Sri Datta Sharanashtakam
Translated By P.R.Ramachander
An octet of Surrender to Lord Dathathreya.
Lord Dathathreya is an avadhootha who is the son of sage Athri and Anasooya. He is the holy trinity rolled in to one
Symbolically Lord Dattatreya is depicted with three heads, six hands, four dogs, standing in front of a cow and tree. In his hands He holds a drum (damaru), discus like weapon (chakra), conch shell (sankh), rosary (japa mala), water vessel (kamandala) and a trident (trisula)[1].
The Lord's three heads represent Brahma Tatwa, Vishnu Tatwa and Shiva Tatwa. All powerful creative cause is Brahma, sustaining energy is Vishnu and annihilating energy is Shiva (Srishti, Sthithi and Laya energies) are three heads.
All these attributes of the Lord have their esoteric meanings. The trident is used for killing the ego, and the drum is used to awaken those souls who are still sleeping in the slumber of ignorance. Lord Datta's conch shell is used to sound the OmKaRa, the primordial sound. The divine AuM is composed of
- Akara: Creator/Initiator, Brahma;
- Ukara: Sustainer/Protector, Vishnu;
- Makara: Destroyer/Terminator, Maheswara.
When mixed together in the conch of the Lord, they sound as the eternal Omkara-Datta.
Om is an essential sound. With every breath our lungs resonate the Omkara. So-hum...So-hum... I am the world, I am the universe, I am Lord Shiva, I am Lord Vishnu... We are always chanting this mantra, even when we are walking, talking, eating or sleeping. The speed with which we sound this So-hum may change with our bodily activity, but the So-hum remains eternal. When the body stops resonating with this divine sound, the soul seeks another residence. All living creatures, even animals resonate this AuM in their body. In Sanskrit, "Datta" means gift, hence, Omkara is the eternal gift of God to all souls.
Lord Dattatreya is also holding a rotating discus chakra. It is a round circle with no beginning and no end. Like the universe, it too is constantly moving, always in a flux. He uses this chakra to destroy all kinds of karmic bonds of His devotees. His right hand holds a rosary japa mala. With this the Lord counts His devotees, liberating them by merely thinking of their name. In another hand the Lord is carrying the water pot kamandala. This holds the nectar of pure wisdom. With this He revives the souls thirsty for knowledge, liberating them from the endless cycle of life and death.
The four dogs of Dattatreya are the embodiments of the four Vedas. They follow the Lord as "hounds of heaven, watchdogs of the ultimate Truth". They help the Lord in "hunting" and finding pure souls, wherever they may be born. Behind the Lord Dattatreya is the cow named Kamadhenu. This divine cow grants the wishes and desires of all those who seek the Lord. She grants all material and spiritual wishes of the Lord's devotees.
The Lord stands in front of the Audumbara tree. This is the celestial wish yielding tree. It fulfills the wishes of those who prostrate before it. Audumbara is the bearer of nectar, and wherever it is found, Lord Dattatreya is always found in it's shade.
Dathathreya Thava saranam Dathathreya Thava Saranam
I surrender to you Lord Dathathreya
I surrender to you Lord Dathathreya
Trignathmaka trigunatheetha, Tribhuvana Palaka Thava Saranam, Shaasvaha murthe thava Saranam, Shyama Sundara thava saranam., 1
You are the soul of three Gunas,
You are beyond the three Gunas,
You rule over the three worlds,
I surrender to you oh God,
I surrender to you oh God with stable form,
I surrender to you oh pretty one who is black.
Seshaabharana Sesha bhooshana, Seshasaayi guru thava saranam, Shadbhuja moorthe thava saranam, Shadbhuja yathivara thava saranam., 2
You are an ornament to Sesha[2],
You wear Sesha as an ornament,
I surrender to you teacher who sleeps on Sesha,
I surrender to the God with six arms,
I surrender to the saint with six hands.
Danda Kamandalu Gada padmakara, Shanka Chakra Dhara thava saranam, Karuna nidhe Thava Saranam, Karuna sagara thava Saranam., 3
You hold Danda[3], Kamandalu[4], mace and lotus,
You wear the conch and the holy wheel.
I surrender to you, Oh my God,
I surrender to the treasure of compassion,
I surrender to the ocean of compassion.
