Dattatreya Stotram
Translated by P.R.Ramachander
Hindus worship Dattatreya a god in the form of a combination of the great trinity consisting of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. He took this form due to Anasuya, the wife of sage Athri. One story tells that Narada poisoned the minds of Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvathy and told them that Anasuya is much greater than them. Incensed by this they sent their lords to Anasuya, who went and requested her to give them alms without wearing any cloths, She made them into babies and combined them into one. This God was Dattatreya. Another story tells of the trinity being forced to approach Anasuya to save the world from the curse of Nalayani. She did this but asked them to become her babies. These babies were Dattatreya (Vishnu), Durvasa (Shiva) and Chandra (Brahma). Once in a hurry when all these babies were crying together, she took them together and they became one. There is a small sect of Hindus called data-panthis in Karnalaka and Maharashtra who worship only Lord Dattatreya. He is picturised as doing meditation along with four Vedas in the form dogs following him.
jatadharam pandurangam
soolahastham krupanidhim
sarvaroga haram devam
dattatreyamaham bhaje
My salutations to Dattatreya ,
Who is with matted hair ,
Who is Lord Vishnu,
Who holds soola in his hand,
Who is store house of mercy,
And who is the panacea for all illness.
jagat utapathi karthre cha
sthithi samhara hethave
bhava pasa vimukthaya
dattatreya namosthuthe
My salutations to Dattatreya,
Who created all the worlds,
Who looks after the worlds,
Who destroys the worlds,
And who grants redemption,
From the bonds of sorrow of domestic life.
jara janma vinasaya
deha shuddhi karaya cha
digambara daya moorthe
dattatreya namosthuthe
My salutations to Dattatreya,
Who destroys sorrow of birth and old age,
Who cleans our body and soul,
Who wears the directions as cloths ,
And who is the lord of mercy.
karpoora kanthi dehaya
brhma moorthy daraya cha
veda sasthra parignaya
dattatreya namosthuthe
My salutations to Dattatreya,
Who has a colour of burning camphor,
Who takes up the role of the creator,
And who is master of the holy Vedas.
hruswa deergha krutha sthula
nama gothra vivarjitha
pancha boothaika deepthaya
dattatreya namosthuthe
My salutations to Dattatreya,
Who is much beyond, thin , thick, short and tall,
Who cannot be limited by name or caste,
And who shines in the five spirits of the world.
yagna bhokthre cha yagnaya
yagna roopa daraya cha
yagna priyaya sidhaya
dattatreya namosthuthe
My salutations to Dattatreya,
Who is the result of fire sacrifices.
Who is fire sacrifice himself.
Who takes the form of the fire sacrifice,
And who is the saint who likes fire sacrifices.
adhou brhama madhye vishnur
anthe deva sada shiva
moorthy thraya swaroopaya
dattatreya namosthuthe
My salutations to Dattatreya,
Who in the beginning is the creator,
Who in the middle is Vishnu who takes care,
Who in the end is Shiva the destroyer,
And who is the lord who represents the trinity.
bhogaalayaya bhogaaya
yoga yoyaya dharine
jithendriya jithagnaya
dattatreya namosthuthe
My salutations to Dattatreya,
Who is the place where pleasure resides,
Who is the pleasures himself,
Who is the great wearer of Yoga,
Who has perfect control of his senses,
And who is greater than any scholar.
brhma jnana mayee mudhra
vasthre cha akasa bhoothale
prgnana gana bhodaya
dattatreya namosthuthe
My salutations to Dattatreya,
Whose stamp is the knowledge of ultimate,
Who wears the sky and earth as his cloths,
And who is the three states of wakefulness,
Sleep and dream.
sathya roopa sadachara
sathya dharma parayana
sathyasraya parokshaya
dattatreya namosthuthe
My salutations to Dattatreya,
Who is truth personified,
Whose conduct is perfect,
Who follows truth as his dharma ,
Who depends wholly on truth,
And who is not in visible form.
soola hastha gada pane
vana mala sukundara
yagna soothra dara brahman
dattatreya namosthuthe
My salutations to Dattatreya,
Who has in his hands he spear and the mace,
Who wears garland of scented flowers of the wild,
And who is the prime executor of fire sacrifices.
datha vidhyadya lakshmeesa
datha swathma swaroopine
guna nirguna roopaya
dattatreya namosthuthe
My salutations to Dattatreya,
Who is the great knowledge,
Who is the lord of Lakshmi,
Who has the form of the soul of Datta,
And who has the form with and without properties.
Phalasruthi
sathru nasa karam sthothram
jnana vijnana dhayakam
sarva papam samam yathi
dattatreya namosthuthe
My salutations to Dattatreya,
Which would destroy my enemies,
Which would give me knowledge of religion and science,
And which would destroy all my sins.
