| Temples & Legends Of
Maharastra |
|
 |
| Temples & Legends Of
India |
|
|
|
GANAGAPUR -DATTATREYA |
|
|
| New sects and
philosophical systems that arose later on, especially during the ninth -and thirteenth
centuries, have attempted to bring in Dattatreya and his greatprestige in their fold. The
shaktas Were probably first to do so, as the Markandeya purana, would show. It depicts
Dattatreya engaged freely in the enjoyment of wine and meat and practising the five
ma’kar rites of the shaktas. He chose according to the Purana, Mabur, the famous
shakta centre as his abode. Next came the Nath sampra- dayins who claim Dattatreya as
their guru. The Mahanubhavas also lay a similarclaim. Amazingly enough, the
philosophies of the three sects are by no means similar to each other.They are often
contradictory . Nor are they in keeping with the original concept of Dattatreya as found
in the Bhagawat or the Mahabharat. These two works speak of Dattatreya aspractising
and preaching thesanyas-marga and true knowledge. Most of the conserva- tive thinkers
continued to venerate Datta in his original role as Guru. In comparatively recent years it
has become a custom in this region toconsider the various religious preachers and philo-
sophers or Gurus to be the incarnations of Dattatreya. |
[ Back ] [ Up ] [ Next ] |
|
|
|
