Adimata Mahishaasuramardini, the ‘Dattamangalchandika’ —
“The Dattamangalchandika had eighteen arms, but none of them held a weapon. The nine arms on Her right bore nine kinds of blessings, and the nine on Her left bore nine curses. Her nine hands that bore blessings grant fearlessness to Shraddhavans and boons to Shreeguru Bhaktas, whereas the nine hands that bore curses meant to instil fear in the faithless and bring failure upon those who betrayed and breached the Shreeguru Bhakti. The two eyes of Dattamangalchandika overtly and actively convey, at one and the same time, stern valiance on the one hand and tender affection on the other.”
Shraddhavans thus visit this sacred Punyakshetram with the heartfelt belief that their Shreeguru Bhakti will be strengthened; they will be blessed with the grace of Shreeguru Dattatreya and Adimata Dattamangalachandika, and they will receive the profound spiritual benefits bestowed by Shree Sadguru Punyakshetram – a sacred place established through Sadguru Aniruddha Bapu’s sankalp and will.
