This year Christmas and Datta Jayanti have come together. To understand the subtle relation between the two festivals, we have to observe the history of the festival of Christmas.

When Lord Christ was born, birth details were not recorded as is done now. But still, upon coming to know that Christ was born, three wise men from the east came to see him. The position of a star helped them to find their way to the birthplace of Christ. The stars we decorate the Christmas tree represent that star which helped the wise men from the east. But these three wise men also did not record the birth date of Christ. Thus nobody exactly knows the exact date of birth of Christ. The ‘World Encyclopedia’ confirms this. But after 336 years from the birth of Christ, December 25 was recognized as the birth date of Christ. How was this done?

We have to recognize that the birth of great people and the planetary movements have secret, close and important relation. Only when we accept that, can we come to a decision about the date of birth of Christ. As per the story of Bible, the three wise men were led to the place of birth of Jesus by a star and planetary movements. What do we mean by planetary movements?

Jupiter is the biggest planet in our solar system. That is why it is called as ‘Guru Graham’ in Sanskrit. It is this planet which is related to the intellect of humans. That is why it is called as Guru. The planet Jupiter, changes from one Raashi (twelve astrological signs. Aires, Capricorn etc) to another every year. During the period of retrograde it slows down but still it makes up for the slowness and on an average it changes the Raashi house every year. This change generally happens in the last week of the month December.

The word December is from the calendar we use today, i.e. Gregorian calendar. This type of calendar system was started in 1580 by Pope Gregory XIII. This principle of this calendar is mainly connected with the movement of the sun. In India we have both Solar as well as Lunar calendars. But for all calculations and auspicious programmes we use Lunar calendar. Even in the west, Hebrew calendar is lunar based. So is the Chinese calendar.

Since the lunar movement and the solar movement do not coincide (match), the lunar calendar has extra months and extra days to make it coincide with the solar calendar. This is followed both in western and eastern systems. In the system of Lunar calendar, the movement of moon in the star ‘Mrigashira’ happens in the month of December. That is why Indians call this month as Mrigasheersha Maasa’ (month of Mrigashira). But once in some years the full moon in the month of Mrigashira may not coincide with the month of December although by and large it happens.

Dattatreya was born on the full moon day of this month Mrigashira. That is why His birthday (Datta Jayanti) happens in December.

‘Mriga Shira’ means the head of a deer. The shape of the star represents it. It is well known fact that the shape of a star affects the life of the being which is resembles. We also know that Jesus was born in a stable (here Swamiji means that the star Mrigashira which resembled a deer had influence over the animals). Thus we can be firm that Jesus’ birth and the month of Mrigashira are closely related.

Thus we can safely say that Christ was born in the month when the planet Jupiter (Guru Graham) was changing the Raashi (star sign) and the moon was moving to Mrigashira star. All these important movements of planetary bodies can happen in December only.

Each star has four quarter (Paadas). So when the moon is in the first and second quarter, he is Uchcha (exalted). When moon is Uchcha (exalted), his impact on the life of earth is very high. Astrologically, for a person to be highly spiritual (like Jesus, Dattatreya), the place of sun in his horoscope is equally important.

In December the sun will be in Dhanus Raashi (Sagittarius). On 14th January every year sun moves to the next sign i.e. Makara (Capricorn). From that day (14th January) the period of Uttaraayana commences (Uttarayana is the period from 14 January to 14 July).

The commencement of this Uttarayana happens on January 14th in the system of Nirayana only (Sidereal calculations). But in Sayana system (Tropical calculations), Sun starts his Uttarayana period in the last week of December. The system of Sayana observes the movement of sun and corroborates and finalises the astrological calculations on sun.

Presently, this movement of Sun to Uttarayana happens either on 22nd or 23rd of December. But about 2000 years ago (when Jesus was born) this change used to happen on December 25th every year. Thus we can understand from the above facts that in the times of Jesus birth i.e. 2000 years ago – three important planetary transitions took place in December. They are –

(a) The most important of the planets, Jupiter, changed the star sign.

(b) Sun entered the Uttarayana period.

(c) Moon would be Uchcha (exalted) in the Mrigashira star.

These same planetary positions were in force when Lord Dattatreya appeared three Yugas (eons) ago.

The three wise men from the east recognised this planetary importance in the birth of Jesus Christ. Perhaps these wise men saw Dattatreya in baby Jesus. That is how the date December 25 was finalised. It is said in Datta Purana (mythology) that Dattatreya appears as child, Unmatta etc.

In those days the three wise men from the east recognised the power of Jesus. This day the wise men from the west are experiencing Jesus in Datta Peetham. For the men of reality the concept of east and west are just lines in the air.

Understanding the above may not be possible in just one reading. Read it several times and you will understand the underlying and profound concept. Swamiji has seen in a Church in Basel, Switzerland Jesus with three heads like Dattatreya. This potentiates the above statements.

Let us understand the above and from now onwards let us correlate Datta Jayanti and Christmas in our hearts and experience the unified divine power.

Jaya Guru Datta

Mysore – December 25, 1996