In this verse Lord Datta’s infinite compassion as well as his true essence are highlighted.

Dīnabandhuṃ kṛpāsindhum sarva kāraṇa kāraṇaṃ ǀ

Sarva rakṣākaraṃ vande smaṛtrgāmi sano’vatu ǀǀ

Kṛpa sindhum: He is an ocean of compassion.

Who is eligible to be addressed in this manner?

Kṛpa means total compassion (karuna or daya). It means the heart melts at the sight of others’ sufferings.

Is this a good or a bad trait? Think for yourself.

Normally people feel compassionate towards their personal problems (self-pity) but when others are in trouble they do not feel it necessary to have feelings of compassion towards them. This is the rule upon which this world runs. To have compassion for one’s own problems is considered a good sign while compassion towards others is not considered a healthy sign. Feeling sorry when problems land upon the head and feeling jealous or criticizing others who are successful is a norm in this world. “Why should problems come only to me? Why should happiness visit other’s houses exactly when sad tidings have entered mine? Why did joy and happiness not enter my home?”- overcome with self-pity, people lament in this manner.

Why is it that when another is suffering, the thought- “O how sad! I wish this misfortune had not befallen him!” – did not arise within you? It is a pity that not many can empathize with others. It is wrong to think- “Oh, good luck has smiled at me. I don’t care if it has not favoured another as long as I have got what I want”. Do not encourage such habit.

Self pity is not the right definition for compassion. Having compassion only towards near and dear ones is also not correct. Anyone who distinguishes between friends and enemies (A is my friend, B is my enemy) also cannot have the right attitude towards compassion.

The right kind of compassion can be had only by that person who has no enemy and no friend in this world. Everyone is alike in His eyes. Such a person cannot shower his compassion only on a few while neglecting the others. Like the ocean, his compassion flows infinitely in every direction. Such a great being is addressed as ‘kṛpa sindhum’ i.e. ocean of compassion.

Deena bandhum: He is a relative for all who are in distress.

Needless to say, a Mahatma, who is an ocean of compassion, will have infinite compassion towards any person who is distressed and who is submerged in problems. Hence He is addressed as ‘Deena bandhum’.

In the previous verse we discussed that this Lord only comes to the aid of those who have surrendered to him totally (prapannārti haram). But it is not necessary that every person in distress surrenders to Him. How can he help these people who have not surrendered to him? How then can he be generalized as ‘a relative of all the poor and pitiable people (deena bandhum)?’ Let us analyze.

Any devout, pious, saint-like person does not have the heart to enjoy luxuries when others are deprived of it. Such a person before eating his food, will provide for those unlucky beings who couldn’t enjoy the luxury of food.

He will not say- “By God’s grace in our house there is plenty of food. Why should I worry about those who are starving? After all it is their bad karma which they have to face. What can I do about it?” He will try to help at least those who are in front of his eyes even though they have not asked for help. He will not be able to eat until he has fed them. If a saint-like person can have such feelings, then isn’t it natural that Datta, the Lord of all, will rush to the aid of all sufferers? To be truthful, even an ordinary selfish hard- hearted person cannot eat if he sees a beggar eyeing his food. Either he will hide and eat or will offer a few pieces of bread to that beggar before finishing his meal. If this is the behavior exhibited by an ordinary person, is it not natural that a saint rushes to help the distressed?

Now, why do people suffer? Two reasons can be attributed for the troubles/ sorrows experienced by people. It can be said that he/ she is reaping the results for the sinful deeds of the previous births or for those of the present birth. Let us assume a person with deep wisdom is able to know the reason for the suffering of another. He will be compassionate to that person who due to his wrongful actions of the present birth got entangled into problems and thus he will try to help him. He cannot help the person who got entangled into problems due to wrongful actions of previous births. Can he then be addressed as a Mahatma? No.

A Mahatma will show compassion towards a person in distress irrespective of the reason for the suffering. This is his speciality.

