On this blessed day of Dattatreya Jayanti, as the full moon of Margashirsha lights up the winter sky, hearts across the world turn in quiet reverence to Bhagwan Dattatreya, the eternal teacher who walks the path of wisdom and compassion. Born on this very day in the sacred twilight hour of Pradosha, Dattatreya Jayanti invites us to celebrate not just a birth, but a divine reminder of unity—of how the threads of creation, preservation, and dissolution weave into one luminous soul. It is a time to reflect on letting go of worldly chains, embracing inner peace, and finding joy in simple surrender, much like the gentle flow of a river returning to the ocean.
Dattatreya’s story unfolds like a soft dawn in the ancient tales of our scriptures. He is the beloved son of Maharshi Atri, a seer of profound stillness, and Anasuya, whose heart shone with unmatched purity. Once, the divine energies of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, moved by her devotion, came to test her strength of spirit. Disguised as weary travelers, they asked for alms—but with a twist: to serve them as if they were her own husbands, yet without a drop of water or shade until she offered hospitality in her deepest truth. Anasuya, with unwavering faith, prayed to the cosmic mother and transformed the visitors into innocent children through her loving gaze. Touched by this miracle of selfless love, the three aspects of the Supreme Being merged into one radiant child—Dattatreya, the “given one,” embodying the harmony of all that is. From that moment, he roamed the earth as an Avadhuta, a free spirit unbound by forms, teaching through silence and example that true freedom blooms in the garden of the heart.
This timeless wisdom lives on in the Narada Purana, where Maharshi Narada, the wandering minstrel of the heavens, shares the Dattatreya Stotram as a garland of praises. Composed in the rhythmic Anushtup meter, with Dattatreya as the divine heart of each verse, this hymn is chanted to invite his gentle presence—for healing, clarity, and the sweet release from life’s tangled vines. It whispers that by invoking him, we too can dissolve illusions and taste the nectar of eternal bliss. Let these words flow like a river of light, guiding every seeking soul home.
श्रीदत्तात्रेयस्तोत्रम्
जटाधरं पाण्डुरङ्गं शूलहस्तं कृपानिधिम् । (पाण्डुराङ्गं)
सर्वरोगहरं देवं दत्तात्रेयमहं भजे ॥
Transliteration:
Jaṭādharaṃ pāṇḍuraṅgaṃ śūlahastaṃ kṛpānidhim | (Pāṇḍurāṅgaṃ)
Sarvarogaharaṃ devaṃ dattātreyam ahaṃ bhaje ||
Explanation:
Imagine a gentle wanderer with matted locks flowing like wild rivers of wisdom, his form glowing soft as the moon’s tender light, holding a trident that pierces the veils of illusion with quiet strength. He is the boundless ocean of compassion, where every weary soul finds a safe harbor. This verse invites us to bow before Dattatreya, the divine healer who sweeps away all illnesses of body and spirit—not with force, but with the soft touch of understanding. As we chant, feel his grace like a cool breeze on a fevered brow, reminding us that true healing begins when we let go, allowing his light to fill the hidden corners of our heart with effortless joy.
विनियोगः
अस्य श्रीदत्तात्रेयस्तोत्रमन्त्रस्य भगवान् नारदऋषिः ।
अनुष्टुप् छन्दः । श्रीदत्तपरमात्मा देवता ।
श्रीदत्तप्रीत्यर्थे जपे विनियोगः ॥
Transliteration:
Asya śrī dattātreya stotra mantrasya bhagavān nārada ṛṣiḥ |
Anuṣṭup chandaḥ | Śrī datta paramātmā devatā |
Śrī datta prītyarthe jape viniyogaḥ ||
Explanation:
This sacred invocation sets the gentle rhythm for our chant, like the first breath of dawn calling the soul to awaken. Here, Maharshi Narada, the eternal traveler whose songs bridge earth and sky, is revealed as the seer of these divine words. The Anushtup meter flows like steady waves of the sea, carrying us effortlessly into meditation. At its core beats the Supreme Being Dattatreya himself, the eternal soul we honor. We offer this recitation purely to please him, not for fleeting gains, but to let his grace dissolve our worries like mist under the morning sun. In this simple act, every heart becomes a quiet temple, where devotion blooms without effort, inviting waves of peace to wash over us.
