Om ! O Devas, may we hear with our ears what is auspicious; May we see with our eyes what is auspicious, O ye worthy of worship ! May we enjoy the term of life allotted by the Devas, Praising them with our body and limbs steady ! May the glorious Indra bless us ! May the all-knowing Sun bless us ! May Garuda, the thunderbolt for evil, bless us ! May Brihaspati grant us well-being ! Om ! Let there be Peace in me ! Let there be Peace in my environment ! Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !
Once Brahma the creator asked Lord Narayana about the efficacy of the Taraka-Mantra to which the latter replied:
Always think of Me and My glory, and be in commune with Me in the attitude 'I am Datta, the great Lord.' Such ones who meditate thus do not swirl in the recurring course of worldly existence.
Accordingly, after meditating on Lord Vishnu (Dattatreya), Brahma said: Yes. The Brahman that is the infinite and peerless alone remains as the residuum after negation of everything else.
The one-, six-, eight-, twelve-, and sixteen-syllable mantras of Dattaatreya: The Taraka monosyllable is 'Daam'. He is the Hamsa established in all beings. 'Daam' in the lengthened form is the Paramatman. The six syllable one is 'OM, Shreem, Hreem, Kleem, Glaum, Draam.
The eight-syllable one is 'Dram' or 'Draam' and then adding to it the syllables 'Da, tta, tre, ya, ya, Na, mah. The portion 'Dattatreya' is of the character of knowledge, existence, and bliss, and that of Namah is of full- blown bliss.
The twelve-syllable formula is 'Om, Aam, Hreem, Krom, Ehi Dattatreya svaha.' The sixteen-syllable formula is Om, Aim, Krom, Kleem, Klaum, Hram, Hreem, Hraum, Sauh (nine) and the five syllables constituting Dattatreyaya, and the twin syllable Svaha. The whole formula is 'Om, Aim, Krom, Kleem, Klaum, Hram, Hreem Hraum, Sauh Dattatreyaya Svaha.'
The Anushtubh-mantra of Dattaatreya
All the portions of the mantra are said to be in the vocative forms right through as 'Dattatreya Hare Krishna Unmatananda-dayaka, Digambara, Mune, Bala, Pishacha, Jnana Sagara.'
The Moola-Mantra of Dattaatreya.
This is then given as: 'Om Namo Bhagavate Dattatreyaya, Smarana-Matra-Samtushtaya! OM salutations unto Lord Dattatreya who is propitiated by remembrance (devotion), Maha-Bhaya-Nirvanaya, Maha-Jnana-Pradaya, Chidanandatmane - That is the dispeller of great fears, who bestows the highest character of sentience and bliss. Balonmatta-Pishacha-Veshaya - Who is in the guise of a child, a mad-man, a devil. Thus:
Maha Yogine Avadhutaya, Anasuyananda-Vardhanayatri-Putraya - A great yogin, is the enhancer of the bliss of Anasuya (His mother), is the son of the sage Atri. Sarva-Kama-Phala-Pradaya, Bhava-Bandha-Mochanaya - Who bestows the fruits of all the desires of the devotee's heart, the redeemer of the bonds of worldly existence. Sakala-Vibhuti-Daya Sadhyakarshanaya Sarva-Manah-Kshobhanaya, Chiram-Jivane Vashi-Kuru, Vashi-Kuru, Akarshaya-Akarshaya, Vidveshaya, Vidveshaya, Uchataya- Uchataya, Stambhaya-Stambhaya, Maraya-Maraya Namah, Sampannaya, Namah Sampannaya, Svaha Poshaya, Poshaya, Para-Mantra Para-Yantra Para-Tantramsh Chindhi, Chindhi! Grahan Nivaraya; Nivaraya; Vyadhiin Nivaraya, Nivaraya; Dukham Haraya, Haraya; Daridriyam Vidravaya, Deham Poshaya, Poshaya; Citttam Toshhaya, Toshhaya! Do thou counteract the malignant influences of the planets, cure the ailments, drive off anguish, melt away all penury, fill the mind with joy. Sarva Mantra Sarva Yantra Sarva Tantra Sarva Pallava Svaruupaya Iti Om Namah Shivaya Om!
Unto Thee of the real form of incantations, all mystic symbols and powers, etc. Om salutations! Om salutations unto Lord Dattatreya who is propitiated by remembrance (devotion), that is the dispeller of great fears, who bestows the highest character of sentience and bliss and who is in the guise of a child, a mad- man, a devil, a great yogin, is the enhancer of the bliss of Anasuya (His mother), is the son of the sage Atri, who bestows the fruits of all the desires of the devotee's heart, the redeemer of the bonds of worldly existence. Do thou nourish my body, counteract the malignant influences of the planets, cure the ailments, drive off anguish, melt away all penury, fill the mind with joy...unto Thee of the real form of incantations, all mystic symbols and powers, etc. Om Salutations! He who knows all about this Vidya and practices this becomes holy, and he attains the fruits of having muttered the Gayatri, the Maha Rudra, and the Pranava innumerable times, and he is absolved of all his sins.
Om ! O Devas, may we hear with our ears what is auspicious; May we see with our eyes what is auspicious, O ye worthy of worship ! May we enjoy the term of life allotted by the Devas, Praising them with our body and limbs steady ! May the glorious Indra bless us ! May the all-knowing Sun bless us ! May Garuda, the thunderbolt for evil, bless us ! May Brihaspati grant us well-being ! Om ! Let there be Peace in me ! Let there be Peace in my environment ! Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me ! Here ends the Dattatreyopanishad, as contained in the Atharva-Veda.