अत्रिजं शङ्करं ब्रह्मनारायणम् ।
सर्व देवात्मकं दत्तदेवं गुरुम् ॥ (पल्लवी)
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.
इन्दिरा मन्दिरं पार्वती नायकं – भारती वल्लभं धर्मधेन्वाश्रयम् ।
शङ्खचक्रान्वितं शूलढक्काधरं – पात्रमालाकरं प्राणनाथं भजे ॥
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.
पावनै रागमै स्सारमेयायितैः – पादपद्मावृतै र्मन्त्र मन्द्र स्वरैः ।
सञ्चलद्भिश्शनैः सञ्चलन्तं विभुं – त्र्याननं षट्करं योगिराजं भजे ॥
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.
केवलं निर्गुणं मूर्तिभूतं जगत् – सृष्टि रक्षालया धार हेतो स्त्रिधा ।
अत्रिणा प्रार्थितं युक्त मूर्ति त्रयं – दृष्ट मेकं पुन स्तं त्रिमूर्त्याननम् ॥
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.
मातृभावानसूयाकृते गर्भजं – दृष्ट बालत्रयं युक्तमेकं सकृत् ।
ब्रह्मचर्यव्रतं दण्डपाणिं वटुं – तापसैः प्रस्थितं वृद्ध शिष्यैर्भजे ॥
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.
हंसवाहं क्वचित् पक्षिराड्वाहनं – नन्दिना वा क्वचित् सञ्चरन्तं विभुम् ।
नास्तिकानां मतं नाशयन्तं सदा – पण्डिता खण्डलं स्तौमि योगीश्वरम् ॥
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.