जगदुत्पत्तिकर्त्रे च स्थितिसंहार हेतवे ।
भवपाशविमुक्ताय दत्तात्रेय नमोऽस्तुते ॥ १॥
Transliteration:
Jagadutpattikartre ca sthitisaṃhāra hetave |
Bhavapāśavimuktāya dattātreya namo’stute || 1||
Explanation:
In the vast dance of existence, he is the quiet spark that births the universe, the steady thread that holds it in harmony, and the gentle whisper that draws it back to rest. Like a mother cradling her child through every breath, Dattatreya weaves creation, sustains its beauty, and releases it into timeless peace. This verse offers our deepest salutations to him who is forever free from the knots of birth and becoming, untwisting the ropes of worldly attachments that bind our spirits. On this Jayanti day, let these words untie the subtle fears within, revealing the boundless freedom that has always shimmered in our soul, like stars emerging from a clearing sky.
जराजन्मविनाशाय देहशुद्धिकराय च ।
दिगम्बरदयामूर्ते दत्तात्रेय नमोऽस्तुते ॥ २॥
Transliteration:
Jarājanma vināśāya dehaśuddhikarāya ca |
Digambaradayāmūrte dattātreya namo’stute || 2||
Explanation:
He dissolves the shadows of old age and endless cycles of birth, purifying the temple of our body until it glows with inner light. Clothed only in the vast directions of space, his form is woven from pure compassion, open and boundless as the horizon. We bow to this embodiment of kindness, who teaches us to shed heavy layers of worry and embrace the simple truth of our being. Picture him walking barefoot under endless skies, his every step a blessing that cleanses the dust from our path—inviting us to feel the earth’s gentle embrace and know that renewal flows eternally, like spring awakening in the quiet heart.
कर्पूरकान्तिदेहाय ब्रह्ममूर्तिधराय च ।
वेदशास्त्रपरिज्ञाय दत्तात्रेय नमोऽस्तुते ॥ ३॥
Transliteration:
Karpūrakāntidehāya brahmamūrtidharāya ca |
Vedaśāstraparijñāya dattātreya namo’stute || 3||
Explanation:
His body shines with the pure, camphor-like glow of clarity, a living vessel of the infinite Brahman, where all knowledge merges into one silent song. He knows the Vedas and scriptures not as distant echoes, but as the very pulse of truth flowing through him. In saluting him, we touch the wisdom that whispers in every leaf and wave, reminding us that sacred texts are bridges to the divine within. On this sacred day, let his luminous form light our inner world, dissolving doubts like mist in sunlight, so we may walk with the quiet confidence of one who has glimpsed the eternal ocean of understanding.
ह्रस्वदीर्घकृशस्थूल-नामगोत्र-विवर्जित ।
पञ्चभूतैकदीप्ताय दत्तात्रेय नमोऽस्तुते ॥ ४॥
Transliteration:
Hrasvadīrghakṛsasthūla-nāmagotro-vivarjita |
Pañcabhūtaikadīptāya dattātreya namo’stute || 4||
Explanation:
Beyond the fleeting shapes of short or tall, thin or full, untouched by names or lineages that chain the mind, he radiates as the unified flame of the five elements—earth, water, fire, air, and space blending in perfect harmony. We offer our reverence to this formless essence, who teaches us to release the labels we cling to, like autumn leaves drifting free on the wind. In his light, we see how all creation dances as one breath, inviting us to shed our small stories and merge with the vast, sparkling tapestry of life, where every moment hums with unspoken wonder.
