Inauguration of Varanasi Branch of Avadhoota Datta Peetham
Parama Pujya Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji arrived in Varanasi at 10.27 AM from Hyderabad.
Pujya Swamiji drove from airport to Kedarghat area of Varanasi where a new Ashrama building was constructed on the instructions and directions of Pujya Sri Swamiji.
Sri Datta Vijayananda Teertha Swamiji received Pujya Sri Swamiji in front of Chintamani Ganapathy Temple. There, Pujya Swamiji and Sri Bala Swamiji offered worship to the famed Chintamani Ganapathy and walked to the new Ashrama premises. At the entrance, At 11.35 AM, Pujya Sri Swamiji unveiled the inaugural stone plaque thereby inaugurating the Datta Peetham branch in Varanasi.
Sri Swamiji then entered the Ashrama prayer hall and offered Purnahuti of Pratishtha Homa.
Then, Sri Swamiji sprinkled the sacred Homa Kalasha water on the marble idols of Dattatreya & Hanuman marking the Pratishtha program.
Sri Swamiji was offered garlands by
Pujya Bala Swamiji,
Sri Shashishekhara Bharati, known as Ananda Swami who showed the property for Ashrama.
Sri Mani ji from Kanchi Matha and Veda Nidhi Sri.Rama Ghanapathi.
Sri Rajesh Agarwal
Sri.Anil Kinjavdekar, architect & builder of Ashrama.
Sri.Kamal Kapoor who oversaw the project representing Datta Peetham
Pujya Sri Swamiji spoke and blessed the audience. Sri Swamiji said – This Kashi Ashrama is a dream come true. Pilgrimage to Kashi is greatly revered in our scriptures and don’t waste your time here. Spend as much time as possible in Shiva Dhyana.
Sleeping a night in Kashi removes one life’s sin and sleeping three night’s family’s sins and sleeping nine nights, akin to Garbhavasa relieves one from the bond of life and death. Kashi is like the trident of Lord Shiva and we are protected by Lord Shiva.
Lord Dattatreya & Hanuman are installed in this Ashrama. Many devotees assisted in the construction of this Ashrama. I convey my blessings to them. Just to be in Kashi is a Blessing. To be in Kashi in the sacred Karthika Masa is extra blessing. And to be here in Kashi in Karthika Masa and witness Ati Rudra Maha Yaga is great Blessing. I have a Sankalpa to build an Ashrama in Ayodhya. Now that a Rama Temple will come in the sacred Ayodhya, we should have an Ashrama there.
Later, the workers who built Ashrama were blessed by Pujya Swamiji. They were given clothes as a gift by Sri Bala Swamiji.
Annadanam was served for all.
In the evening, Kashi based scholars met Pujya Sri Swamiji.
