Once Brahma the creator asked Lord Narayana about the efficacy of the taaraka-mantra to which the latter replied:
“Always think of Me and My glory, and be in commune with Me in the attitude ‘I am Datta, the great Lord.’ Such ones who medidate thus do not swirl in the ver-recurring course of worldly existence.”
Accordingly, after meditating on Lord Vishnu (Dattatreya), Brahma said: “Yes. The Brahman that is the infinite and peerless alone remains as the residuum after negation of everything else.”
The one-, six-, eight-, twelve-, and sixteen-syllabled mantras of Dattaatreya
The taaraka monosyllable is ‘Daam’. He is the haMsa established in all beings. ‘Daam’ in the lengthened form is the Paramaatman. The six syllabled one is ‘OM, Shriim, Hriim, Kliim, Glaum, Draam.
The eight-syllabled one is ‘Dram’ or ‘Draam’ and then adding to it the syllables ‘Dat, taa, tre, yaa, na, maaH.” The portion ‘Dattatreya’ is of the character of knowledge, existence, and bliss, and that of namaH is of full- blown bliss.
The twelve-syllabled formula is ‘Om, Aam, Hriim, Krom, ehi Dattatreya svaahaa.’ The sixteen-syllabled formula is Om, Aim, Krom, Kliim, Cluum, Hraam, Hriim, Hruum, Saum (nine) and the five syllables constituting Dattaatreyaaya, and the twin syllable svaahaa. The whole formula is ‘Om, Aim, Krom, Kliim, Cluum, Hraam, Hriim, Hruum, Saum Dattaatreyaaya svaahaa.’
The anushhtubh-mantra of Dattaatreya
All the portions of the mantra are said to be in the vocative forms right through as ‘Dattaatreya Hare KRshhNa unmataananda-daayaka, digambara, mune, baala, pishaaca, jn~aana saagara.’
The moola-mantra of Dattaatreya
This is then given as:
‘OM namo bhagavate Dattaatreyaaya, smarana-maatra-samtushhtaaya
OM salutations unto Lord Dattatreya who is propitiated by remembrance (devotion),
mahaa-bhaya-nirvaanaaya, mahaa-gyaaana-pradaaya, cidaanandaatmane
that is the dispeller of great fears, who bestows the highest character of sentience and bliss
baalonmatta-pishaaca-veshaaya’
who is in the guise of a child, a mad-man, a devil, thus:
mahaa yogine avadhuutaya, anasuuyaananda-vardhanaayatri-putraya
a great yogin, is the enhancer of the bliss of Anasuya (His mother), is the son of the sage Atri,
sarva-kaama-phala-pradaaya, bhava-bandha-mocanaaya,
who bestows the fruits of all the desires of the devotee’s heart, the redeemer of the bonds of worldy existence,
sakala-vibhuuti-daaya saadhyakarshhaNaaya sarva-manaH-kshhobhaNaaya, ciram- jiivane vashi-kuru, vashi-kuru, aakarshhaya-akarshhaya, vidveshhaya, vidveshhaya, uccaaTaya-uccaaTaaya, stambhaya-stambhaya, maaraya-maaraya namaH, saMpannaaya, namaH saMpannaaya, svaahaa poshhaya, poshhaya, para-mantra para-yantra para tantraaMshh ccindhi, ccindhi;
grahaan nivaaraya; nivaaraya; vyaadhiin nivaaraya, nivaaraya; duHkhaM haraya, haraya; daaridryam vidraavaya, dehaM poshhaya, poshhaya; citttam toshhaya, toshhaya:
Do thou counteract the malignant influences of the planets, cure the ailments, drive off anguish, melt away all penury, fill the mind with joy
sarva mantra sarva yantra sarva tantra sarva pallava svaruupaaya iti Om namah shivaaya. Om
.unto Thee of the real form of incantations, all mystic symbols and powers, etc. OM salutations!
OM salutations unto Lord Dattatreya who is propitiated by remembrance (devotion), that is the dispeller of great fears, who bestows the highest character of sentience and bliss and who is in the guise of a child, a mad- man, a devil, a great yoin, is the enhancer of the bliss of Anasuya (His mother), is the son of the sage Atri, who bestows the fruits of all the desires of the devotee’s heart, the redeemer of the bonds of worldy existence, ..Do thou nourish my body, counteract the malignant influences of the planets, cure the ailments, drive off anguish, melt away all penury, fill the mind with joy…unto Thee of the real form of incantations, all mystic symbols and powers, etc. OM salutations!
He who knows all about this vidyaa and practices this becomes holy, and he attains the fruits of having muttered the Gayatri, the Mahaarudra, and the PraNava innumerable times, and he is absolved of all his sins.
Thus ends Dattatreya Upanisad.
