Guru Ashtakam By Adi Shankaracharya

Written by Bhagwan Sri Adi Shankaracharya

Even if you have a handsome body, a pretty wife, are blessed with great fame and have huge piles of money… But, if your mind is not attached to the Lotus Feet of your Guru then What is the use? What is the use? What is the use? and

What is the use? शर�रं सर ु ूपं तथा वा कलत यश�ारु �चत्रं धनं मेरुत ुल् मन�ेन्न लग्नं गुरोरङ्�घ् तत: �कं तत: �कं ततः �कं ततः �कम् ॥१॥

Even if you have a wife, wealth, children, grand children, house, relatives and are born in a great family… But, if your mind is not attached to the Lotus Feet of your Guru then What is the use? What is the use? What is the use? and

What is the use? कलत्रं धनं पुत्रपौत्रा� गह ृ ं बान्धवाः सवर्मेत�द्ध जात मन�ेन्न लग्नं गुरोरङ्�घ् तत: �कं तत: �कं ततः �कं ततः �कम् ॥२॥

Even if you have studied the Vedas with its six limbs, have the knowledge of the scriptures at your command, have great literary acumen and can compose exquisite prose and poetry… But, if your mind is not attached to the Lotus Feet of your Guru then What is the use? What is the use? What is the use? and

What is the use? षडङ्गा�दवेदो मुखे शा��वद् क�वत्वा�द गद्यं सुपद्यं कर मन�ेन्न लग्नं गुरोरङ्�घ् तत: �कं तत: �कं ततः �कं ततः �कम् ॥३॥

Even if you are honored in foreign lands, have great wealth in your homeland and you are known for righteous conduct… But, if your mind is not attached to the Lotus Feet of your Guru then What is the use? What is the use? What is the use? and

What is the use? �वदेशेषु मान्यः स्वदेशेषु धन् सदाचारव� ृ ेषु म�ो न चान्यः मन�ेन्न लग्नं गुरोरङ्�घ् तत: �कं तत: �कं ततः �कं ततः �कम् ॥४॥

Even if the great kings and rulers of the whole earth attend and serve at your feet… But, if your mind is not attached to the Lotus Feet of your Guru then What is the use? What is the use? What is the use? and

What is the use? �मामण्डले ू भ पू भ पालवृन् दै सदा से�वतं यस्य पादार�वन्दम् मन�ेन्न लग्नं गुरोरङ्�घ् तत: �कं तत: �कं ततः �कं ततः �कम् ॥५॥

Even if your fame has spread in all directions because of your charity and there is nothing in the whole world that you can’t obtain… But, if your mind is not attached to the Lotus Feet of your Guru then What is the use? What is the use? What is the use? and

What is the use? यशो मे गतं �द�ु दानप्रतापाज्जगद्वस्तु सव� करे यत्प् मन�ेन्न लग्नं गुरोरङ्�घ् तत: �कं तत: �कं ततः �कं ततः �कम् ॥६॥

Even if your mind is not attached to worldly pleasures, kingdoms, your wife, family, wealth and thus, you have developed renunciation and aversion… But, still if your mind is not attached to the Lotus Feet of your Guru then What is the use? What is the use? What is the use? and

What is the use? न भोगे न योगे न वा वािजराजौ न कान्तामुखे नैव �व�ेषु �च�म् मन�ेन्न लग्नं गुरोरङ्�घ् तत: �कं तत: �कं ततः �कं ततः �कम् ॥७॥

Even if your mind doesn’t dwell upon the forest or the home, nor in doing actions or on the body or in great thoughts… But, if your mind is still not attached to the Lotus Feet of your Guru then What is the use? What is the use? What is the use? and

What is the use? अरण्ये न वा स्वस्य गेहे न का न देहे मनो वतर्ते मे त्वनघ्य मन�ेन्न लग्नं गुरोरङ्�घ् तत: �कं तत: �कं ततः �कं ततः �कम् ॥८॥

That blessed one who reads this octet on the Guru, Be he a sanyasi, king, bachelor or householder, and, attaches his mind to the words of the Guru, He would get the great gift of

realization of Brahman. गरु ोर�कं यः पठे त्पुण्यदेह य�तभूर्प�तब्रर्�चार� च गे लभेद्वािञ्चताथर् पदं ब्र गरु ोरुक् तवाक्ये मनो यस्य लग्९॥

1. Translation was based on the following resources: • http://sanskritdocuments.org/all_pdf/gurvashtakam.pdf • http://sanskritdocuments.org/all_pdf/guru8mean.pdf • http://www.celextel.org/adisankara/guruashtakam.html 2. Vocals taken from the album ‘Sacred Chants’ sung by ‘Kosmic Music’ 3. Sanskrit text created using http://www.baraha.com/

Even disgust for the world and a burning desire for God are not sufficient. Initiation by the Guru is necessary. Why? Because it is the bringing of yourself into connection with that great source of power which has been handed down through generations from one Guru to another, in uninterrupted succession. The devotee must seek and accept the Guru or spiritual preceptor as his counsellor, philosopher, friend, and guide. In short, the Guru is the sine qua non of progress in the path of spirituality.

Swami Vivekananda in the lecture ‘What have I Learnt?’ delivered at Dacca, East Bengal, India (now Dhaka, Bangladesh) on 30th March, 1901 (Complete Works, Volume 3)

Whom then shall I accept as my Guru? श्रो�त्रयोऽवृिजनोऽका यो ब्र�ा�व� "He who is versed in the Vedas, without taint, unhurt by desire, who is the best of the knowers of Brahman.“ Shrotriya - he who is not only learned in the Shâstras, but who knows their subtle secrets, who has realised their true import. Then he must be without a touch of taint, must be Akâmahata - unhurt by any desire, should have no other motive except that of purely doing good to others, should be an ocean of mercy without reason and not impart religious teaching for gaining name or fame. And he must be the intense knower of Brahman, one who has realised Brahman even as tangibly as an Âmalaka-fruit in the palm of the hand. Such is the Guru, says the Shruti.

Swami Vivekananda in the lecture ‘What have I Learnt?’ delivered at Dacca, East Bengal, India (now Dhaka, Bangladesh) on 30th March, 1901 (Complete Works, Volume 3)