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Datta Stavam
Lord Dattatreya (दत्तात्रेय) is the combined form of the divine Trinity — Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva — born to the sage Atri and his consort Anasuya. He is known as Smarthrugami, the Lord who responds to the mere remembrance of His devotees. The Datta Stavam is a beautiful hymn of nine verses that praises this supreme teacher, the granter of boons and the remover of all suffering. It is available here in Devanagari (Hindi/Sanskrit), English transliteration, Telugu and Tamil.
The Datta Stavam in Four Languages
Verse 1
Devanagari:
दत्तात्रेयं महात्मानं वरदं भक्तवत्सलं । प्रपन्नार्तिहरं वन्दे स्मर्तृगामि सनोवतु ॥ १ ॥
English (IAST):
dattātrēyaṁ mahātmānaṁ varadaṁ bhaktavatsalaṁ | prapannārtiharaṁ vandē smartr̥gāmi sanōvatu || 1 ||
Telugu:
దత్తాత్రేయం మహాత్మానం వరదం భక్తవత్సలం ప్రపన్నార్తిహరం వందే స్మర్తృగామీ సనో వతు || 1 ||
Tamil:
த³த்தாத்ரேயம் மஹாத்மானம் வரத³ம் ப⁴க்தவத்ஸலம் | ப்ரபன்னார்திஹரம் வந்தே³ ஸ்மர்த்ருகா³மி ஸனோவது || 1 ||
Meaning: Dattatreya is the great soul who bestows boons and is affectionate to His devotees. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, who relieve the suffering of those who surrender to You.
Verse 2
Devanagari:
दीनबन्धुं कृपासिन्धुं सर्वकारणकारणं । सर्वरक्षाकरं वन्दे स्मर्तृगामि सनोवतु ॥ २ ॥
English (IAST):
dīnabandhuṁ kr̥pāsindhuṁ sarvakāraṇakāraṇaṁ | sarvarakṣākaraṁ vandē smartr̥gāmi sanōvatu || 2 ||
Telugu:
దీనబంధుం కృపాసింధుం సర్వకారణ కారణం సర్వరక్షాకరం వందే స్మర్తృగామీ సనో వతు || 2 ||
Tamil:
தீ³னப³ந்து⁴ம் க்ருபாஸிந்து⁴ம் ஸர்வகாரணகாரணம் | ஸர்வரக்ஷாகரம் வந்தே³ ஸ்மர்த்ருகா³மி ஸனோவது || 2 ||
Meaning: He is the friend of the poor, the ocean of mercy, the cause of all causes. I offer my obeisances to the protector of all.
Verse 3
Devanagari:
शरणागतदीनार्त परित्राणपरायणं । नारायणं विभुं वन्दे स्मर्तृगामि सनोवतु ॥ ३ ॥
English (IAST):
śaraṇāgatadīnārta paritrāṇaparāyaṇaṁ | nārāyaṇaṁ vibhuṁ vandē smartr̥gāmi sanōvatu || 3 ||
Telugu:
శరణ గతదీనార్తపరిత్రాణ పరాయణం నారాయణం విభుం వందే స్మర్తృగామీ సనో వతు || 3 ||
Tamil:
ஶரணாக³ததீ³னார்த பரித்ராணபராயணம் | நாராயணம் விபு⁴ம் வந்தே³ ஸ்மர்த்ருகா³மி ஸனோவது || 3 ||
Meaning: He is devoted to the salvation of the poor and suffering who have come to Him for refuge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the almighty Lord Nārāyaṇa.
Verse 4
Devanagari:
सर्वानर्थहरं देवं सर्वमङ्गल मङ्गलं । सर्वक्लेशहरं वन्दे स्मर्तृगामि सनोवतु ॥ ४ ॥
English (IAST):
sarvānarthaharaṁ dēvaṁ sarvamaṅgala maṅgalaṁ | sarvaklēśaharaṁ vandē smartr̥gāmi sanōvatu || 4 ||
Telugu:
సర్వానర్ధహరం దేవం సర్వమంగళ మంగళం సర్వక్లేశహరం వందే స్మర్తృగామీ సనో వతు || 4 ||
Tamil:
ஸர்வானர்த²ஹரம் தே³வம் ஸர்வமங்க³ள மங்க³ளம் | ஸர்வக்லேஶஹரம் வந்தே³ ஸ்மர்த்ருகா³மி ஸனோவது || 4 ||
Meaning: He is the destroyer of all evils and the source of all auspiciousness. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, who relieve all suffering.
