About Datta Mandir Shrine

Sri Swamiji made a sudden and unscheduled visit to Nepal on Monday, 23^rd April 2001. After the completion of the recently concluded lecture series on Lord Shiva in March, Sri Swamiji had been telling that he intends to visit Bhairava shrine in the famed Pashupati Nath temple in Katmandu, Nepal.

On 24, Sri Swamiji visited the Pashupati Natha shrine and offered Pujas and prayers there. The four-doored Shiva temple offers the four faces of the Shiva Lingam. Sri Swamiji offered Pujas at the Tatpurusha side of the Shiva Lingam, which faces east. Sri Swamiji offered Panchamrita Abhishekam,Dhupa and then Arati.

Later Sri Swamiji went to the Unmatta Bhairava Shrine. The metal idol, which is about seven feet tall, has a ferocious look and is naked. Sri Swamiji went around the idol and then proceeded to visit the other shrines in the complex. Viz. Jaya Mangala, Mahalakshmi. Thereafter Sri Swamiji proceeded to the 512 Shiva Linga place where Nepalis gather once a year and go around the place in honour of their departed beloved. Sri Swamiji was appalled at the condition of Bagmati River and expressed dismay that there appeared no effort to cleanse the river and its environs.  There is a place in the Pashu Patinatha temple complex where it is said to be the central spot of Jambu Dvipa (the land mass called JAMBU). Sri Swamiji saw that place also.

In the evening Sri Swamiji visited Bhaktapur. In the central locale of this quaint medieval looking town is Dattatreya Square.  Bhaktapur is a charming old town with clay brick laid roads and houses dating back to centuries. It has continued to reflect the aura of its historic times.

The Dattatreya Temple is believed to have been constructed out of a single piece of wood from a single tree during the reign of King Yaksha Malla in 1428. The temple has three tiers and is designed in Pagoda style. There are two huge stone statues of Jaya Malla and Patta, two popular wrestlers of those times. Standing in front of the temple is a stone pillar topping with Garuda in kneeling position. The temple is wholly made up of exquisitely carved wood. The dark brown colour of the wood has a strange whispering attitude and attunes one to those times of its glory of its construction. The very special feature of this temple is we do not see the statue of Dattatreya as we know with one body and three heads. Instead in the main sanctum sanctorum, we can see three idols of Brahma (left), Vishnu (centre) and Shiva (Linga form, right). There is a huge tree behind the idols. The temple priest respectfully received Sri Swamiji and Sri Swamiji stood with his eyes closed and we chanted the 108 names of Dattatreya and the Datta Stavam. The priest said that on the third tier of the Pagoda is a statue of Anasuya Mata and the whole concept depicts the story of Anasuya Mata turning the trinity of Brahma Vishnu and Shiva in to children when they, at the behest of their wives, went to test her power of Anasuya Mata's chastity. Sri Swamiji wandered around the Dattatreya Square and was moved by the humming of some Tibetan prayers close by. Sri Swamiji went to that place and listened to it for a while and praised the powers of Tibetan Mantras.