Lord Dattatreya is believed to be the confluence of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. He has three heads and six arms and all the symbolic items associated with these three gods. But his attire was that of a simple monk. People of the states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka and Telanganaworship him. NarasimhaSaraswati was considered to be the second incarnation of Lord Dattatreya.
Profile
ShriNarasimhaSaraswati lived between the years 1378 and 1459. He was born in Karanja, Maharashtra, to Madhav and AmbaBhavani who were devout couples. They named the child Narahari but this boy did not speak till the age of five which worried the parents. Yet after the Upanayana (sacred thread ceremony) he burst forth chanting the Vedas. All around him were shocked and the elders realised that he was a divine child. Around the age of eight he decided to go on a pilgrimage to Kashi and his mother was shattered. He gave his mother the divine vision where in the previous birth she was about to commit suicide and ShripadSrivallabah, the first avatar of Lord Dattatreya, saved her. He asked to do Shiva pooja and that he would be born to her as her son in her next birth. With this divine vision AmbaBhavani was a little relieved and allowed her son to go. On his way to Kashi he met ShriKishnaSaraswati and took his initiation into sanyasa and was named NarasimhaSaraswati. NarasimhaSaraswati then went around the country visiting holy places and spreading the meaning of Vedas. This brought many people to him and he had seven disciples. After about twenty years he came back to his hometown in Karanja. He then set out again but did not go around the country. He chose Amarapur and stayed there for twelve years. He then felt the purpose of his life on earth was over and went away to Kadali forest in Srisailam. He asked his disciples to create a float and he sailed away in the river. He told his disciples that his safe arrival would be known by the arrival of flowers floating against the current. It is believed that he went into Samadhi and remained in that state for another three hundred years, in Srisailam.
Philosophy Propounded
NarasimhaSaraswati spoke about the Vedas and Upanishads. He said god had to be realised through devotion. Another teaching was not to hurt anyone in thought, word or deed. In short he advocated the paths of karma, bhakthi and gnana for realising god.
Work Done to Spread the Philosophy
NarasimhaSaraswati’s life itself was his work. He spoke to the people and gave guidance. He had helped people with his miracles. Muslims and Hindus used to gather around him to listen to his pearls of wisdom. His life has been recorded in ShriGuruCharitra written by SaraswathiGangadhar who might have learnt about NarasimhaSaraswati from his disciples.
