।।गुरुदत्त शरणाष्टकम्।।
।।Guru Datta Śaraṇāṣṭakam।।

(Composed by His Holiness Shri Dattaswami)

सकलं परचक्र परिभ्रमणं
मनुते परमात्म कथाश्रवणः ।
ननु यो विनुत स्तनुते स सुखं
भव दत्त गुरूत्तम! मे शरणम् ।।१।।

Sakalaṃ Paracakra paribhramaṇaṃ
Manute Paramātma kathāśravaṇaḥ ।
Nanu Yo Vinuta stanute Sa Sukhaṃ
Bhava Datta Gurūttama! Me Śaraṇam ।।1।।

Whoever realizes by listening to Your glorious and divine actions that rotate this entire world like Your wheel, he becomes famous and spreads happiness in humanity. O Lord Datta, the greatest preacher of preachers, give Me asylum at Your holy lotus feet!

अदयं हृदयं भवदीयमतेः
उदयाब्जमिदं भ्रमरस्तु भवान् ।
अरविन्द मरंद सुनन्दरुचिः
भव दत्त गुरूत्तम! मे शरणम् ।।२।।

Adayaṃ Hṛdayaṃ Bhavadīyamateḥ
Udayābjamidaṃ Bhramarastu Bhavān ।
Aravinda maraṃda sunandaruciḥ
Bhava Datta Gurūttama! Me Śaraṇam ।।2।।

By Your correlated universal spirituality, this merciless heart of mine has become a morning-blossoming lotus. You are the only black bee drinking the tasty nectar like devotion from this pleasing coloured lotus. O Lord Datta, the greatest preacher of preachers! Give Me asylum at Your holy lotus feet.

तव नामतनू मनसि स्मरतः
जगदेत दभाव दशां विशति ।
सुखदुःख मुखद्वय खादनवान्
भव दत्त गुरूत्तम! मे शरणम् ।।३।।

Tava Nāmatanū Manasi Smarataḥ
Jagadeta dabhāva Daśāṃ Viśati ।
Sukhaduḥkha mukhadvaya Khādanavān
Bhava Datta Gurūttama! Me Śaraṇam ।।3।।

By contemplating on Your name and beautiful form in mind, this entire world will enter into eternal unreality. You are the only one Who is quite balanced both in the pain and the pleasure. O Lord Datta, the greatest preacher of preachers! Give Me asylum at Your holy lotus feet.

य उदर्करुगंबर मञ्चति वै
स भवन्त मनन्तिम शान्तिमयेत् ।
परमेति परात्पर मत्रिसुतं
भव दत्त गुरूत्तम! मे शरणम् ।।४।।

Ya Udarkarugaṃbara Mañcati Vai
Sa Bhavanta Manantima Śāntimayet ।
Parameti Parātpara Matrisutaṃ
Bhava Datta Gurūttama! Me Śaraṇam ।।4।।

When one who sees God clad in the morning sunlight like saffron cloth, such a person will attain eternal peace. Later on, one would attain the ultimate absolute reality, God Dattatreya, called the son of sage Atri. O Lord Datta, the greatest preacher of preachers! Give Me asylum at Your holy lotus feet.

भवता भवताप मपाहरते
हरहर्यज रूपवता जनता ।
सरयोन्नय मामनयं निरयात्
भव दत्त गुरूत्तम! मे शरणम् ।।५।।

Bhavatā Bhavatāpa Mapāharate
Haraharyaja Rūpavatā Janatā ।
Sarayonnaya Māmanayaṃ Nirayāt
Bhava Datta Gurūttama! Me Śaraṇam ।।5।।

Humanity eliminates the grief related to this birth with the help of Your three beautiful divine forms called the divine Trinity. Quickly lift Me up, an unethical fellow, from the hell. O Lord Datta, the greatest preacher of preachers! Give Me asylum at Your holy lotus feet.

उपदेशविधे! प्रणयेन हरे!
शिव! सिद्धिभिरुद्धत! बद्धमिमम् ।
सकृदुद्धर विद्ध मनद्धगुणैः
भव दत्त गुरूत्तम! मे शरणम् ।।६।।

Upadeśavidhe! Praṇayena Hare!
Śiva! Siddhibhiruddhata! Baddhamimam ।
Sakṛduddhara Viddha Manaddhaguṇaiḥ
Bhava Datta Gurūttama! Me Śaraṇam ।।6।।

I am bound by the worldly bonds. By knowledge, O Brahma Datta; by love, O Vishnu Datta; by showing excessive miracles, O Shiva Datta, release Me at once who is drilled by the bad qualities. O Lord Datta, the greatest preacher of preachers! Give Me asylum at Your holy lotus feet.

सृजता वहता हरता भवता
न परेण परात्म समग्रकथा ।
निगमै रगम द्बहिरेहि विभो!
भव दत्त गुरूत्तम! मे शरणम् ।।७।।

Sṛjatā Vahatā Haratā Bhavatā
Na Pareṇa Parātma samagrakathā ।
Nigamai Ragama dbahirehi Vibho!
Bhava Datta Gurūttama! Me Śaraṇam ।।7।।

We know this much that You, the closest to us, being the absolute reality, function in three divine forms in creating, maintaining and destroying the worlds. But, the entire knowledge about You except Your unimaginable nature, could be revealed by the Vedas due to Your grace. O omnipotent God! Kindly reveal more about You. O Lord Datta, the greatest preacher of preachers! Give Me asylum at Your holy lotus feet.

इति दत्तकृताष्टकमिष्टकरं
प्रपठ न्न शठः कठशिष्य हठः ।
अयते प्रयतो यतिराजमतिं
भव दत्त गुरूत्तम! मे शरणम् ।।८।।

Iti Dattakṛtāṣṭakamiṣṭakaraṃ
Prapaṭha nna Śaṭhaḥ Kaṭhaśiṣya haṭhaḥ ।
Ayate Prayato Yatirājamatiṃ
Bhava Datta Gurūttama! Me Śaraṇam ।।8।।

Like this, if the pure devotee is honest and not rigid in a foolish way, with the help of right conviction like Nachiketa’s, does continuous recitation of this pleasing prayer of eight verses (aṣṭakam) written by Lord Datta Himself, would attain the spiritual knowledge of God Datta by His grace, Who is the King of saints. O Lord Datta, the greatest preacher of preachers! Give Me asylum at Your holy lotus feet.