यज्ञभोक्ते च यज्ञाय यज्ञरूपधराय च ।
यज्ञप्रियाय सिद्धाय दत्तात्रेय नमोऽस्तुते ॥ ५॥
Transliteration:
Yajñabhoktre ca yajñāya yajñarūpadharāya ca |
Yajñapriyāya siddhāya dattātreya namo’stute || 5||
Explanation:
He is both the quiet receiver of sacred offerings and the offering itself, the very form of the eternal ritual that honors life’s sacred flow. Beloved of all true sacrifices, he embodies fulfillment, where every act of giving returns as grace. Bowing to him, we learn that true worship is not in grand fires, but in the small, heartfelt gestures of daily living—sharing a smile, tending a garden, or listening to a friend’s sigh. Like a river nourished by rain, his presence turns our simple devotions into rivers of bliss, flowing endlessly toward the heart’s quiet fulfillment.
आदौ ब्रह्मा मध्य विष्णुरन्ते देवः सदाशिवः ।
मूर्तित्रयस्वरूपाय दत्तात्रेय नमोऽस्तुते ॥ ६॥
Transliteration:
Ādau brahmā madhya viṣnur ante devaḥ sadāśivaḥ |
Mūrtitraya svarūpāya dattātreya namo’stute || 6||
Explanation:
At the beginning, he unfolds as Brahma, the creator of endless possibilities; in the heart of time, as Vishnu, the preserver of tender balance; and at the close, as Sadashiva, the eternal dissolver into peace. In one seamless form, he holds the trinity of existence, a bridge where opposites kiss and become whole. We salute this triple essence, who shows us that life’s seasons—birth, bloom, and rest—are not separate rivers, but one eternal stream. On Jayanti’s gentle glow, feel this unity wrap around you like a warm shawl, whispering that in every ending hides a new dawn, and in every heart, the divine three dance as one.
भोगालयाय भोगाय योगयोग्याय धारिणे ।
जितेन्द्रियजितज्ञाय दत्तात्रेय नमोऽस्तुते ॥ ७॥
Transliteration:
Bhogālayāya bhogāya yogayogyāya dhāriṇe |
Jitendriyajitajñāya dattātreya namo’stute || 7||
Explanation:
He is the dwelling of all joys, the joy itself, and the perfect yogi who carries the balance of worldly play and spiritual depth with effortless grace. Master of the senses and knower of true victory, he teaches that delight need not pull us from the path—rather, it can be a stepping stone to deeper stillness. Imagine him seated by a flowing stream, savoring a ripe fruit while his gaze rests on the infinite; in saluting him, we too learn to embrace life’s sweetness without grasping, letting each moment unfold like a lotus in morning light, pure and unattached.
दिगम्बराय दिव्याय दिव्यरूपधराय च ।
सदोदितपरब्रह्म दत्तात्रेय नमोऽस्तुते ॥ ८॥
Transliteration:
Digambarāya divyāya divyarūpadharāya ca |
Sadodita parabrahma dattātreya namo’stute || 8||
Explanation:
Clothed in the infinite directions, ever divine, bearing a form that sparkles with celestial wonder, he is the Supreme Brahman that rises eternally, like the sun that never sets in the soul’s sky. We bow to this radiant presence, who reminds us that divinity is not far-off thunder, but the soft glow within every breath and beat. His form invites us to stand bare under the stars, feeling the universe’s embrace, where the ordinary becomes sacred, and our wandering steps lead home to the endless light that has always been.
जम्बुद्वीपमहाक्षेत्रमातापुरनिवासिने ।
जयमानसतां देव दत्तात्रेय नमोऽस्तुते ॥ ९॥
Transliteration:
Jambudvīpa mahākṣetra mātāpuranivāsine |
Jayamānasatāṃ deva dattātreya namo’stute || 9||
Explanation:
Dweller in the grand realms of Jambudvipa, the sacred mother-city of all hearts, he brings victory to those whose minds rest in quiet joy. Like a hidden spring in a desert land, his presence turns dry longings into flowing rivers of contentment. On this festive day, we honor him as the eternal resident of pure abodes, whispering that true triumph is not in battles won, but in the peaceful surrender of the mind—where worries fade like evening shadows, and every soul dances in the victory of inner light.