Verse 5
Devanagari:
ब्रह्मण्यं धर्मतत्त्वज्ञं भक्तकीर्तिविवर्धनं । भक्ताऽभीष्टप्रदं वन्दे स्मर्तृगामि सनोवतु ॥ ५ ॥
English (IAST):
brahmaṇyaṁ dharmatattvajñaṁ bhaktakīrtivivardhanaṁ | bhaktā:'bhīṣṭapradaṁ vandē smartr̥gāmi sanōvatu || 5 ||
Telugu:
బ్రహ్మణ్యం ధర్మతత్త్వజ్ఞం భక్తకీర్తివివర్ధనం భక్తాభీష్టప్రదం వందే స్మర్తృగామీ సనో వతు || 5 ||
Tamil:
ப்³ரஹ்மண்யம் த⁴ர்மதத்த்வஜ்ஞம் ப⁴க்தகீர்திவிவர்த⁴னம் | ப⁴க்தா(அ)பீ⁴ஷ்டப்ரத³ம் வந்தே³ ஸ்மர்த்ருகா³மி ஸனோவது || 5 ||
Meaning: He is a Brahmana who knows the truth of religion and increases the fame of His devotees. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Him who bestows all desires upon His devotees.
Verse 6
Devanagari:
शोषणं पापपङ्कस्य दीपनं ज्ञानतेजसः । तापप्रशमनं वन्दे स्मर्तृगामि सनोवतु ॥ ६ ॥
English (IAST):
śōṣaṇaṁ pāpapaṅkasya dīpanaṁ jñānatējasaḥ | tāpapraśamanaṁ vandē smartr̥gāmi sanōvatu || 6 ||
Telugu:
శోషణం పాపపంకస్య దీపనంజ్ఞానచేతసః తాపప్రశమనం వందే స్మర్తృగామీ సనో వతు || 6 ||
Tamil:
ஶோஷணம் பாபபங்கஸ்ய தீ³பனம் ஜ்ஞானதேஜஸ꞉ | தாபப்ரஶமனம் வந்தே³ ஸ்மர்த்ருகா³மி ஸனோவது || 6 ||
Meaning: He dries up the mud of sin and kindles the effulgence of knowledge. I offer my obeisances to the reliever of suffering.
Verse 7
Devanagari:
सर्वरोगप्रशमनं सर्वपीडानिवारणं । विपदुद्धरणं वन्दे स्मर्तृगामि सनोवतु ॥ ७ ॥
English (IAST):
sarvarōgapraśamanaṁ sarvapīḍānivāraṇaṁ | vipaduddharaṇaṁ vandē smartr̥gāmi sanōvatu || 7 ||
Telugu:
సర్వరోగప్రశమనం సర్వపీడానివారణం ఆపదుద్ధరణం వందే స్మర్తృగామీ సనో వతు || 7 ||
Tamil:
ஸர்வரோக³ப்ரஶமனம் ஸர்வபீடா³னிவாரணம் | விபது³த்³த⁴ரணம் வந்தே³ ஸ்மர்த்ருகா³மி ஸனோவது || 7 ||
Meaning: He relieves all diseases and all pain. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, who deliver me from distress.
