This is a special verse with very deep meaning. Datta stavam is an ashtakam (hymn comprising of 8 verses). This is the last verse of this ashtakam. In this verse, what a human being should in-reality seek through prayers is being explained.

Janma samsāra bandhagnaṃ swaroopānanda dāyakaṃ ǀ

Niḥśreyasa padaṃ vande smaṛtrgāmi sano’vatu ǀǀ

In the earlier stanzas we prayed that grief/ difficulties be destroyed and that we should be blessed with comforts. In order to attain fulfillment in this life, we should with feelings of surrender, pray to that Lord, “O Lord, this repeated cycle of births and deaths (samsara) has become bondage for me. Please relieve me from this bondage.”

Laughing for a while and grieving for a while are part of this samsara. One second we enjoy; the next second we are depressed. At times we say life is great while at other times we call it a burden. Life is full of ups and downs and they bind us completely.

Janma samsara bandhagnam: Lord Datta relieves us from this repeated cycle of births and death.

This is a continuous cycle of births without any break. It is never ending parampara. This samsara is a self-propelling machine (swayam chālita yantra). There is no mechanism by which it can be brought to a halt. Neither does it deplete nor does this machine ever fail. So it rotates endlessly. One birth follows another in a never ending pattern. We have been travelling endlessly. In this lifetime we are born here. During other lifetimes we were born to different parents, in different countries and have spoken different languages. At other times we were born as mute animals.

In a short period of time while we are on earth, we build attachments. A couple married for just about a week claim to be inseparable from each other. What is this, if not māya? The couple pledges to never separate in every lifetime. But yet, just after the birth of a child, they are ready for divorce. Is it nice? It was Paramatma’s intention due to which both of them were united. How can they think in this manner?

Our feelings are fleeting and temporary. There is no true love and feelings. The word ‘thanks’ has replaced all genuine feelings. Even a husband and wife thank each other for every trivial help. Where is genuine love?

This is māya (illusion). Only that Lord has the statistical records of all our births. Lord Datta has the brakes; He has the remote controls through which he can bring this cycle to a grinding halt. That is His greatness.

Commonly people think that samsara is just married life with its ups and downs but in reality taking birth itself is samsara! This samsara is like an unimaginably huge tree with infinite branches, countless fruits and flowers.

Ramana Maharishi had said, “Repeated births are itself a cancer.” From this one can understand how dangerous it is.

Be it the life of a Brahmachari, householder or sanyasi, this birth is a samsara. In this samsara which is beyond our control, we add bondages and buy problems. We are worried about this worldly samsara that we forget to think about the bigger samsara. “Oh, I don’t have kids; I have not earned sufficient profits” in this manner worries and attachments of this trivial temporary samsara eat away our time. You have brought it upon yourself and are seeking to push the blame on God. Never try to argue with God- “you gave hence I am struck”. It is wrong. He will say- “you asked for it, hence I gave it to you”.

At the same time there are sadhakas who seek that they should never die and try to accomplish this. This is also wrong. A sadhaka can pray to be spared from re-birth but he should never seek to escape death. Whether he chooses or not, death is inevitable. Re-birth is what you can escape. Hence it is right to pray that you should be spared from re-birth. After living for a long period of time the being gets bored with this life. How then can we seek to live for 600-800 years in this body?

Namadeva had prayed, “O Lord, if at all I need to be re-born, please ensure that I am born amongst sadhakas. I need a chance to think of you.”

Do not seek re-birth only for enjoying luxuries. For having been born, use this life for God’s seva. “In every birth I should remain as your servant, O Lord. It does not matter how many ever births I take, as long as I remain your ardent servant”- we should pray in this manner. We should as far as possible, not seek re-birth. It is janma (birth) that binds the being. Death never binds the being. All bondages began only because we decided to be born. With practice, determination and good association, bad habits can perhaps be overcome, but bondage called janma (janma samsara) cannot be cut so easily.

It is impossible to earn this state with our own self efforts. Only Lord Datta can bring it to a halt. Hence we should beg Him to grant us this.

Swaroopānanda dāyakaṃ: He showers the bliss, which is our own true inherent inner bliss.

