Dattatreya Ashta Chakra Stotram

The Dattatreya Ashta Chakra Stotram (श्रीदत्तषट्चक्रस्तोत्रम्), also called the Sri Dattashatchakra Stotram or Dattatreya Ashtachakra Bija Stotram, is a profound tantric hymn in which the devotee meditates upon Lord Dattatreya stationed at every energy centre (chakra) of the subtle body. Its colophon connects it both with the Ajapa Tantra and, in another reading, with Adi Shankaracharya (श्रीमद्शङ्कराचार्यविरचितम्). Widely chanted in Hindi, English, Telugu and Tamil, it is treasured by devotees of Dattatreya and by students of Kundalini yoga.

About Lord Dattatreya

Lord Dattatreya is the combined form of the Trimurti — Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva — born to the sage Atri and his devoted wife Anasuya. Depicted as a sky-clad (digambara) avadhuta, He carries the symbols of all three deities and is regarded as the supreme Guru and the teacher of knowledge (Jnana). In this stotram He is visualised not merely as an external deity but as the inner Guru residing within every chakra of the seeker.

Key Attributes of Lord Dattatreya

• Deity: Lord Dattatreya (गुरु, the Universal Teacher)
• Parents: Sage Atri and Devi Anasuya
• Form: Three-faced (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva) and six-armed
• Objects in hand: Chakra (discus), Trishula (trident), Damaru (drum) and Gada (mace), as described in the dhyana verse
• Appearance: Sky-clad (digambara), smeared with fragrant vibhuti (holy ash)
• Vahana: A cow and four dogs (representing the four Vedas)
• Mantra: "Om Dattatreyaaya Namah" (ऊँ दत्तात्रेयाय नमः)
• Symbol: Om (Omkara) — the final verses meditate on Him as the sound of Om itself

Structure of the Stotram

The hymn follows the yogic journey of awakening from the base of the spine to the crown and beyond:

Invocation

श्रीगणेशाय नमः । श्री गुरवे नमः । śrīgaṇeśāya namaḥ . śrī gurave namaḥ .

Dhyana (Meditation Verse)

दिगम्बरं भस्मसुगन्धलेपनं चक्रं त्रिशूलं डमरुं गदां च । पद्मासनस्थं ऋषिदेववन्दितं दत्तात्रेयध्यानमभीष्टसिद्धिदम् ॥

digambaraṃ bhasmasugandhalepanaṃ cakraṃ triśūlaṃ ḍamaruṃ gadāṃ ca. padmāsanasthaṃ ṛṣidevavanditaṃ dattātreyadhyānamabhīṣṭasiddhidam ..

"I meditate on Lord Dattatreya, sky-clad and anointed with fragrant ashes, holding the chakra, trident, damaru and mace, seated in the lotus posture, worshipped by sages and gods, who grants all desired boons."

The Eight Chakra Verses

Verse 1 – Muladhara Chakra

ॐ मूलाधारे वारिजपत्रे चतुरस्रं (सचतुष्के) वंशंषंसं वर्णविशालं सुविशालम् । रक्तं वर्णं श्रीगणनाथं भगवन्तं दत्तात्रेयं श्रीगुरूमूर्तिं प्रणतोऽस्मि ॥ १॥

oṃ mūlādhāre vārijapatre caturasraṃ (sacatuṣke) vaṃśaṃṣaṃsaṃ varṇaviśālaṃ suviśālam . raktaṃ varṇaṃ śrīgaṇanāthaṃ bhagavantaṃ dattātreyaṃ śrīgurūmūrtiṃ praṇato’smi .. 1..

"In the Muladhara lotus of four red petals, I bow to Lord Dattatreya, the supreme Guru, red in hue, worshipped as Gananatha."