Verse 8
Devanagari:
जन्मसंसारबन्धघ्नं स्वरूपानन्ददायकं । निश्श्रेयसपदं वन्दे स्मर्तृगामि सनोवतु ॥ ८ ॥
English (IAST):
janmasaṁsārabandhaghnaṁ svarūpānandadāyakaṁ | niśśrēyasapadaṁ vandē smartr̥gāmi sanōvatu || 8 ||
Telugu:
జన్మ సంసారబంధఘ్నం స్వరూపానందదాయకం నిశ్శ్రేయసవదం వందే స్మర్తృగామీ సనో వతు || 8 ||
Tamil:
ஜன்மஸம்ஸாரப³ந்த⁴க்⁴னம் ஸ்வரூபானந்த³தா³யகம் | நிஶ்ஶ்ரேயஸபத³ம் வந்தே³ ஸ்மர்த்ருகா³மி ஸனோவது || 8 ||
Meaning: He destroys the bondage of birth and death and gives the bliss of self-realisation. I offer my obeisances to the abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Verse 9 (Phala Shruti)
Devanagari:
जय लाभ यशः काम दातुर्दत्तस्य यः स्तवं । भोगमोक्षप्रदस्येमं प्रपठेत् सुकृती भवेत् ॥ ९ ॥
English (IAST):
jaya lābha yaśaḥ kāma dāturdattasya yaḥ stavaṁ | bhōgamōkṣapradasyēmaṁ prapaṭhēt sukr̥tī bhavēt || 9 ||
Telugu:
జయలాభయసః కామదాతు ర్దత్తస్య హః స్తవం భోగమోక్షప్రస్యేమం య పఠేత్ సుకృతీ భవేత్ || 9 ||
Tamil:
ஜய லாப⁴ யஶ꞉ காம தா³துர்த³த்தஸ்ய ய꞉ ஸ்தவம் | போ⁴க³மோக்ஷப்ரத³ஸ்யேமம் ப்ரபடே²த் ஸுக்ருதீ ப⁴வேத் ||9 ||
Meaning: Victory, gain, fame, desire — the giver is Dattatreya, and this is His praise. One who recites this stotram, which bestows pleasure and liberation, becomes a person of good deeds.
Closing
Devanagari:
इति श्री दत्त स्तवम् पूर्ण।
English (IAST):
iti śrī datta stavam sampoornam|
Telugu:
ఇతి శ్రీ దత్త స్తవం సంపూర్ణం ||
Tamil:
இதி ஶ்ரீ த³த்த ஸ்தவம் |
Meaning: This is the complete Sri Datta Stavam.
Key Attributes of Lord Dattatreya
- Deity: Lord Dattatreya (the combined form of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva)
- Consort: Not specified (the supreme Avadhuta ascetic)
- Vahana: The dog (ancient tradition) — He is also often seated under the Audumbar tree
- Weapon: Not specified in the Stavam
- Ruling Planet: Not specified
- Element: Not specified
- Mantra: "Om Dattatreyaaya Namah" — and the Datta Stavam itself
- Symbol: Three heads (of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva), conch, chakra, trishul and damaru
Practical / Modern Context
The Datta Stavam is a household hymn of the Dattatreya tradition, recited daily by devotees across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu, as well as in the Dattatreya pilgrimage sites of Ganagapur, Narasimha Wadi and Girnar. Because Dattatreya is Smarthrugami — He comes at mere remembrance — the Stavam can be chanted at any time, in any place, and in any of the four languages given here. Reciting it daily with devotion is said to bestow victory, gain and fame, while its closing verse promises both bhoga (worldly enjoyment) and moksha (liberation). For modern seekers, it is a simple anchor for morning or evening practice, and its verses can be used as a focus for meditation on compassion, protection and inner peace.
Common Misconceptions
- Dattatreya is a separate, minor deity: Dattatreya is not separate from the Trinity — He is the combined incarnation of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, the cause of all causes, born to Atri and Anasuya.
- The Stavam must be recited only in Sanskrit: The Stavam is traditionally chanted in Devanagari, Telugu and Tamil alike. What matters is sincerity, not the script.
- Worship of Dattatreya is only for renunciates: Dattatreya is revered as the guru of householder devotees too; the Stavam is a family hymn promising both worldly prosperity (bhoga) and spiritual freedom (moksha).
- Only priests may chant the Stavam: Dattatreya responds to the mere remembrance (smriti) of any sincere devotee; the Stavam is meant to be recited personally by everyone who seeks His grace.
Conclusion
The Datta Stavam is a concise, powerful hymn to the great Lord Dattatreya — the friend of the poor, the ocean of mercy, the remover of all suffering and the granter of every boon. Recited in four languages, it unites devotees across the length of India in a single offering of surrender and love. Whether you seek healing, protection, prosperity or liberation, the Datta Stavam reminds us that the Lord who dwells within all beings responds the moment we remember Him.
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