श्रीदत्तदेव भगवत् करुणावतार श्रेणिस्फुरन्मणिगणोज्ज्वल मध्य रत्नम् ।
मायान्धकार पटलीपटपाटनांशुं श्री सत्यशायि तरणिं शरणं प्रपद्ये ।।1।।
I take asylum in the bright Sun, Śrī Satya Sai Baba, Who is the prime diamond in the garland of jewels that brightly illumine the compassionate incarnations of Lord Dattātreya and the piercer of cloth like aggregate of illusory darkness in which the devotees are engulfed.
छायग्रहव्यसन पुत्र कलत्र बन्ध व्यामोहनक्रघन मृत्यु तिमिंगिलोग्रम् ।
संसार सागर मिमं सहसैव तर्तुं श्रीसत्यशायि तरणं शरणं प्रपद्ये ।।2।।
I take asylum in the boat, Śrī Satya Sai Baba, to cross this terrific worldly ocean that is full of shadow planets like bad habits, awful crocodiles like fascinating bonds in the form of children, spouse etc. and great death like whale.
व्यर्थप्रसङ्गमति दुर्विनियोगशक्ति निस्सार जीव निवहोद्धरणाय जातम् ।
सृष्टिस्थिति प्रलय हेतु कृत त्रिमूर्तिं श्रीसत्यशायि तरुणं शरणं प्रपद्ये ।।3।।
My limited energies are totally ruined in the futile words, futile thoughts and futile deeds. I take asylum in the adolescent, Śrī Satya Sai Baba, Who is incarnated on this earth resulting as the trinity – Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara to create, maintain and withdraw all worlds and to uplift the squeezed souls.
ब्रह्मर्षि शेखर समुल्लस दन्तरङ्ग केदारपाक करशीकर कारणाभ्रम् ।
भक्तप्रमोद नवशीतल वातहेतुं श्रीसत्यशायि वरुणं शरणं प्रपद्ये ।।4।।
I take asylum in Śrī Satya Sai Baba Who is raining Varuṇa like the sky raining to cultivate the wet land like merry minds of the excellent among the Brahmarṣis and giving the cool breeze that highly pleases the great devotees.
श्रीशङ्ख चक्र जलजादि पवित्ररेखा संलक्षितं श्रितजनावनबद्ध दीक्षम् ।
अज्ञानरात्रि गमनोदय फुल्लपद्मं श्रीसत्यशायि चरणं शरणं प्रपद्ये ।।5।।
I take asylum at the holy feet of Śrī Satya Sai Baba, which are endowed with the pious lines of auspicious conch (śaṅkha), sudarśana wheel (cakra), lotus (padma), which are committed to protect the devotees took refuge at them, which are like the beautiful lotus that blossomed in the early morning after passing of the ignorance like darkness.
माया कलि प्रबल काल घनाघनाभ्र च्छेदागत स्फुट तटित्तति हेति तीक्ष्णम् ।
कैवल्य मार्ग कलना सहकारि दिव्यं श्रीसत्यशायि किरणं शरणं प्रपद्ये ।।6।।
I take asylum in the divine radiant ray, Śrī Satya Sai Baba, that pierces the illusory Kaliyuga appears in the form of black clouded sky, sharp stream like very bright and illuminating lightening, that which show us the path to ultimate salvation.
नाना व्यथाविकलित श्रित कर्मपाक – पीडाफल ग्रहण दुःख सुखानुभूतिम् ।
प्रेम प्रसन्न जलधिं रस सार्वभौमं श्रीसत्यशायि करुणं शरणं प्रपद्ये ।।7।।
I take asylum in the compassion of Śrī Satya Sai Baba, Who happily enjoys the fruits of the prārabdha karma of the disturbed devotees tormented by pain, the pleasant ocean of love, the best of the nine rasas (nava rasas).
प्रेमावतार समुपाश्रय साधनान्त सायुज्य तत्पर महोन्नत भक्तबृन्दैः ।
आत्मीय भाव विमलैः कृतमेकभाग्यं श्रीसत्यशायि वरणं शरणं प्रपद्ये ।।8।।
I take asylum in Śrī Satya Sai Baba, Who is the fruit of the fate of the cordial and pure minded devotees who take asylum in the incarnation of the divine love, by spiritual practice to attain the sāyujya.
।।फलश्रुतिः।।
श्रीदत्तात्रेय भगवत् – वर्तमान शरीरिणम्
सत्यशायिन मालम्ब्य कैवल्यपदवीं व्रजेत् ।
श्रीसत्यशायि भगवत् अष्टकं दुःखनाशकम्
सप्तर्षिवाञ्छया कृष्ण-कृतं साधकसाधनम् ।।
Whoever takes asylum in Śrī Satya Sai Baba, that is the contemporary human incarnation of Bhagavān Dattātreya, attains the ultimate salvation. This Aṣṭakam of Śrī Satya Sai Baba penned by ‘Kṛṣna’ upon the request of the seven greatest sages (sapta maharṣis) becomes the right means to destroy all kinds of afflictions in the world.