Verse 2 – Svadhishthana Chakra

स्वाधिष्ठाने षट्दलपत्रे तनुलिङ्गे बालान्तेतद्वर्णविशालं सुविशालम् । (वादिं लान्तं वर्णविशेषं सुविशेषम् ।) पीतं वर्णं वाक्पतिरमणं द्रुहिणं तं (वाक्पतिरूपं, दुहिलान्तं) दत्तात्रेयं श्रीगुरूमूर्तिं प्रणतोऽस्मि ॥ २॥

svādhiṣṭhāne ṣaṭdalapatre tanuliṅge bālāntetadvarṇaviśālaṃ suviśālam . (vādiṃ lāntaṃ varṇaviśeṣaṃ suviśeṣam .) pītaṃ varṇaṃ vākpatiramaṇaṃ druhiṇaṃ taṃ (vākpatirūpaṃ, duhilāntaṃ) dattātreyaṃ śrīgurūmūrtiṃ praṇato’smi .. 2..

"In the Svadhishthana of six petals, I bow to Lord Dattatreya, yellow in hue, the beloved of Vakpati and the very form of Brahma."

Verse 3 – Manipura Chakra

नाभौपद्मं पत्रदशाङ्कं डफवर्णं (नाभौस्थाने पत्रदशाब्दे) लक्ष्मीकान्तं गरुडारूढं नरवीरम् । (मणिपूरे ।) नीलंवर्णं निर्गुणरूपं निगमान्तं (निगमाक्षं) दत्तात्रेयं श्रीगुरूमूर्तिं प्रणतोऽस्मि ॥ ३॥

nābhaupadmaṃ patradaśāṅkaṃ ḍaphavarṇaṃ (nābhausthāne patradaśābde) lakṣmīkāntaṃ garuḍārūḍhaṃ naravīram . (maṇipūre .) nīlaṃvarṇaṃ nirguṇarūpaṃ nigamāntaṃ (nigamākṣaṃ) dattātreyaṃ śrīgurūmūrtiṃ praṇato’smi .. 3..

"In the Manipura lotus of ten petals at the navel, I bow to Lord Dattatreya, blue of hue, the Lord of Lakshmi, riding Garuda, the supreme being beyond all attributes."

Verse 4 – Anahata Chakra

हृत्पद्मांते द्वादशपत्रे कः वर्णे (कण्ठवर्णे) शम्भोशैवं पूर्णमयन्तं शशिवर्णम् । (शम्भोशेशं जीवविशेषं स्मरयन्तम् ।) (सृष्टिस्थित्तं कुरुवन्तं शिवशक्तिं अनाहतांते वृषभारूढं शिवरूपम् ।) स्वर्गस्थित्यं कुरुविन्दूतं शिवशक्तिं (कुर्वाणं धवलांगं) दत्तात्रेयं श्रीगुरूमूर्तिं प्रणतोऽस्मि ॥ ४ ॥

hṛtpadmāṃte dvādaśapatre kaḥ varṇe (kaṇṭhavarṇe) śambhośaivaṃ pūrṇamayantaṃ śaśivarṇam . (śambhośeśaṃ jīvaviśeṣaṃ smarayantam .) (sṛṣṭisthittaṃ kuruvantaṃ śivaśaktiṃ anāhatāṃte vṛṣabhārūḍhaṃ śivarūpam .) svargasthityaṃ kuruvindūtaṃ śivaśaktiṃ (kurvāṇaṃ dhavalāṃgaṃ) dattātreyaṃ śrīgurūmūrtiṃ praṇato’smi .. 4 ..

"In the Anahata lotus of twelve petals, I bow to Lord Dattatreya, moon-white, seated on a bull as the form of Shiva, sustaining creation, the Self of all."

Verse 5 – Vishuddha Chakra

कण्ठस्थाने चक्रविशुद्धे कमलान्ते चन्द्राकारे षोडशपत्रे स्वरवर्णे । मायाधीशं तैजसरूपं भगवंतं (जीवशिवं तं निजमूर्तिं) दत्तात्रेयं श्रीगुरूमूर्तिं प्रणतोऽस्मि ॥ ५॥

kaṇṭhasthāne cakraviśuddhe kamalānte candrākāre ṣoḍaśapatre svaravarṇe . māyādhīśaṃ taijasarūpaṃ bhagavaṃtaṃ (jīvaśivaṃ taṃ nijamūrtiṃ) dattātreyaṃ śrīgurūmūrtiṃ praṇato’smi .. 5..

