Shri Gurucharitam (Dwisahasri)

This is the first major composition of P.P. Shri Vasudevanand Saraswati Swami Maharaj and was compiled at command of Lord Dattatreya, while Swamiji was still a householder. It is a free but compact & precise rendering of the Marathi Gurucharitra, the Holy Writ of the Datta tradition. When it was completed, which took less than two weeks, Shri Swami Maharaj heard the words "Sanhitaiyam dwisahasri" meaning this text is(has) two thousand verse(s). On actually counting the stanzas, Shri Maharaj found the total substantially less than 2000. After some thinking, when he recounted the verses, including "Uwach" mantras and half mantras, as is done for the Havan of sacred texts like Durga Saptashati, the total was 2008. Thus this scripture came to be named by Lord Dattatreya Himself. Fifteen years later, Shri Swami Maharaj was instructed by Shri Datta Prabhu to write the commentary to this holy work when he was not having even the original text with him. 

This sacred tome is regularly read by many devotees of Lord Dattatreya and some even conduct Havans too. Following is the mode of Saptah (7-day sacramental reading) of this scripture. Having performed the Sankalpa on an auspicious day and having performed the initial worship one should read the chapters in the following sequence. One must observe the rules of purity and chastity during this period. 

Day

Chapters

1

After the 23rd chapter on 7th day one should read the two Rahasyas, Yogarahasya and Bodharahasya and perform the valedictory worship and dedicate the sacrament to the Lord.