भिक्षाटनं गृहे ग्रामे पात्रं हेममयं करे ।
नानास्वादमयी भिक्षा दत्तात्रेय नमोऽस्तुते ॥ १०॥
Transliteration:
Bhikṣāṭanaṃ gṛhe grāme pātraṃ hemamayaṃ kare |
Nānāsvādamayī bhikṣā dattātreya namo’stute || 10||
Explanation:
Wandering from home to village, bowl of gold in hand, gathering alms of every flavor as offerings of life’s simple gifts—he embodies the humble seeker who finds nectar in the ordinary. We revere this wandering grace, who teaches that true wealth lies not in hoarding, but in the open palm that receives and shares without measure. Picture him by a village path, smiling at a child’s fruit or a farmer’s rice; in his steps, we learn to taste the divine in every bite, turning daily bread into a feast of gratitude that feeds the eternal hunger of the spirit.
ब्रह्मज्ञानमयी मुद्रा वस्त्रे चाकाशभूतले ।
प्रज्ञानघनबोधाय दत्तात्रेय नमोऽस्तुते ॥ ११॥
Transliteration:
Brahmajñānamayī mudrā vastre cākāśabhūtale |
Prajñānaghanabodhāya dattātreya namo’stute || 11||
Explanation:
His gesture seals the wisdom of Brahman, draped in the vastness of space, resting on the earth’s soft embrace, awakening the dense cloud of intuitive knowing in every heart. Like a dewdrop mirroring the sky, he reveals that enlightenment is not a distant peak, but the quiet awareness blooming right where we stand. Saluting him, we feel this profound insight gather like monsoon clouds, ready to rain clarity upon our confusions—guiding us to see the infinite in the finite, where every thought dissolves into the serene ocean of understanding.
अवधूतसदानन्दपरब्रह्मस्वरूपिणे ।
विदेहदेहरूपाय दत्तात्रेय नमोऽस्तुते ॥ १२॥
Transliteration:
Avadhūtasadānanda parabrahma svarūpiṇe |
Videha deharūpāya dattātreya namo’stute || 12||
Explanation:
The liberated wanderer overflowing with unending bliss, the very embodiment of the Supreme Brahman, he transcends the body while gracefully wearing its form like a temporary veil. We bow to this formless-form, who dances beyond the shores of flesh and feeling, yet smiles through every human tear and laugh. In his eternal joy, we glimpse our own unbound nature—like a bird soaring above waves, free yet dipping to touch the sea—inviting us to release the illusion of separation and rest in the bliss that has always pulsed within, soft as a lover’s sigh.
सत्यंरूपसदाचारसत्यधर्मपरायण ।
सत्याश्रयपरोक्षाय दत्तात्रेय नमोऽस्तुते ॥ १३॥
Transliteration:
Satyaṃ rūpasadācāra satyadharmaparāyaṇa |
Satyaśraya parokṣāya dattātreya namo’stute || 13||
Explanation:
His very essence is truth, his ways a living testament to virtue, devoted to the eternal law of righteousness, resting in truth’s subtle, unseen shelter. Like the roots of an ancient tree holding the earth in quiet strength, he upholds honesty not as a rule, but as the breath of being. Honoring him, we weave truth into our days, feeling its gentle power mend the hidden fractures of the heart—turning whispers of doubt into songs of clarity, where living authentically becomes a river of peace flowing toward the vast sea of divine trust.
शूलहस्तगदापाणे वनमालासुकन्धर ।
यज्ञसूत्रधरब्रह्मन् दत्तात्रेय नमोऽस्तुते ॥ १४॥
Transliteration:
Śūlahasta gadāpāṇe vanamālāsukan dhara |
Yajñasūtradharabrahma dattātreya namo’stute || 14||
Explanation:
With trident in one hand and mace in the other, adorned with a garland of forest blooms that carries the wild perfume of untamed nature, he holds the sacred thread of cosmic rituals as the essence of creation itself. We salute this bearer of divine order, whose symbols pierce ignorance and guard the heart, while his floral crown reminds us of beauty’s wild freedom. Like a sage in a blooming grove, he weaves sacrifice into life’s quiet rhythm—inviting us to offer our smallest acts as garlands to the universe, where every thread of devotion ties us closer to the heart’s blooming paradise.