"In the Vishuddha chakra at the throat, a sixteen-petalled lotus shaped like the moon, I bow to Lord Dattatreya, the Lord of Maya, luminous with the light of consciousness."

Verse 6 – Ajna Chakra

आज्ञाचक्रे भृकुटिस्थाने द्विदलान्ते (अग्निश्चक्रे) हं सं बीजं ज्ञानसमुद्रं गुरूमूर्तिः । (हं क्षं, गुरूमूर्तिं) विद्युत्वर्णं ज्ञानमयं तं विरुपाक्षं (निटिलाक्षं) दत्तात्रेयं श्रीगुरूमूर्तिं प्रणतोऽस्मि ॥ ६॥

ājñācakre bhṛkuṭisthāne dvidalānte (agniścakre) haṃ saṃ bījaṃ jñānasamudraṃ gurūmūrtiḥ . (haṃ kṣaṃ, gurūmūrtiṃ) vidyutvarṇaṃ jñānamayaṃ taṃ virupākṣaṃ (niṭilākṣaṃ) dattātreyaṃ śrīgurūmūrtiṃ praṇato’smi .. 6..

"In the Ajna chakra between the brows, the two-petalled lotus of the seed mantras Haṃ and Saṃ, I bow to Lord Dattatreya, lightning-hued, the ocean of knowledge, the three-eyed Guru."

Verse 7 – Sahasrara Chakra

मूर्ध्निस्थाने वारिजपत्रे शशिबीजं शुभ्रं वर्णं पत्रसहस्रं सुविशालम् ।(ललनाख्ये ।) हं बीजाख्यं वर्णसहस्रं तुरियं तं (तुर्यांतं) दत्तात्रेयं श्रीगुरूमूर्तिं प्रणतोऽस्मि ॥ ७॥

mūrdhnisthāne vārijapatre śaśibījaṃ śubhraṃ varṇaṃ patrasahasraṃ suviśālam . (lalanākhye .) haṃ bījākhyaṃ varṇasahasraṃ turiyaṃ taṃ (turyāṃtaṃ) dattātreyaṃ śrīgurūmūrtiṃ praṇato’smi .. 7..

"In the Sahasrara lotus of a thousand petals at the crown, white of hue, I bow to Lord Dattatreya, the Turiya, the fourth state of consciousness beyond waking, dream and deep sleep."

Verse 8 – Purna Brahma Swarupa (The Supreme Brahman)

ब्रह्मानन्दं ब्रह्ममुकुन्दं भगवन्तं ब्रह्मज्ञानं ब्रह्ममयं तं स्वयमेवम् । (ज्ञानमयं) (सत्यं ज्ञानं सत्यमनन्तं भगरूपम् ।) ब्रह्मात्मानं ब्रह्ममुनीद्रं भसिताभं (परमात्मानं ब्रह्ममुनीद्रं भसिताङ्गं) दत्तात्रेयं श्रीगुरूमूर्तिं प्रणतोऽस्मि ॥ ८॥

brahmānandaṃ brahmamukundaṃ bhagavantaṃ brahmajñānaṃ brahmamayaṃ taṃ svayamevam . (jñānamayaṃ) (satyaṃ jñānaṃ satyamanantaṃ bhagarūpam .) brahmātmānaṃ brahmamunīdraṃ bhasitābhaṃ (paramātmānaṃ brahmamunīdraṃ bhasitāṅgaṃ) dattātreyaṃ śrīgurūmūrtiṃ praṇato’smi .. 8..

"I bow to Lord Dattatreya, the Supreme Guru, who is Brahman itself — the bliss of Brahman, the knowledge of Brahman, the truth that is knowledge, infinite and radiant with sacred ash."

Verse 9 – Vishnu as Shesha Shayana

शान्ताकारं शेषशयानं सुरवन्द्यं कान्तानाथं कोमलगात्रं कमलाक्षम् । चिन्तारत्नं चिद्घनपूर्णं द्विजराज्यं (द्विजराजं) दत्तात्रेयं श्रीगुरूमूर्तिं प्रणतोऽस्मि ॥ ९॥

śāntākāraṃ śeṣaśayānaṃ suravandyaṃ kāntānāthaṃ komalagātraṃ kamalākṣam . cintāratnaṃ cidghanapūrṇaṃ dvijarājyaṃ (dvijarājaṃ) dattātreyaṃ śrīgurūmūrtiṃ praṇato’smi .. 9..