When the bondage called janma is cut, all that remains is ananda (bliss), which is the true inherent state of every being.

When a delicious mango is tasted, the tongue enjoys unexplainable bliss. The person drowns himself in this bliss for a long time. Good music brings divine bliss to the ear. When another person praises you profusely, the mind soaks in that bliss. “It was all because of my intelligence/ capabilities. Thank you for recognizing my capacities. At least you recognized me” people say. Generally people do not admit that it was God who got the task completed through them as the medium. They do not openly and wholeheartedly admit God’s role in it. No one says, “Please do not praise me. Praise that Lord”.

We should not allow others to praise us as it boosts our ego. But this ego boosting gives bliss to the mind. We discussed three types of bliss- the bliss enjoyed by the tongue, by the ear and by the mind. When the mind was experiencing bliss, the bliss enjoyed by the tongue was non-existent. In other words, when one form of bliss is being enjoyed, another form cannot exist. How can the ear enjoy good food? Likewise the tongue cannot enjoy the good music. Each of the five senses derive bliss only from those objects that are connected directly to it.

Now, what happens in the event a person decides to obtain/ know himself? At that point when he knows his true self, he realizes that ‘true bliss’ (ananda) is his natural state (swaroopa). At that point when this illusion and sorrow get wiped out, then all that remains is one’s true form. This form is bliss (ananda). Not only through various proofs but through direct experience he understands that bliss is his inherent nature.

Lord Datta takes us to this supreme state of experience! He is therefore addressed as ‘swaroopānanda dāyakam’- He shows to us that our inherent state (swaroopa) is true bliss (ananda)! We understand that our original form (swaroopam) is that which gives us bliss (ananda dāyakam).

Niḥśreyasa padam: Obtaining this true bliss is Niḥśreyasam. In other words it is liberation This is also known by many names moksha, nirvana, kaivalya, ātmaikya.

Until we reach we do not know about this stage. In other words, Datta himself is this ultimate state called Niśreyasa. He is liberation.

This sounds a bit queer, doesn’t it? If it is said that through worshipping Lord Datta a person reaches the state of liberation it perhaps makes sense, but then how can one declare that Lord Datta himself is liberation? We board a train to reach our destination. Can the train and destination be one and the same? Likewise Datta and liberation cannot be one and the same, people argue.

Now a potter bakes a clay pot. The pot is nothing but clay. Here the clay has become the pot or the pot is nothing but clay. Likewise, through worshipping Datta, a person becomes Datta. This is called ‘ahamgrahopasana’. To reach this state, a person is asked to perform Datta upasana.

In the Upanishads, it is said- sadā dattōha asmīti…” . It means he who believes himself to be Dattatreya, and with this firm belief behaves lovingly is not a samsari. Here it should be interpreted to mean that such people have ample opportunities to exit from the cycle of samsara (births and deaths).

We should understand that the person who truly believes, “I am Datta” and conducts upasana with this firm belief stands a chance to attain liberation. Just as the insect which watches the Bhramara bee in full fear and concentration transforms into the Bhramara bee, the person who conducts Datta upasana every minute transforms into Datta. His atma becomes Datta. He becomes the form of Paramatma. Upanishad declares that this state is ‘na samsari’ or moksha.

From this Upanishad statement we understand that ‘becoming Datta” and “attaining liberation” are one and the same. The upasaka transforms into Datta just as the clay transforms into pot, pans and various other clay articles. When any of these articles break, the broken parts merge into the clay. Only clay remains. Likewise beings have created lot of assumptions around themselves- I am a man, I am a woman, I am a king, I am a servant etc. When all his earlier imaginations, assumptions and beliefs vanish, the upasaka merges into Datta. He merges into that from which he originated. Only Datta remains. This is called moksha.

This is the last verse in the hymn (ashtakam). This ashtakam destroys all forms of grief and difficulties (aśṭa- kaśṭā). This last verse explains the final destination of a human birth.

Vande: To this Lord we offer our obeisance.

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

Now we will discuss the final concluding verse, which explains the results of reciting this mantra. This is the mangala vācaka.