Gurvaṣṭakam

Eight Stanzas on the Guru

 Introduction

This is the Gurvaṣṭakam or «Eight Stanzas on the Guru.» Sometimes this hymn is also called: Guroraṣṭakam or «The Eight Stanzas of the Guru.» In short, different names but the same content.

In this writing, the great Śaṅkarācārya speaks to us of the uselessness of everything if our mind is not clinging to the lotus feet of the Guru (God granting Grace). In this world people perform many activities, but almost no one goes anywhere. By going anywhere I do not mean horizontal movements, as many animals do, in this desolate desert called the planet Earth. NO, I mean a vertical movement, an evolutionary ascent toward higher levels of consciousness. Saṁsāra, the wheel of the changing activities of this world, does not lead to any elevation of our level of consciousness. It is only a Divine Play for the Supreme Lord but a terrifying wasteland for living beings. Since we are children we become more and more involved in Saṁsāra, and in fact, we spend the entire life in this wheel that leads nowhere. Most people die fully immersed in Saṁsāra, only to be reborn in another body and continue spinning without any meaning. Yes, this is a true tragedy for them. We, the yogī-s, study and practice Yoga to ascend vertically in consciousness, thus escaping from the wheel of Saṁsāra that shatters everything. We do not want to be richer, more powerful in Saṁsāra, more beautiful, healthier, etc. NO, because all that is bodily and impermanent and does not lead to any lasting evolution. We want to ascend toward higher levels of consciousness, up to the very Center of Everything: Śiva. Well, this hymn speaks of the uselessness of everything in Saṁsāra if one is not firmly taken by the lotus feet of the Guru, that is, if one is not embarked on a firm vertical ascent toward higher and higher states of consciousness.

Now read the Gurvaṣṭakam and experience Supreme Delight, dear Śiva.

Important: Everything that is in parentheses and in italics within the translation has been added by me to complete the sense of a given phrase or sentence. In turn, everything that is between double hyphens (--...--) constitutes additional clarifying information also added by me.

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 Gurvaṣṭakam

शरीरं सुरूपं तथा वा कलत्रं यशश्चारु चित्रं धनं मेरुतुल्यम्।
मनश्चेन्न लग्नं गुरोरङ्घ्रिपद्मे ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किम्॥१॥
Śarīraṁ surūpaṁ tathā vā kalatraṁ yaśaścāru citraṁ dhanaṁ merutulyam|
Manaścenna lagnaṁ guroraṅghripadme tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kim||1||

The body (śarīram) (may be) beautiful (su-rūpam) or also (tathā vā) the wife (kalatram). (One may have) fame/glory (yaśas), splendor (cāru), a sectarian mark on the forehead (citram), (and) wealth (dhanam) equal to (Mount) Meru (meru-tulyam); (but) if (ced) the mind (manas) is not clinging (lagnam) to the lotus feet (aṅghri-padme) of the Guru (guroḥ), then what (tatas kim), then what (tatas kim), then what (tatas kim), then what (tatas kim)?||1||

कलत्रं धनं पुत्रपौत्रादि सर्वं गृहं बान्धवाः सर्वमेतद्धि जातम्।
मनश्चेन्न लग्नं गुरोरङ्घ्रिपद्मे ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किम्॥२॥
Kalatraṁ dhanaṁ putrapautrādi sarvaṁ gṛhaṁ bāndhavāḥ sarvametaddhi jātam|
Manaścenna lagnaṁ guroraṅghripadme tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kim||2||

Wife (kalatram), money (dhanam), children, grandchildren, etc. (putra-pautrādi)... everything (sarvam)... house (gṛham), relatives (bāndhavāḥ)... all (sarvam) this (etad hi) collection (jātam) (of things and people may be present in one's own life; but) if (ced) the mind (manas) is not clinging (lagnam) to the lotus feet (aṅghri-padme) of the Guru (guroḥ), then what (tatas kim), then what (tatas kim), then what (tatas kim), then what (tatas kim)?||2||

षडङ्गादिवेदो मुखे शास्त्रविद्या कवित्वादि गद्यं सुपद्यं करोति।
मनश्चेन्न लग्नं गुरोरङ्घ्रिपद्मे ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किम्॥३॥
Ṣaḍaṅgādivedo mukhe śāstravidyā kavitvādi gadyaṁ supadyaṁ karoti|
Manaścenna lagnaṁ guroraṅghripadme tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kim||3||

The Veda-s, the six auxiliary limbs of the Veda-s, etc. (ṣaṭ-aṅga-ādi-vedaḥ), (and) the knowledge of the scriptures (śāstra-vidyā) (might dwell) in (one's own) mouth (mukhe), (and one might have) poetic skill (kavitva-ādi), (and one may also) compose (karoti) prose (gadyam) (and) good verses (su-padyam); (but) if (ced) the mind (manas) is not clinging (lagnam) to the lotus feet (aṅghri-padme) of the Guru (guroḥ), then what (tatas kim), then what (tatas kim), then what (tatas kim), then what (tatas kim)?||3||

विदेशेषु मान्यः स्वदेशेषु धन्यः सदाचारवृत्तेषु मत्तो न चान्यः।
मनश्चेन्न लग्नं गुरोरङ्घ्रिपद्मे ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किम्॥४॥
Videśeṣu mānyaḥ svadeśeṣu dhanyaḥ sadācāravṛtteṣu matto na cānyaḥ|
Manaścenna lagnaṁ guroraṅghripadme tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kim||4||

