Atrijaṃ Śaṅkaraṃ Brahmanārāyaṇam ।
Sarva Devātmakaṃ Dattadevaṃ Gurum ।। (Chorus)
I pray to Lord Dattātreya, the son of sage Atri, Who is incarnated as Śaṅkara, Brahmā, Nārāyaṇa, the trinity, and Who is the Parabrahman incarnated as several divine forms.
Indirā mandiraṃ Pārvatī nāyakaṃ – Bhāratī vallabhaṃ Dharmadhenvāśrayam ।
Śaṅkhacakrānvitaṃ Śūlaḍhakkādharaṃ – Pātramālākaraṃ Prāṇanāthaṃ Bhaje ।।
He is the husband of Goddess Lakṣmī, Goddess Pārvatī and Goddess Sarasvatī. The deity of justice took refuge in Him. I pray to my prāṇanātha, Who appears with divine weapons like Śaṅkha, Cakra, Triśūla, Dhakkā and Kamaṇḍalu, Japamālā.
Pāvanai rāgamai Ssārameyāyitaiḥ – Pādapadmāvṛtai Rmantra mandra svaraiḥ ।
Sañcaladbhiśśanaiḥ Sañcalantaṃ Vibhuṃ – Tryānanaṃ Ṣaṭkaraṃ Yogirājaṃ Bhaje ।।
At His lotus feet, the holy Vedas take resort in the form four dogs; He moves slowly while reciting the Vedic hymns in low volume; I pray to the Yogirāja Who appears with three faces, six hands known to be called as Vibhu of three worlds.
Kevalaṃ Nirguṇaṃ Mūrtibhūtaṃ Jagat – Sṛṣṭi Rakṣālayā dhāra hetos Tridhā ।
Atriṇā Prārthitaṃ Yukta Mūrti trayaṃ – Dṛṣṭa Mekaṃ Puna Staṃ Trimūrtyānanam ।।
To create, protect and dissolve the entire creation that is indeed attribute-less, He incarnated as Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara. I pray to Lord Dattātreya, Who, upon the request of sage Atri, again merged into one form with three faces to convey that He is none other than the unimaginable God.
Mātṛbhāvānasūyākṛte Garbhajaṃ – Dṛṣṭa Bālatrayaṃ Yuktamekaṃ Sakṛt ।
Brahmacaryavrataṃ Daṇḍapāṇiṃ Vaṭuṃ – Tāpasaiḥ Prasthitaṃ Vṛddha Śiṣyairbhaje ।।
When sage Atri and mother Anasūyā prayed to Lord Datta, He is born as their son. Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara wanted to test the chastity of mother Anasūyā and asked her to offer food being naked. With her power of penance, she transformed the three into small babies to fulfill their desire. They were brought back to their original form pleaded by the wives of the trinity. I pray to the young lad having a staff in His hand, immersed in spiritual knowledge, surrounded and followed by the old disciples.
Haṃsavāhaṃ Kvacit Pakṣirāḍvāhanaṃ – Nandinā Vā Kvacit Sañcarantaṃ Vibhum ।
Nāstikānāṃ Mataṃ Nāśayantaṃ Sadā – Paṇḍitā Khaṇḍalaṃ Staumi Yogīśvaram ।।
He is seen flying on the divine vehicles Haṃsa sometimes, on Garuḍa sometimes and on the Nandi sometimes. I pray to the Yogīśvara Who always incarnates on earth to totally destroy the atheistic concepts and dazzles as the master of scholars interested in spiritual knowledge.