UNIQUINESS OF SHRI CHIDAMBARASHRAMA, GUBBIBy Prof. S.K.Ramachandra RaoShri. Chidambarashrama at Gubbi (on the Bangalore – Honnavar Highway, 85 kms, from Bangalore, in Tumkur District, Karnataka) is an institution that is unique, combining as it does spirituality with social service. It has always been modest in its aspirations and in its organizational dimensions and it continues to be so even after sixty years of its existence. It started with a cow-pen (Goshala), a school to impart traditional learning (Veda-Vidya-Mandir), a school for children (at the middle and high school levels), a small shrine to Dattanjaneya, a prayer hall for peace (Santi-mandira) and a guest house. Even now, these are the only details of the Ashrama.The founder of this Ashrama was the celebrated sage, Swami Shri Chidambara (1889-1966), much venerated figure, reputed author of many books in Kannada and a popular speaker on spiritual subjects. His fame rests on his exposition of Bhagavadgita. In fact, the publication of the first of his books coincided with the establishment of the Ashram. The Gita ideal of self-realization, god realization and selfless action (Nishkama-karma) was translated into the Ashram, which also emphasized the idea of social service, working for the welfare of the people around (Loka-Sangraha), uplift of the down-trodden and the unfortunate. His took on Gita unfolds the action of the Ashram; and the Ashram enshrines his outlook on Gita.Alongside the Ashram at Gubbi, Shri Chidambara-swamiji established on institution for the women in distress at Chandrabhavi, about five miles from the celebrated Midigeshi-hill in Tumkur. In both institutions that the founded, pursuit of spiritual perfection goes hand in hand with selfless service to the needy and the troubled and education is necessarily involved in the projects. In his long life of 76 years, he became a household name in Karnataka, helped countless seekers, traveled incessantly and wrote many books in Kannada which were widely read. He made Gita popular especially among the rural folk. In fact, his attention as well as energy were focused on the illiterate and rural masses.He belonged to the Datta tradition which is wide spread in the country and persisting through the ages. The tradition has taken many forms, and the form to which Shri Chidambara-swami was affiliated was crystallized in Agadi Anandavana, by the celebrated saint Seshachala-sadhu whose disciple Narayana-bhagawan was the mentor of Shri Chidambara Swami. Besides them the Ashram honours also two other saints, Shri Padasrivallabha and Narasimha Saraswati, who were responsible for spreading the Dutta cult for and wide, especially in Maharastra. This service was rendered by Shri Chidamabara-swami in Karnataka.The tradition traces its origin to Dattatreyha (Datta who was the offspring of the sage Atri and his wife Anasuya) adored as an incarnation of the trinity Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver and Siva the destroyer. He is also a sage, a Siddha and an avadhuta (a perfected saint who was liberated but given to unconventional and erratic ways of living). He is teacher par excellence, a mentor a spiritual guide to seekers and a benevolent master. He was the first guru, and brought into existence a long time of gurus. The tradition holds the Guru in the highest regard, he is veritably the God himself, and devotion to the Guru is the necessary precondition for spiritual progress.Deep devotion to the primary Guru viz. Dattareya, distinguishes all the activities in the Ashram. Shri Chidamabara Swamiji the founder of the Ashram is looked upon as Dattatreya himself in a new form. The expression “chid-ambara” signifies the state of consciousness as the sky (void), above phenomenal afflictions. It also means “sky-clad”, the self being covered by pure consciousness. Dattatreya is called Chidambara and is identified with Siva himself (the ultimate good). Devotion to the Guru is an approach towards this summum bonum.I