Datta Aarti — Trigunatmak Traimurti Datta

Trigunatmak Traimurti Datta is a popular aarti (devotional hymn) for Dattatreya — composed by Eka Janardani (Sant Eknath), sung during the daily Thursday puja and on occasions like Datta Jayanti in Marathi households.

Deity: Dattatreya

Dattatreya

Mantra & aarti

Composer: Eka Janardani (Sant Eknath, d. 1599 CE) — a saint of Paithan and disciple of Janardan Swami; author of the Eknathi Bhagavat and the Bhavartha Ramayana.

When to sing it: The daily Thursday aarti (especially in the Datta sampradaya), Shravani Guruvar, Margashirsh Guruvar, Datta Jayanti, and darshan at Datta temples.

Trigunatmak traimurti datta ha jana |Triguni avatar trailokya rana |Neti neti shabda na ye anumana |Suravar munijan yogi samadhi na ye dhyana || 1 ||Jai dev jai dev jai shrigurudatta |Aarti ovalita harali bhavchinta || dhru ||Sabahya abhyantari tu ek datta |Abhagyasi kaichi kalel hi mat |Parahi paratali tethe kaincha het |Janmamaranachahi puralase ant || 2 ||Datta yeuniya ubha thakala |Sadbhave sashtang pranipat kela |Prasanna houni ashirvad didhala |Janmamaranacha fera chukavila || 3 ||Datta datta aise lagale dhyan |Harapale man zale unman |Mi tu panachi zali bolavan |Eka janardani shridattadhyan || 4 ||

Meaning (brief): This aarti describes Datta as the one beyond the three gunas, the triple-formed lord (the single form of Brahma-Vishnu-Mahesh) and king of the three worlds — beyond words, beyond even sages' reach in deep meditation; waving his aarti dissolves worldly cares. He is the one Datta within and without; pleased by a devotee's sincere, full prostration, he blesses them and frees them from the cycle of birth and death — as this contemplation on "Datta, Datta" deepens, the mind dissolves and the sense of "I and you" fades away.

The words and tune can vary slightly by household or sect. This text follows a traditional household Aarti Sangrah booklet.