Dattatreya stotram
Translated by P. R. Ramachander
Dathathreya is worshipped as the combination 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 Saraswathi, 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 turned them into babies and combined them in to one. This God was Dathathreya.
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 Dathathreya(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 Datha panthis in Karnalaka and Maharashtra who worship Lord Dathathreya. He is picturised as doing meditation along with four Vedas in the form of four dogs following him.
Jatadharam, Pandurangam, Soolahastham Krupanidhim, Sarvaroga haram devam, Dathathreyamaham bhaje., 1.
My salutations to Dathathreya,
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, Dathathreya namosthuthe., 2
My salutations to Dathathreya,
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. Dathathreya namosthuthe., 3
My salutations to Dathathreya,
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, Dathathreya namosthuthe., 4
My salutations to Dathathreya,
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, Dathathreya namosthuthe., 5
My salutations to Dathathreya,
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, Dathathreya namosthuthe., 6
My salutations to Dathathreya,
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, Dathathreya namosthuthe., 7
My salutations to Dathathreya,
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, Dathathreya namosthuthe., 8
My salutations to Dathathreya,
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, Dathathreya namosthuthe., 9
My salutations to Dathathreya,
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, Dathathreya namosthuthe., 10
My salutations to Dathathreya,
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, Dathathreya namosthuthe., 11
My salutations to Dathathreya,
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, Dathathreya namosthuthe., 12
My salutations to Dathathreya,
Who is the great knowledge,
Who is the lord of Lakshmi,
Who has the form of the soul of Datha,
And who has the form with and without properties.
Phalasruthi
Sathru nasa karam sthothram, Jnana vijnana dhayakam, Sarva papam samam yathi, Dathathreya namosthuthe.
My salutations to Dathathreya,
Which would destroy my enemies,
Which would give me knowledge of religion and science,
And which would destroy all my sins.