Guru Charitra is one of the most revered scriptural texts of Hinduism. Containing the biographies of Lord Dattatreya, (Lord Bramha, Vishnu and Mahesh) and his subsequent incarnations Sripada Sri Vallabha and Sri Narasimha Saraswati, it clarifies several doubts on religious dogmas, rituals and doctrines through a conversation between the master and his disciple. This book, steeped in lofty Hindu philosophical ideas also portrays a picture of the social and economic condition of the medieval times in India, and the message conveyed by the numerous teachings of the Guru needs to be understood in the context of those days. Reading of this interactive account, written in simple and lucid language will give strength and encouragement to spiritual aspirants to continue with their sadhana (spiritual pursuit), enable them to overcome the various problems of modern day living and fulfil their inherent wishes.

The Two Incarnations Of Lord DattatreyaThe Dattatreya Sampradaya Has Kept Alive The Eternal Principles Of Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Divine Love And Non-Violence In Bharat For Thousands Of Years. It Extends Back In Time To The Very Beginning Of The Human Race And Over Thousands Of Years This Sampradaya Produced Other Sampradayas Like The Shaiva And Vishnu Sampradayas, To Name Only Two. As The Other Sampradyas Kept Increasing In Number, The Dattatreya Sampradya Was Largely Forgottren By The Laity In Virtually The Whole Of Northern Bharat.The Revival Of The Datta Sampradaya, In The Last Millenium Was Largely Due To Sri Sripad Sri Vallabha And Sri Narasimha Saraswati. The Guru Charitra Is The Biography Of These Two Incarnations Of Lord Dattatreya. This Text Has Been Used For The Last 300 Years To Revive Our Lost Vedic Heritage. Besides Many Lost Rituals Were Revived By Sri Narasimha Saraswati And Are Recounted In This Text.

The Shri GuruCharitra is a holy book for Datta Sampradaya devotees. The book includes the life story of Shri Narasimha Saraswati, his philosophy and related stories. Some people regard the book to be historically important as it depicts stories or events which took place around the 14th Century.The book advocates that the guru is divine, gracious, caring and will always protect his disciples. These stories give the message that one achieves godliness and eventual Guru-position by hard work under the care of guru. The curses given by the guru in the stories teach the disciples some important lessons of life and makes their life eventually great.The book does not insist on praying a particular deity. Dattatreya does not worship or preach any god. The book endorses devotional methods which are socially acceptable and within civilized limits of that time. The vratas or devotional rituals described in the book have Shaivaite (Shiva) as well as Vaishnavite (Vishnu) sects, but put no stress on any particular sect.

Sri Guru Charitra, the treatise on the honorary Datta Sampradaya, was composed by Sri Saraswati Gangadhar Sakhare in 15th Century. This work is the holy account of the divine life of Sri Vallabha and Sri Narasimha Saraswati, his philosophy and teachings. This is an invaluable asset for every devotee of Sri Guru who has time and again incarnated for the benefit of mankind. Numerous are instances in Sri Guru Charitra where the problems faced by devotees were overcome by them by Sri Guru's merciful guidance. Even today devotees experience his Blessings by reading Sri Guru Charitra repeatedly. Sri Guru Charitra can be read Daily or as a Saptaha Parayana (7 days) or in 3 days. There are Specific Chapters (Adhyayas) in Sri Guru Charitra which are believed to cure Specific Problems in Life. The devotees engaging in the recital of this holy text enjoy prosperity, peace and well-being. The residence where the parayana is performed is blessed with the Divine Presence of Sri Guru.

" ... this practical guide teaches us how to slip beyond the mental turbulence of our ordinary thought processes into an infinite reservoir of consciousness from which we can draw guidance, creative power, joy, and tranquility"--Cover back

This book presents the multi-faceted Hindu deity Dattatreya from his Puranic emergence up to modern times. Dattatreya's Brahmanical portrayal, as well as his even more archaic characterization as a Tantric antinomian figure, combines both Vaisnava Saiva motifs. Over the course of time, Dattatreya has come to embody the roles of the immortal guru, yogin and avatara in a paradigmatic manner. From the sixteenth century Dattatreya's glorious characterization emerged as the incarnation of the trimurti of Brahma, Visnu, and Siva. Although Maharastra is the heartland of Dattatreya devotion, his presence is attested to throughout India and extends beyond the boundaries of Hinduism, being met with in Sufi circles and even in Buddhism and Jainism via Nathism. The scarce attention which most Western scholars of Indian religions have paid to this deity contrasts with its ubiquitousness and social permeability. Devotion to Dattatreya cuts through all social and religious strata of Indian society: among his adepts we find yogis, Brahmans, faqirs, Devi worshippers, untouchables, thieves, and prostitutes. This book explores all primary religious dimensions: myth, doctrine, ritual, philosophy, mysticism, and iconography. The comprehensive result offers a rich fresco of Hindu religion as well as an understanding of Marathi integrative spirituality: precisely this complexity of themes constitutes Dattatreya's uniqueness.

Must read if you are devotee of Sir Swami Samarth.