This paper draws connections between the double shuffle equations and structure of associators; Hain and Matsumoto's universal mixed elliptic motives; and the Rankin-Selberg method for modular forms for SL 2 (Z). We write down explicit formulae for zeta elements σ 2n−1 (generators of the Tannaka Lie algebra of the category of mixed Tate motives over Z) in depths up to four, give applications to the Broadhurst-Kreimer conjecture, and solve the double shuffle equations for multiple zeta values in depths two and three.