A child puts his hand into the fire. Will any mother say- “You deliberately put your hand into the fire. Now suffer the consequences.” She will give the required medication irrespective of whether the boy had put his hand knowingly or unknowingly. Likewise, a Mahatma will also try to help the suffering person irrespective of the cause behind. He will not say, “You brought these problems upon your head. I can’t help you.” He will not be selective in showing compassion or rendering help. If He were to be selective, why would people approach him? People approach him because he can resolve the problem or guide us in that path by which the problem will get resolved.

There is another important point to be noted here. A Mahatma will help irrespective of whether the person is deserving or not. This is a very important quality of a Mahatma. Just as a mother does not bother whether her son had placed his hand knowingly or unknowingly, the mahatma sees only the suffering of the being and not the cause/ reason behind the suffering. This is His limitless compassion.

The difference, if at all he shows, can be in only one point. He will allow that person, who had knowingly brought problems upon his head, to suffer a little, so that he realizes his mistakes. But in the case of that person who unknowingly got into trouble, he will rush to his rescue. Note that he helps both the types of people. It is just that in one case he rushes to the rescue and in the other, he will allow them to suffer slightly so that they do not repeat that mistake.

Why does this Lord help the undeserving? Does he lack common sense? No. He has the essence of that sense. That is why he helps all the people but the type of help offered is different.

If a virtuous/ saint-like person (sadhu purusha) suffers due to the troubles caused by others (when others trouble him), he instantly surrenders to the Lord as he understands the significance of surrender. He realizes that the arrogance within is preventing him from surrendering. That is why the Lord also instantly rushes to his rescue. Recollect how the Lord rushed to rescue Draupadi or Prahlada. For rendering such help, the Lord is addressed as ‘prapannārti hara’.

Those who admit that ‘their own actions of the past, be it in this birth or a previous birth, are the cause for their present day suffering, who take responsibility for the same and who repent truly for the sins committed by them are naturally inclined towards surrendering. They automatically surrender to the Lord. The moment a person realizes- ‘I was responsible for this misfortune, my actions of the past have led to this suffering today’, he automatically repents and surrenders to the Lord.

It is not the case with that person who lacks this realization. Such a person does not realize that his karma is responsible for his misfortune. Such a person cannot surrender. He will keep asking for help and yet at the same time will continue to argue his point. It is a strange situation. It is like going to a doctor and saying- “Doctor, I have no faith in you. I do not believe in your method of treatment or in the medication you are going to give. But I want to recover at the earliest. Please help.” How can the doctor help such a patient? Why should the doctor offer to treat such a patient? If the doctor refuses to treat, the patient argues- “you are a doctor. To treat patients is your duty. So help me.”

“O Sadguru, I will not surrender to you. I will not bow down before you nor will I give you any respect. But then give me liberation.” What madness is this! The only compassion that can be shown towards such people is to direct them towards a mental hospital. Apart from that, even God cannot help such persons.

On the contrary, those who surrender by admitting that their actions led to their present state, can be helped easily. By increasing their patience (sahana shakti) and concentration (ekagrata shakti) and by increasing the degree of faith and courage in them, their problems can be dissolved. The Lord also strives to help such persons and dispel their sorrows.

We have discussed that the Lord helps people of every nature, but the kind of help differs. The help offered to Bheeshma Pitamaha and Bheema stand as an example for this.

In order to prove his might, once Bheema foolishly threw his mace up in the air and waited for it to land on his chest. He would have been smashed under the weight of the mace. So instantly the Lord came to his rescue and protected him.

When Bheeshma Pitamaha was lying on the bed of arrows, Lord Krishna visited him. Bheeshma Pitamaha had surrendered totally to Him. The Lord ensured that, through the medium of Arjuna’s arrow, the water from Ganga reaches Bheeshma’s mouth. He further initiated him into Jnana.

There is a sea of difference between Bheeshma Pitamaha and Bheema. Bheeshma Pitamaha realized his mistakes and with feelings of total repentance, surrendered to the Lord. The Lord protected him. Bheema, on the other hand, unknowingly committed a mistake. He had implicit faith in his bhakti. If the Lord had not stepped in, Bheema would have been reduced to pieces. To Bheema the Lord gave advice. To Bheeshma, He gave jnana. Thus He protected both, but in different ways.