"I bow to Lord Dattatreya, peaceful in form, reposing on the serpent Shesha, worshipped by the gods, gentle of limb, lotus-eyed, the wish-fulfilling jewel."

Verse 10 – Dattatreya as Omkara Nada

चितओंकारं ध्वनिनादे च स्वच्छन्दे आकारान्तेऽक्षरवणीते गुणरूपे । वेदान्तार्थं ज्ञानस्वरूपं निजबोधं दत्तात्रेयं श्रीगुरूमूर्तिं प्रणतोऽस्मि ॥ १०॥

citaoṃkāraṃ dhvanināde ca svacchande ākārānte’kṣaravaṇīte guṇarūpe . vedāntārthaṃ jñānasvarūpaṃ nijabodhaṃ dattātreyaṃ śrīgurūmūrtiṃ praṇato’smi .. 10..

"I bow to Lord Dattatreya, the Supreme Guru, who is the very consciousness of Om, the unstruck sound, the meaning of Vedanta, the form of knowledge and one's own inner awareness."

Phala Shruti and Colophon

इति श्री अजपातन्त्रे दत्तात्रेयस्तोत्रं सम्पूर्णम् । शुभं भवतु । (इति श्रीमद्शङ्कराचार्यविरचितं श्रीदत्तात्रेय अष्टचक्रबीजस्तोत्रं सम्पूर्णम् ।) श्रीदत्तषट्चक्रस्तोत्रम् ॥

iti śrī ajapātantre dattātreyastotraṃ sampūrṇam . śubhaṃ bhavatu . (iti śrīmadśaṅkarācāryaviracitaṃ śrīdattātreya aṣṭacakrabījastotraṃ sampūrṇam .) śrīdattaṣaṭcakrastotram ..

"Thus concludes the Dattatreya Stotram from the Ajapa Tantra. May all be auspicious."

Practical / Modern Context

In an age of stress, anxiety and scattered attention, this stotram offers a complete inner map for self-cultivation. Its eight verses correspond to the energy centres that modern mindfulness and meditation practices also address — grounding, creativity, willpower, love, communication, intuition and ultimate awareness. A daily chant, even of a single verse, combined with slow breathwork, can serve as a focused meditation routine that calms the nervous system and deepens concentration. For those drawn to chakra-based yoga, the Dattatreya Ashta Chakra Stotram beautifully fuses the yogic science of the subtle body with the devotional path of the Guru.

Common Misconceptions

1. "The stotram has to be mastered all at once" — Many beginners assume they must chant all ten verses from the first day. In practice, one may begin with the dhyana and a single verse, gradually building to the full recitation.
2. "Ashta Chakra means eight physical organs" — The eight chakras here are subtle energy centres, not anatomical organs. The final "chakra" is the formless state of Purna Brahma, beyond location.
3. "This is only a tantric hymn for renunciates" — Though rooted in tantric and Ajapa traditions, the stotram is a devotional hymn of surrender ("praṇato'smi" — I bow) and is chanted by householders and seekers alike with the guidance of a Guru.
4. "Attribution to Adi Shankaracharya is certain" — While one colophon names Adi Shankaracharya, another places the hymn in the Ajapa Tantra. Tradition holds both; scholarly attribution varies, and devotees honour the hymn's power regardless.

Conclusion

The Dattatreya Ashta Chakra Stotram is a radiant bridge between the temple and the meditator. Through its ten verses it guides the sincere seeker from the root of the spine to the crown and beyond, into the silent awareness of Brahman itself. Chant it with faith, visualise the Guru within each lotus, and let the inner Dattatreya awaken the wisdom that already resides in you.

Related Prabhukedwar Guides

• Complete Guide to Chanting Gayatri Mantra
• Kashi Vishwanath Temple & Sacred Banaras
• Meaning of Om Namah Shivaya Mantra

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