Posted on: 10 May 2021
प्रवृत्ति निवृत्ति शाखा द्वयम् ,
वन्दे दत्तं वेद वृक्षम् (पल्लवी)
pravṛtti nivṛtti śākhā dvayam,
vande dattaṃ veda vṛkṣam (Chorus)
I salute Datta, who is the tree of the Veda scripture having the two branches like hands called Pravṛtti or worldly life and Nivṛtti or Spiritual life.
प्रवृत्तौ धर्म एव तव काम्यः,
निवृत्तौ तव काम्य एव धर्मः ।
pravṛttau dharma eva tava kāmyaḥ,
nivṛttau tava kāmya eva dharmaḥ ।
In worldly life, the justice only is your like. In spiritual life, your like is only the justice.
प्रवृत्ति रधर्मोपरि स धर्मो,
निवृत्ति रस्योपरि परमात्मा ।
pravṛtti radharmopari sa dharmo,
nivṛtti rasyopari paramātmā ।
In worldly life, justice is above the injustice. In spiritual life, God is above even justice.
प्रवृत्ति रुर्व्यां निर्मित मूलम्,
निवृत्ति राकाशग सौधाग्रम् ।।
pravṛtti rurvyāṃ nirmita mūlam,
nivṛtti rākāśaga saudhāgram ।।
Worldly life is the construction of foundation hidden in the earth whereas spiritual life is the top floor of the building that is touching the sky.
दयामय श्री दत्तात्रेय!
ज्ञानं भक्तिं सेवां देहि । (पल्लवी)
dayāmaya śrī dattātreya!
jñānaṃ bhaktiṃ sevāṃ dehi । (Chorus)
Oh embodiment of kindness! Śrī Dattātreya! Please give Me spiritual knowledge, devotion and opportunity to serve You practically.
ज्ञाता जीवो देवो न खलु,
परा प्रकृति रिति गीयते किल ।
jñātā jīvo devo na khalu
parā prakṛti riti gīyate kila ।
The knower is the individual soul. It is not the God. In the Gītā, the soul is said to be Parāprakṛti or the best part of creation only.
ज्ञानं मार्गो ज्ञानभक्त्या
कर्म च फलित त्यागो भवति ।
jñānaṃ mārgo jñānabhaktyā
karma ca phalita tyāgo bhavati ।
Knowledge is the path through which soul attains God. Such path is spiritual knowledge and devotion by which service and sacrifice of fruit of work are done to God.
ज्ञेयमनूह्यं सोपाधिकं तु
सेव्यं नॄणां नरावतारी ।।
jñeyamanūhyaṃ sopādhikaṃ tu
sevyaṃ nṝṇāṃ narāvatārī ।।
The knowable goal is unimaginable Parabrahman. But, when such God is mediated, we can serve Him. For humanity such mediated God is the unimaginable God mediated with human body.
दत्तात्रेया दन्यत् तुच्छम्,
दत्तात्रेया दन्यदसत्यम् । (पल्लवी)
dattātreyā danyat tuccham,
dattātreyā danyadasatyam । (Chorus)
Anything other than Dattātreya is worst waste. Anything other than Dattātreya is not absolute reality.
जाटजूट मुख लोचन षट्कम्,
तर्क जटिल षट् शास्त्र ज्ञानम् ।
jāṭa jūṭa mukha locana ṣaṭkam,
tarka jaṭila ṣaṭ śāstra jñānam ।
The rigidly matted tufts on the three heads with the below six eyes of three faces indicate the complicated logic with the spiritual knowledge of six holy secondary scriptures. The head and face stand for intellect or Jñāna yoga.
काषायाम्बर रागो वर्णः,
पक्वभक्ति रनुरागो हृदयम् ।
kāṣāyāmbara rāgo varṇaḥ,
pakvabhakti ranurāgo hṛdayam ।
Below next to the above, the red cloth indicates the heart or mind with love or devotion with pink colour, which is Bhakti yoga.
पादुके च तव वदतः कर्म च,
फलित त्यागं कर्म योगम् ।।
pāduke ca tava vadataḥ karma ca,
phalita tyāgaṃ karma yogam ।।
Below next to the above both, Your two wooden chappals indicate the practical action called Karma yoga. One chappal indicates the sacrifice of service or Karma Saṃnyāsa and the other chappal indicates the sacrifice of fruit of work or karmaphala tyāga. In sequence from top to bottom Jñāna Yoga of intelligence, Bhakti Yoga of heart or mind and Karma Yoga of practical action are indicated as the essential form of God Dattātreya. Jñāna yoga, Bhakti yoga and Karma yoga come one after the other like the sequence of their founders, who are Śaṇkarācārya (Śiva), Ramānujācārya (Viṣṇu) and Madhvācārya (Brahmā).