He considers even those who are suffering (deena) but who do not get this realization, also as his relatives. He helps them. That is why He is ‘deena bandhum”. That is the Lord’s trait.

Even an ordinary doctor gives medication to that patient who openly declares that he has no faith in him but seeks medication. If a doctor, who is an ordinary being, can have such noble feelings, what more can be said about the Supreme Lord? He is therefore ‘deena bandhu’. It should be noted here that he will not reduce the punishment in such cases. He will gradually introduce them to satsangatya (good association). In small doses simultaneously he will give them punishment. Due to this true satsangatya, he ensures that they are gradually inclined towards dharma. He will also infuse jnana in little doses to them. Through these, He will ensure that their sins are gradually dissolved and ultimately He blesses them with permanent protection.

Even in the case of demons such as Ravana and Hiranyaksha, the Lord followed these principles. Even though Ravana had committed a crime, he gave him protection (rakshana), ensured that he learnt his lessons (sikshana) and then punished him (siksha). He did the same with Hiranyaksha and other demons. He did not destroy them. He punished and then protected them.

With this it is clarified that he helps one and all, irrespective of whether he has surrendered or not. The type of help is different, that’s all.

Sarva rakṣākaraṃ: He helps everybody.

From this we now understand that irrespective of whether a person surrenders or not, the Lord helps him. The words ‘Prapannarti haram (dispeller of the grief of those who have surrendered)’ and ‘deena bandhum (relative of all who are in distress)’ are not opposed to each other. Both are true. The only difference is that where a person surrenders, He quickly grants them enlightenment. In others, he helps and gradually through various methods ensures that they turn into his devotees. He causes the transformation so that the devotee surrenders totally.

What knowledge did Dhruva have? The little boy knew nothing. After appearing before him, the Lord wrote the seed letters on the boy’s tongue and through this got the boy to praise him. The Lord himself gave him enlightenment.

In between these two pharases ‘Kṛpa sindhum’ and ‘sarva rakṣkaram’, comes a phrase that is of great significance:

Sarva kāraṇa kāraṇaṃ:

This explains the essence of that Supreme Lord or His real form.

In this world, every action necessarily has a cause behind it. All these worldly objects emerge from the five basic elements (pancha bhootas). In other words, the pancha bhootas are the cause (kārana) for their existence. Now, what is the cause for the existence of these five elements? The Lord is the cause for the existence of these basic elements. In simple words, our Lord Dattatreya is the cause for everything in this creation. He is Sarva kāraṇa kāraṇaṃ.

Vande: To such a Lord, I bow.

Smaṛtṛgāmi sanovatu- May that Lord who responds instantly when called, protect us all!

This phrase Smaṛtṛgāmi sanovatu is the crown and needs constant recollection.

To understand the essence contained in the second verse, one should delve deeply into the story of Kartaviryarjuna and Parasurama. What happens before and after surrender? How does the Lord help? All these will be understood very clearly from their stories.

Kartavirya and Parasurama were enemies but both had Dattatreya as their Guru. One was a devotee and the other was not. It was not that the other did not have devotion, his type of devotion was different, that’s all. Without the knowledge of the other, both of them ultimately sought refuge and surrendered to Guru Datta. The all-knowing Lord helped them both but in different ways. Both of them were unaware that they had surrendered to the Lord. They fought bitterly. He protected them both. To one He granted jeevanmukti (liberation when living); the other left his human body and thereafter achieved supreme state. Kartavirya was relieved of his curse and he returned back to heaven. Parasurama was relieved of his anger and was transformed into a Brahmarishi. He showered boons on both. Both were blessed with yoga.

To the Lord, there is no enemy. That is why he could love both of them equally and bring about a transformation in their tendencies.

In the similar manner, he causes a change in tendencies and brings about transformation in every being- irrespective of whether they have surrendered or not.

At every stage in this hymn, the words smartṛgāmi sanovatu must be recollected. They are the key points of this entire hymn.