Mala kamanḍalurathaḥ kara padmayugme

Madhyasta Pāṇiyugale ḍamaru trishule

Yasyasta urdhava karayoḥ śubha śankha cakre

Vande ta matri varadaṃ bhuja śatka yuktam

What is the meaning of this shloka?

Swami wears a saffron colour cloth (kashaya vastram). Saffron signifies sacrificial nature (tyaga) and determined dedication. It represents abidance to truth and righteous conduct (dharma).

The Lord holds the danda (staff) in His hands. It is the dharma danda- it ensurs that unrighteousness (adharma) doesn’t raise its head. This is His vow.

The kamandalu (water pot) in His hand indicates that He is a storehouse of Supreme Knowledge. He sprinkles that knowledge upon those who seek from Him.

In addition to this, He holds the shanka (conch), chakra (discus), gada (mace), padma (lotus) and mala (the bead chain) and so on.

The rosary (bead chain) here doesn’t mean a japa mala. It implies that He is holding or wearing the entire souls in this creation! They are all in his care. The lotus in His hand symbolizes that He is the giver of the ultimate bliss. It is the Sahasrara-padma (the 1000 petalled lotus located at the top of the head).

The discus He holds signifies that He is the controller of the wheel of time. The mace indicates that He is the destroyer of all our 6 internal enemies (desires, anger, jealousy, arrogance, attachments and greed). The trident signifies that He destroys all our sins. The drum seeks to alert us to the dangers of falling in the trap of the sense organs (indriyas). The conch reminds us to be beware of these endless births. These are the warnings He gives us. This is the true form of Datta.

He is the form of Trinity. Among the Trinity, Lord Brahma is the creator i.e. He is the consciousness that creates. The various thoughts and sankalpas (intentions) originating in our mind are our inner creations. The Brahma aspect of Datta is responsible for these creations.

The Vishnu aspect of Datta deals with resolving the doubts and problems that come due to these creations. Destroying the sins that are caused due to these above two is the Shiva aspect of Datta. That is why he is referred to as the form of the Trinity.

He is the son of Maharishi Atri hence He is also called Atreya. ‘A-tri’ means he is above the trigunas (three traits). Lord Datta is the son of mother Anasuya. It implies He is above all jealousies (asuya) and differences of all kinds.

As Datta has these traits in him he is treated as a Guru for all Devatas, humans, saints and demons.

A tree and a cow are always with him. They are the Kalpavriksha (wish fulfilling tree) and Kamadhenu (wish fulfilling cow). While fulfilling our desires, side by side He grants Jnana (knowledge). This is Datta’s path.

Bhaktimala Feb 1998