Sreepada sree Vallabha guruvara, Narasimha Saraswathi thava Saranam, Sri Gurunatha thava saranam, Sad guru natha thava saranam., 4
I surrender to teacher Narasha Saraswathi,
Who is also Sripada and Vallabha Guru,
I surrender to the Guru natha,
I surrender to the holy Guru natha.
Krishna sangama tharuvara vasi, Bhaktha vathsala thava Saranam, Kripa nidhe thava saranam, Kripa sagara thava saranam., 5
I surrender to the God who loves his devotees,
And lives in the shade of trees by the confluence of Krishna,
I surrender to the treasure of mercy,
I surrender to the ocean of mercy.
Kripa kataksha kripaavalokana, Kripa nidhe, Prabhu thava saranam, Kalaanthaka thava Saranam, Kala nasaka thava saranam., 6
I surrender to the Lord who is a treasure of mercy,
Who has side long glance of mercy,
And has a glance of graceful mercy,
I surrender to him who killed the God of death,
I surrender to him who wipes away time.
Poornananda poorna Paresha, Poorna purusha thava saranam, Jagadheesa thava saranam, Jaganatha thava saranam., 7
I surrender to the lord who is complete,
Who is full of bliss and the complete divine God,
I surrender to the God of universe,
I surrender to the lord of the universe.
Jagat palaka jagadadheesa, Jagadodhara thava saranam, Akhilaanthaka thava saranam, Akhileswaraya thava saranam., 8
I surrender to the Lord who lifted the earth,
Who looks after the earth and is the master of the earth,
I surrender to him who destroys everything,
I surrender to the Lord of everything.
Bhaktha Priya vajra panjara, Prasanna vakthra thava saranam, Digambhara thava saranam, Dheena dhaya Ghana thava saranam., 9
I surrender to the Lord who has a happy pleasing face,
Who loves his devotes and is an armour of diamond,
I surrender to him who wears the directions,
I surrender to him who sings and has mercy on the oppressed.
Dheena natha, dheena dhayala, Dhenodhara thava saranam, Thapo murthe thava saranam, Thejo rasi thava saranam., 10
I surrender to that lord who lifts the oppressed,
Who is the lord of the oppressed and merciful towards the oppressed
I surrender to the acme of thapas,
I surrender to the one who shines.
Brahmananda, Brahma Sanathana, Brahma mohana thava saranam, Viswathmaka thava saranam, Vishwa Rakshaka thava saranam., 11
I surrender to the Lord who sports with Brahma,
Who has the bliss of Brahma and ancient like Brahma,
I surrender to Him who is the soul of this universe,
I surrender yto him who is the protector of the universe.
Viswambhara Vishva jeevana, Viswa parathpara thava sharanam, Vighnantaaka thava saranam, Vighna nasaka thava saranam., 12
I surrender to him who is the divine truth of the universe,
Who is dressed inn universe and is the life of the universe,
I surrender to him who ends all obstacles,
I surrender to him who destroys all obstacles.
Pranatheetha prema vardhana, Prakasa murthe thava saranam, Nijaananda thava saranam, Nija pada dayaka thava sharanam., 13
I surrender to him who dazzles and shines,
Who is beyond the soul and increases love,
I surrender to him who is the true bliss,
I surrender to him who gives true salvation.
Nithya niranjana niraakara, Niradhara thava saranam, Chidathma roopa Chidananda, Chithsukhaa kanda thava saranam., 14
I surrender to him who needs no support,
Who is forever blemish less and has no form,
Who is the divine soul and who is the divine bliss,
I surrender to him who grants divine bliss.
Anadhi Murthe thava saranam, Akhilavathaara thava saranam, Anantha koti Brahmanda nayaka, Aghathitha ghatana thava saranam., 15
I surrender to him who is there from ancient times,
I surrender to him whose incarnation is the world,
I surrender to him who protects the helpless,
And who is the lord of billions of universes.
Bhakthodhara thava saranam, Bhaktha Rakshaka thava saranam, Bhathanugraha guru bhaktha Priya, Pathithodhara thava saranam., 16
I surrender to the one who saves his devotees,
I surrender to the one who protects his devotees,
I surrender to him who uplifts the oppressed,
Who blesses his devotees and who likes devotees of Guru.