Datta Kshetra Kadalivana Temple
Datta Kshetra Kadalivana Temple
Today is Guru Pratipada
Guru Pratipada is the day of incarnation completion of Sri Narasimha Saraswati i.e the day when Dattavatari Sri Narasimha Saraswati Swami Maharaj left the physical body and merged with the Supreme Soul.
Kadalivana or Kardaliwan is another kshetra of Sri Datta Guru. This place is located in the interior of dense forest called Nallamala at the foot of Srishaila hill on the bank of Pathala Ganga in Kurnool District Andhra Pradesh.
Kadali Vanam is a great Tapo stanam in Srishaila kshetram. Its importance was described in Skanda Puranam, Shiva Bhakta vijayam and many more Shaiva texts. Sree Narasimha Saraswati Swamy, the second incarnation of Guru Dattatreya swamy, ends his avatara here.
Srishaila is a one of the famous Dwadasha Jyothirlinga Kshetra and One of the Ashtadasha Shakti peetha. It is also one of the powerful Datta kshetra. Dattaguru performed the penance in Srishaila. The second incarnation of Lord Dattatreya, shree Guru Narasimha Saraswathi swamy Maharaj showed his Roopa in the place of Shivalinga to his disciple TANTHUKA. Thanthuka then prayed Shreeguru and said that, there is no difference to Lord Shiva and Shreeguru. He is one and the same.
Shri Guru’s Journey unto Bliss
Shri Guru Narasimha Saraswathi swamy (second incarnation of Lord Dattatreya) closed his avathara in the Krishna river of Srishaila kshetra. He called all the disciples and said; “Now I wish to live secretly. Therefore I intend to go to Shri Shaila. But still I shall be staying at Ganagapur. Shri Guru went to Paathal Ganga, flowing at the base of Shri Shaila, He asked his disciples to prepare a flower-seat and said, “I have to go to Mallikarjuna on Shri Shaila on the other side of the river.” The disciples prepared a nice seat of flowers of Sevanti, lotus, malati, kanher etc. on the leaf of Kardali and placed it on the riverside.
Shri Guru said, “Now you should return to your respective places”. All were greatly aggrieved. Shri Guru sat on the flower seat on Magh Vad 1st (Pratipada) on Friday when Guru (Jupiter) was in Kanya (vergs) Rasa at evening time and before going away said, ” I am going to the place of self-bliss. I shall send flowers as prasad, which you should distribute amongst yourselves and worship them, daily. I like singing. I shall be near those, who sing prayers. They will get all the pleasures”.
Saying this Shri Guru disappeared in the river. After some time some boatmen came from the other side of the river. They told, “We saw Shri Guru on the other side. He was looking like a sanyasi and was holding a dand (stick) in his hand. He had golden sandals. He told his name as ‘Narasimha Saraswati. He has given a message for you, ‘I am going to the Kardali-Van for anthardhana.