«Honored and respected (mānyaḥ) in other countries (videśeṣu), rich (dhanyaḥ) in my own country --lit. in my own countries, provinces, kingdoms, etc.-- (svadeśeṣu), there is absolutely no other (na ca anyaḥ) who delights/is intoxicated (mattaḥ) in riches and good conduct (as much as I do) (sat-ācāra-vṛtteṣu)»; (but) if (ced) the mind (manas) is not clinging (lagnam) to the lotus feet (aṅghri-padme) of the Guru (guroḥ), then what (tatas kim), then what (tatas kim), then what (tatas kim), then what (tatas kim)?||4||

क्षमामण्डले भूपभूपालवृन्दैः सदा सेवितं यस्य पादारविन्दम्।
मनश्चेन्न लग्नं गुरोरङ्घ्रिपद्मे ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किम्॥५॥
Kṣamāmaṇḍale bhūpabhūpālavṛndaiḥ sadā sevitaṁ yasya pādāravindam|
Manaścenna lagnaṁ guroraṅghripadme tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kim||5||

(One could be someone) whose (yasya) lotus feet (pāda-aravindam) are always served and worshiped (sadā sevitam) by multitudes of kings and princes (bhūpa-bhūpāla-vṛndaiḥ) in the entire world (kṣamā-maṇḍale); (but) if (ced) the mind (manas) is not clinging (lagnam) to the lotus feet (aṅghri-padme) of the Guru (guroḥ), then what (tatas kim), then what (tatas kim), then what (tatas kim), then what (tatas kim)?||5||

यशो मे गतं दिक्षु दानप्रतापाज्जगद्वस्तु सर्वं करे मत्प्रसादात्।
मनश्चेन्न लग्नं गुरोरङ्घ्रिपद्मे ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किम्॥६॥
Yaśo me gataṁ dikṣu dānapratāpājjagadvastu sarvaṁ kare matprasādāt|
Manaścenna lagnaṁ guroraṅghripadme tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kim||6||

(One could say the following:) «My (me) fame/glory (yaśas) has spread (gatam) in (all) directions (dikṣu) due to (my) charity and radiance (dāna-pratāpāt), (and) all (sarvam) the wealth of the world (jagat-vastu) (is in my) hand (kari) through my favor (mad-prasādāt)»; (but) if (ced) the mind (manas) is not clinging (lagnam) to the lotus feet (aṅghri-padme) of the Guru (guroḥ), then what (tatas kim), then what (tatas kim), then what (tatas kim), then what (tatas kim)?||6||

न भोगे न योगे न वा वाजिराजौ न कान्तामुखे नैव वित्तेषु चित्तम्।
मनश्चेन्न लग्नं गुरोरङ्घ्रिपद्मे ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किम्॥७॥
Na bhoge na yoge na vā vājirājau na kāntāmukhe naiva vitteṣu cittam|
Manaścenna lagnaṁ guroraṅghripadme tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kim||7||

(One's own) mind (cittam) (could) not (be) (na) in enjoyment (bhoge) nor (na) in Yoga (yoge) nor (na vā) in steeds and kings (vāji-rājau) nor (na) in the face of the beloved woman (kāntā-mukhe) nor (na eva) in riches (vitteṣu); (but) if (ced) the mind (manas) is not clinging (lagnam) to the lotus feet (aṅghri-padme) of the Guru (guroḥ), then what (tatas kim), then what (tatas kim), then what (tatas kim), then what (tatas kim)?||7||

अरण्ये न वा स्वस्य गेहे न कार्ये न देहे मनो वर्तते मे त्वनर्घ्ये।
मनश्चेन्न लग्नं गुरोरङ्घ्रिपद्मे ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किम्॥८॥
Araṇye na vā svasya gehe na kārye na dehe mano vartate me tvanarghye|
Manaścenna lagnaṁ guroraṅghripadme tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kim||8||

(One could boast that) «My (me) mind (manas) is not (na) turned (vartate) toward the forest (araṇye) or (vā) toward my own house (svasya gehe) nor (na) toward work (kārye) nor (na) toward the body (dehe), but rather --I was expecting "api tu"-- (tu) toward what is priceless (anarghye)»; (even in this case,) if (ced) the mind (manas) is not clinging (lagnam) to the lotus feet (aṅghri-padme) of the Guru (guroḥ), then what (tatas kim), then what (tatas kim), then what (tatas kim), then what (tatas kim)?||8||

गुरोरष्टकं यः पठेत्पुण्यदेही यतिर्भूपतिर्ब्रह्मचारी च गेही।
लभेद्वाञ्छितार्थं पदं ब्रह्मसञ्ज्ञं गुरोरुक्तवाक्ये मनो यस्य लग्नम्॥
Guroraṣṭakaṁ yaḥ paṭhetpuṇyadehī yatirbhūpatirbrahmacārī ca gehī|
Labhedvāñchitārthaṁ padaṁ brahmasañjñaṁ guroruktavākye mano yasya lagnam||

The virtuous embodied one (puṇya-dehī) who (yaḥ) recites (paṭhet) the Guroraṣṭakam --lit. «The eight stanzas of the Guru»-- (guroḥ aṣṭakam) (and) whose (yasya) mind (manas) clings (lagnam) to the statements uttered by the Guru --I would have preferred «guruṇoktavākye», even though it breaks the meter-- (guroḥ ukta-vākye) obtains (labhet) the desired goal (vāñchita-artham) —(that is,) the State (padam) called Brahma (brahma-sañjñam)—, (despite being) an ascetic (yatiḥ), a king (bhūpatiḥ), a celibate (brahmacārī) or --lit. «and»-- (ca) a householder (gehī)||

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 Further information

This document was conceived by Gabriel Pradīpaka, one of the two founders of this site, and spiritual guru conversant with Sanskrit language and Trika philosophy.

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