क्षराक्षरस्वरूपाय परात्परतराय च ।
दत्तमुक्तिपरस्तोत्र दत्तात्रेय नमोऽस्तुते ॥ १५॥
Transliteration:
Kṣarākṣara svarūpāya parāt paratarāya ca |
Datta muktiparasto tra dattātreya namo’stute || 15||
Explanation:
Embodying both the perishable world that fades like morning dew and the imperishable essence that endures forever, he is beyond the beyond, the ultimate truth veiled in mystery. This hymn surpasses even the gift of liberation, for in chanting it, we touch the freedom he bestows. Bowing to him, we bridge the fleeting and the eternal—like a wave knowing it is the ocean—feeling the pull of transcendence soften our steps, guiding us through life’s veils to the shoreless sea where all journeys dissolve into one endless, smiling dawn.
दत्त विद्याढ्यलक्ष्मीश दत्त स्वात्मस्वरूपिणे ।
गुणनिर्गुणरूपाय दत्तात्रेय नमोऽस्तुते ॥ १६॥
Transliteration:
Datta vidyāḍhya lakṣmīśa datta svātma svarūpiṇe |
Guṇa nirguṇa rūpāya dattātreya namo’stute || 16||
Explanation:
Bestower of sacred knowledge and lord of prosperity, he is the true form of the self, merging qualities and qualitylessness into one harmonious breath. We revere this giver of insight and abundance, who reveals that wealth flows not from gold, but from the inner light of awareness. Like a lotus rising pure from mud, he teaches us to embrace both the colors of life and the silence beyond—unfolding our own divine nature, where every challenge blooms into grace, and the soul’s quiet wealth shines brighter than any starlit night.
शत्रुनाशकरं स्तोत्रं ज्ञानविज्ञानदायकम् ।
सर्वपापं शमं याति दत्तात्रेय नमोऽस्तुते ॥ १७॥
Transliteration:
Śatrunāśakaraṃ stotraṃ jñāna vijñāna dāyakam |
Sarvapāpaṃ śamaṃ yāti dattātreya namo’stute || 17||
Explanation:
This sacred chant destroys inner enemies like doubt and fear, granting the twin gifts of wisdom and deeper knowing, while calming all shadows of past mistakes into peaceful rest. Saluting Dattatreya through these words, we watch our hidden battles fade like smoke in the wind, replaced by the clear stream of understanding. It is a gentle balm for the weary spirit, promising that no error is final—each one a teacher in disguise—leading us hand in hand to the sunlit meadows where forgiveness dances, and the heart knows only the soft rhythm of renewal.
इदं स्तोत्रं महद्दिव्यं दत्तप्रत्यक्षकारकम् ।
दत्तात्रेयप्रसादाच्च नारदेन प्रकीर्तितम् ॥ १८॥
Transliteration:
Idaṃ stotraṃ mahad divyaṃ datta pratyakṣa kārakam |
Dattātreya prasādācca nāradena prakīrtitam || 18||
Explanation:
This grand, divine hymn brings Dattatreya’s presence vividly before us, revealed by Maharshi Narada through his boundless grace. Like a lantern in the gathering dusk, it calls the divine near, turning distant longing into intimate companionship. In its close, we feel the warmth of his smile, a promise that every recitation is a step closer to his heart—where stories of separation end, and the eternal friend whispers, “You were never alone.” On this Jayanti, let these words linger like moonlight on still waters, filling us with the quiet certainty that grace is always here, waiting in the silence.
॥ इति श्रीनारदपुराणे नारदविरचितं
दत्तात्रेयस्तोत्रं सुसम्पूर्णम् ॥
Also Read:
