Jaya lābha yaśaḥ kāma dātur-dattasya yaḥ stavam ǀ

Bhoga mokṣa pradasyeyam prapaṭet sakṛtī bhavet ǀǀ

This is the phala śruti (results of chanting) for this hymn.

People in general seek instantaneous results and hence this verse explains such results. These are people who want some prasadam or the other. They are not satisfied with kumkum, vibhooti given in temples; they are on the lookout for edible prasadam. They are willing to buy prasadam from the shop but they feel incomplete without reward for their temple visit.

Yet, there are some zealous devotees who state- we do not seek any results for our prayers. We have prayed without any selfish motives and hence we will not recite this 9th verse. These are people who refuse prasadam given at the temple, refuse teertham and refuse to wear the kumkum / vibhooti offered at temples as they consider them to be the results for their prayers. While these are admirable traits, what the person does not realize is that all these form part of his prayers. Sitting in temple, accepting the flower, kumkum, vibhuti, kalkand that is offered there is part of the prayer. It should be considered as archana to the Lord. These are phala śruti.

While not seeking results for prayers (phala) is admirable, not wishing to chant phala sruti is wrong. This phala śruti is also part of the mantra and hence should be mandatorily recited. Even if the person knowingly did not seek any results for his prayer, he should still remember that he had sought relief from re-birth (janma samsāra bandhagnam). As such this phala śruti should be recited.

By chanting this phala śruti, your inclination towards the presiding deity of this mantra will strengthen. In other words, phala śruti is the hymn for this hymn. It is in itself a hymn which emphasizes the power contained in this hymn.

In the temple we look up in awe at the tall gopurams. When we thus look up in awe, it implies that the greatness of that deity has pervaded the entire air/ space (pervaded everywhere). It means that He is everywhere. But when you enter the temple precincts, the idol is tiny. We have to bend to enter into the tiny inner sanctum and to bow to Him. The idol is small but the greatness is all-pervading! Similarly this phyla śruti explains the importance and greatness of this hymn.

Jaya lābha yaśaḥ kāma dāturdattasya yaḥ stavam: Lord Datta blesses his devotees with victory, success, fame and fulfillment of their desires, when this Datta stavam is recited. This is His trait.

Bhoga moksha prada syeyam: He blesses his devotees with comforts in this world as well as with liberation.

Prapaṭet sakṛti bhavet: When chanted incessantly, it blesses the person with everything he had sought.

Prapaṭet means chanting (the hymn) repeatedly. This is of two types- chanting repeatedly as a pārāyana and side by side trying to understand the meaning when chanting. Only when both these methods are combined, it can be said that the person is chanting with concentration. Then it is true prapaṭanam.

We should try to understand the meaning of the hymn we are chanting. When Bhagavan Veda Vyasa was searching for the right person who could, at high speed, note down the verses of Mahabharata as he chanted, Ganapati’s name was recommended. In speed, Ganapati was matchless. Even before Maharishi Vyasa could complete one verse, Ganapati could finish writing it. Ganapati agreed to write but on one condition- “If there is a situation wherein I need to pause during writing, I will simply walk away”- He said. Maharishi Vyasa, while agreeing to this, put forth a counter condition- “You should understand what I am saying and then write”. Based on this agreement, Ganapati had to understand the verse first and then write.

Just because they are asked to chant the hymn, people in general, keep their concentration elsewhere and chant routinely. They will notice all the passersby; they will focus on all that what is happening around them while they are chanting. Such chanting serves no purpose. It is the same when people are chanting/ writing ‘Srimata’. If they observe the puja and write, there is no sin. But as they write they observe who is seated where, who gets up in between, who is talking to whom, the arguments between people. Hand that is accustomed to writing Srimata routinely continues to do so. As they write, they also gossip over their mobile phones. How can such chanting/ writing be acceptable? In fact it is a sin; a dosha. Concentration should be fixed upon the Divine Mother when writing Srimata.

Here the word prapaṭanam has been used to signify this. While chanting in large numbers it should be ensured that every chanting is with the proper understanding of the meaning contained in it.

What is the benefit of prapaṭanam?

Lord Datta rewards such devotees with ‘sakṛti bhavet’. It means he becomes a kṛtakrtya i.e. a person who does exactly what needs to be done by him.

In accordance to the result a person seeks, he should work. A person desirous of eating rice should buy rice grains and not wheat grains. To eat ragi mudda, he should bring ragi grains. When he wants to eat ragi mudda, what is the use of buying wheat? In other words, based on returns expected, work should be done.

But in case of Lord Datta this rule is inapplicable. To obtain anything, be it -victory (jaya), profits (lābha), fame or liberation it is adequate to chant this Datta stava. Do prapaṭanam as explained above. With such chanting, you will become a krtakrtya. Then every desire of yours will be fulfilled.

Datta Stava is thus a supreme composition. Such is the greatness of this hymn. By explaining the greatness of Lord Datta through this phala śruti, Swami Vasudevananda Saraswati is sending across another message to us. What is it?

First of all there is no need for the individual to entertain any desire. If at all he has a desire, then there is no need to go in search of a deity who will fulfill it. Forget all about desires. Go on chanting ‘Datta Stava’ repeatedly. Your jobs will all get done.

It is said that for every desire there is a separate mantra/ separate deity. But in this case, it is said –forget about desires and instead go on chanting Datta Stava. Datta will take care of everything. This should be the manner in which Datta devotees should pray to Datta.

In even in the Guru- shishya relationship, instead of the devotee seeking fulfillment of any particular desires, it is better for him to pray- “O Sadguru deva! You know what is right for me. Therefore please grant what You think is best for me.” If you seek fulfillment of particular desire, then there is a limitation. He will fulfill only that and be quiet. You will have to chase Him again if you need another desire; but then He may not be available. Hence it is better to leave everything to His discretion. “Give me only that what is rightfully due to me. You know what I seek. When I do not know how much to eat, how can I know what to seek? Due to my selfish desires, I eat everything that comes my way and then I suffer. You please decide for me.”

We have discussed the meaning for all the 9 verses. Let us now recapitulate the essence once again.

Smaṛtrgami sano’vatu We have discussed that this Lord has no name, no form, no address. He is all pervading.

If we were to assign an address to Him for example, if we say- ‘Vaikunta vāsa namaḥ Om’, then the Lord has to travel all the way from Vaikunta. If we pray- ‘O Mysore vāsi Datta’- then Datta has to board a flight from Mysore and come to see you. If we, on the other hand pray- ‘O Lord who lives in my heart’, then instantaneously He can make himself visible there.

In the verse Dattātreyam mahātmānaṃ: In this we discussed that Dattatreya himself is Parabrahma and the self-surrender is the only way to reach Him.

In the verse Deena bandhum: In this the root for the hardships faced by humans was explained and the nature of compassion exhibited by the Lord was detailed.

In the third verse, śaranāgata deenārtha- In this the all pervading nature of the Lord was elaborated.

In the fourth verse- sarvānartha haram devam- This verse explained that even if this Lord is worshipped to obtain worldly desires, He grants the Paramārthika results.

In the fifth verse- Brahmaṇyaṃ dharma tattvajnam- it was explained that the Lord grants the knowledge of Brahma tattva and dharma tattva to his devotees

In the sixth verse- śoṣanaṃ pāpa – the method in which this Lord destroys the sins of his devotees was beautifully elaborated.

In the seventh verse- sarva roga praśamanam- Here it was explained that the Lord fulfills both the desires of the devotees i.e. destruction of all grief/ diseases as well as obtaining comforts/ happiness.

In the eighth verse- Janma samsara bandhagnam- in this the ultimate goal of human birth, Datta’s tattva and the relationship between Him and his devotees was clearly explained.

In the ninth verse- jaya labha- this verse, in the name of phala śruti, actually explains the manner in which this Lord should be worshipped.

In this way, these 9 verses teach us in a crystal clear manner, Datta’s essence as well as the way in which He should be worshipped. In the mirror called mind, He will be visible. Through this tiny stotra, He makes himself visible in the mind.

Śri Ganeśāya namaḥ

Śri saraswatye namaḥ

Śri Pādavallabhaṇrusimha Saraswati

Śri Guru Dattatreyaya namaḥ.