Dattatreya Dham Azamgarh
The message of Maharishi Dattatreya of Satyayuga is relevant even in Kaliyuga. Sage Dattatreya, considered to be the incarnation of Vishnu, was also a storehouse of Aghor knowledge along with Sanatan. Perhaps this is the reason why even today he is called Adi Guru after Lord Shankar.The special thing is that in Satyayuga, when there was no shortage of trees and water sources, he taught water and environment conservation and charity along with religious activities.
Maharishi Dattatreya, son of Atri Muni, once performed severe penance at the confluence of Kunwar and Tamsa rivers located near Nizamabad town. From the point of view of Tantra, Mantra, Aghor Saint traditions and other genres, he is considered to be the Adi Guru after Lord Shiva. By worshiping them, a hundred sins are destroyed and a person is provided with both enjoyment and salvation. Even today there is a grand temple at the shrine of Dattatreya. Shiva Linga created from sound waves is installed here. The importance of donating food, planting trees, donating clothes, building temples, ponds, wells etc. explained by Muni Dattatreya thousands of years ago is very important and relevant even today.
Due to neglect of this Dham, the expected development could not take place till date. A grand fair is organized here on the day of Kartik Purnima. According to mythology, Maharishi Durvasa, son of Sati Anusuiya and Atri Muni, left Chitrakoot at the age of 12 and reached the confluence of Tamsa-Manjusa near Banhar May Chak Gajdi, the present village of Phulpur tehsil area. His younger brothers Dattatreya and Chandrama also came with him. Durvasa made the confluence of Tamasa-Manjusa his place of penance. He remained at that place till Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga and Dwapar Yuga. In the initial period of Kaliyuga, meditation took place at the place of penance itself.
Maharishi Dattatreya performed penance at the confluence of Tamsa-Kunvar rivers near Nizamabad town, about 10 km ahead of Duvarsa Dham. Later that place was named Dattatreya Dham. Hundred sins are destroyed by worshiping Dattatreya. They provide both enjoyment and salvation. In ancient times, he contributed to the sages, sages and teachers by giving them knowledge and teachings. Maharishi Dattatreya imparted Shri Vidya Mantra to Lord Parashurama. Not only this, he also imparted many knowledge to Lord Shiva’s son Kartikeya. Gave knowledge of Aghor path to Sanskriti Muni. Dattatreya was pleased with the devotion of Kartavir Arjun and transformed him into Sahastrarjuna with thousands of hands endowed with the power of sound. This Tripuri king Sahastrarjun had defeated the great Ravana.
He gave the knowledge of alchemy to Nagarjuna, while Yoga was taught to Guru Gorakhnath by him. According to Narad Purana, sage Dattatreya had told the Kalchuri emperor the glory of plantation, donation of food, donation of clothes, construction of temple, pond, well etc. According to stories, Rishi Dattatreya lived at this place for thousands of years. After this, Juna went to Garh Girinar mountain in Rajasthan where his Paduka is still there. He died in Gangapur in Maharashtra. The works of sage Dattatreya are described in detail in Avadhuta Geeta, Avadhuta Upanishad, Markandeya Purana, Bhagwat Purana, Dattatreya Tantra, Brahmaddhavaivarta Purana. The importance given by Dattatreya to plantation, donation, construction of ponds and wells has become even more relevant today.
The echo is still heard today
If anyone chants any mantra in the ancient temple of Shiva located at Muni Dattatreya Ashram, the chanted mantra is heard far in the opposite directions. If the chanting of the mantra is stopped continuously for some time, then the sound waves of the mantra automatically keep resonating for a long time.A special thing about this Shivling is that it is situated in the middle of the penance place of Durvasa and Chandra Rishi. Due to this specialty, this Shivalinga is a center of faith not only for the people of the district but also for the devotees coming from different parts of the country.
Even today Ram, Lakshman and Janaki are in the police station.
Two pairs of Ashtadhatu idols of Ram, Lakshman and Janaki, stolen from Muni Dattatreya Ashram a decade ago, are still lying in the police station. When this idol was stolen, the people who stole it faced so much trouble that they either threw the idol away or got caught by the police.As people tell that a person named Bal Mukund Saav (Jaiswal), resident of Chandabhari, had donated his 85 acres of land and cantonment to Dattatreya Dham. It was he who installed the idol of Ram, Lakshman and Sita made of Ashtadhadhatu in the Dham. The weight of each statue is 12-12 kg. At present, people of the Sav family live in different parts of the country but they are still associated with the temple. Similarly, a woman from the Brahmadhan family of Gauspur Damdiyavan village, who was known as Dulhin, had also installed the idol of Ram, Lakshman and Sita made of Ashtadhadhatu weighing 15 kg each at the Dham. All three statues installed by Bal Mukund Saav were stolen in the year 1996 but the thieves could not digest the statues.
Disaster after disaster started coming to their house. Experts say that even deaths started happening in the houses of thieves. Then what was the trouble, the thieves threw the idol of Ram and Sita in the forest of Sodhari while the idol of Lakshman ji was dropped in a temple of Durvasa Gham. This discussion spread like wildfire and the police took possession of the idol. After this the second theft took place in 1998. This time the thieves stole all three idols installed by the bride. The then police station incharge JK Singh recovered these statues from Ballia.
After recovery, cut marks were found on the statue of Laxman. From this it was inferred that the thieves had also got the statue examined.
It can be called the glory of Dattatreya that all the stolen idols were recovered within thirty days, but if it is not an irony then what else can we say that even after 11 years, all these idols are lying in the police station and the warehouse.
However, the police cannot be held too responsible in this matter because the matter is related to Aastha and property worth crores of rupees. From security point of view, the police administration and the people living at the temple do not want to take any kind of risk.
When Hanuman came, Aughad became calm.
Many efforts were made to remove the Samadhi site of Aughad Baba situated at Dattatreya Dham but every time people faced failure. Aughad Baba moved away voluntarily when Hanuman ji himself sat on the Peepal tree located nearby. It is a different matter that as soon as Baba’s Samadhi site was removed, the ancient Peepal tree also ceased to exist.Aughad Baba Ramdas ji’s Samadhi was next to the temple at Dattatreya Dham. There was only a space of one feet between the Samadhi and the temple due to which the path was blocked. People made up their mind to convince Aughad Baba and shift his Samadhi. An effort was made but Aughad Baba became so angry that the entire temple area was filled with bones and garbage.
Such attempts were made many times but every time a similar incident happened.
The saint tells that Aughad Baba had said that he was the first devotee of sage Dattatreya, hence he would stay with him only. Not only this, no one could ever get a roof installed on his mausoleum even if he wanted to. Because Aughad Baba did not like it.
On January 11, 2000, when Mahant Sri Sri 1008 Sarju Das Ji Maharaj of Raghav Ji Ram Ghat Ayodhya took charge of Dattatreya Dham, he also made a plan to take the Samadhi somewhere else. He celebrated Aughad Baba through worship.
At first Baba did not agree but Hanuman ji was invited to the Peepal tree situated on the banks of the Sangam and when Hanuman ji sat on the Peepal tree, Baba got ready to move his Samadhi a few feet.Today this mausoleum is situated next to the well. Eyewitnesses say that 8-9 years ago, when Hanuman ji was sitting on the Peepal tree, yellow light and saffron flag were visible on the tree. Just a few days after Baba’s Samadhi was removed, the Peepal tree automatically merged into the pond situated at the Sangam. For some time its leaves were visible above the water but now even that is no longer visible.
