Shree Shree Guru Gita

Shree Shree Guru Gita

DEDICATION

On the auspicious occasion of Guru Purnima, I humbly offer this book at the lotus feet of my beloved guru preceptor, all the gurus of my lineage, and all the gurus of different spiritual paths of all times and all places. I then offer these beautiful teachings to spiritual seekers on the path of Truth.

With love,

Prajnanananda

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Many sincere kriyavans have given their valuable time and talent as selfless service in bringing out this book. The blessings of God and the masters will always shower upon them.

With love,

Prajnanananda

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Contents

Introduction

Book One:

Shree Shree Guru Gita from Vishvasara Tantra

Book Two:

Shree Shree Guru Gita from Skanda Purana

Guru Stotrams

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Introduction

I humbly bow to my beloved guru preceptor, to all the gurus of my lineage, and to all the gurus of different spiritual paths of all times and all places. I seek their blessings in every step of my life. In the Vedic culture, there is a description of two types of gurus. One is the siksha guru and the other is the diksha guru. The siksha guru is a teacher who teaches any branch of knowledge: material, secular, as well as religious. Hence, anyone or anything that increases our knowledge of life, material or spiritual, is a teacher. Initially our education begins with the mother, who teaches us the language of our native land, then it extends to the many teachers we encounter throughout our lifetime. One of the most wonderful aspects of life is that there is no end to learning. During our lifetime we learn about countless things, right up to the moment of our very last breath. Thus, it would not only be impractical, but also impossible to make an elaborate or exhaustive list of the teachers who have taught us in our lives.

The diksha guru is the teacher who purifies the body and the sense organs of the spiritual aspirant, infusing his or her spiritual power into both the body and the mind of the student through the process of diksha, or initiation. So, the diksha guru can either be one several, depending upon the path of spirituality. For example, in the path of Kriya Yoga, there are different levels of Kriya and also different levels of initiation. My guru preceptor, Paramahamsa Hariharananda, learned different levels of Kriya from different masters of the same path.

In India, from time immemorial, there has been an emphasis on the significance of the guru in one’s own life, which requires establishing a healthy guru-disciple relationship, cultivating the attitude of gratitude towards the guru preceptor, and ultimately firmly anchoring oneself in Truth. There are different scriptures, starting with the Upanishads and ending with modern spiritual textbooks, which speak of the significance

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of the gurus; their greatness, their role on the spiritual path, and so on. From my own limited knowledge, there are only two classical texts in Sanskrit that speak exclusively of the guru; explaining his or her contribution to the spiritual development of the seeker along with the duties of the disciple towards the guru. These texts are the Guru Gita and Guru Tantra.

India has a long tradition of teaching in the form of the Gitas. For example, in the Bhagavad Gita, one will find the teachings of Shri Krishna to Arjuna on how to live a complete life. The Ashtavakra Gita contains the teachings of the sage Ashtavakra to his disciple King Janaka on the Advaita Vedanta. The teachings of Avadhuta about the highest spiritual truths can be found in the Avadhuta Gita. So far as I know, there are at least twenty-four Gitas.

Some Gitas have their sources from different scriptures. For example, the Bhagavad Gita and the Vyadha Gita were both extracted from the Mahabharata. Another Gita, known as the Rama Gita, comes from the Adhyatma Ramayana (uttarakanda, pancham sarga). However, some Gitas are not from any scripture; instead they are the direct teachings of the master recorded by his disciples.

The Guru Gita is a dialogue between Lord Shiva and his divine consort Parvati. There are two sources of the Guru Gita. The first is from the Vishvasara Tantra and the second is from the Skanda Purana. Therefore, we find two different forms of the Guru Gita. One is an abridged form that has about 112 verses, and the other is an elaborated form consisting of 352 verses. Throughout history, many commentaries have been written on the Guru Gita. In the Kriya Yoga tradition, the great master, Shri Lahiri Mahasaya, also recorded some notes on the Guru Gita from the Vishvasara Tantra.

The daily chanting of the Guru Gita is a common practice in many monasteries and ashrams in India. But this divine practice is not exclusive to just monks and ashram residents, even many householders in India chant and sing several verses from the Guru Gita with love and devotion every day. Contained within the text of the

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Guru Gita are many beautiful verses that are used as prayers to the guru preceptor. No doubt, the Guru Gita is considered to be one of the most beloved spiritual texts in India.

It is our desire to give seekers of Truth the availability of reading both forms of the Guru Gita; therefore we are offering these two great works together in one volume. The first section is the abridged form of the Guru Gita from the Vishvasara Tantra, which contains simple translations and the notes from Shri Lahiri Mahasaya. The second section is the Guru Gita from the Skanda Purana. We have not included any explanation of the verses due to the increase in the volume of the book. However, to beautify this compilation, we have appended a few popular hymns dedicated to the guru.

Please read and sincerely contemplate the verses of the Guru Gita. Try to live as it taught. Let your mind be sanctified through the grace of the guru preceptor.

I am praying to God and gurus to bless all of us in our spiritual journey.

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BOOK ONE

SHREE SHREE GURU GITA

FROM VISHVASARA TANTRA

With Notes from Shri Lahiri Mahasaya

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अथा�नु�ष्ठा�नुम्�

Athanusthanam

Now is the Beginning

ॐ श्री�गु�रवे� नुम्� ।

Om srigurave namah

I bow Shri Guru.

Notes from Shri Lahiri Mahasaya

Omkara(Om) has indeed assumed this body form. A-u-m is om. A is Brahma, in muladhara; U is Vishnu, at the base of the genital (or svadhisthana); M is Mahadeva, in the form of Rudra, in the navel. As desired by Kutastha, He has entered into Mother Nature (prakriti) and is the real nature of bindu (atom point), which has self-manifested itself as Mahadeva, in the form of breath (prana vayu). In that body, divine sound as omkara is continuously present. About this sound (nada) is the atom point (bindu). That atom point (bindu) can be experienced when one steadily focuses in between the two eyebrows; hence when that atom point (bindu) becomes still and steady, the sadhus (holy people, or those who practice sadhana sincerely), bow to themselves through omkara-kriya. This pranava (om) is the root or foundation of the four Vedas and all mantras.

During the practice of Kriya Yoga, the transformation or beauty of the body is shri. When one remains in that form, keeping the mind tranquil, out of the darkness, the self-illuminating atma-rama guru (guru in the form of self-intoxication) is manifested. I bow to Him.

Asya srigurugitastotrasya paramasivah rshi viratachndah

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Sriguruh paramatma devata ham bijam sam saktih klim kilakam

Sriguroh prasadat paramarthasiddhaye jape viniyogah

Translation

Shri Guru Gita is a hymn and a compilation of mantras. Lord Shiva is the rishi to whom the mantra was revealed. The prosody is known as virata. In this text, Shri Guru is the Supreme Self. The seed mantra is ham. Shakti or energy is sam. The protecting energy, or kilaka, is kleen. Now, I engage myself in chanting and contemplating on the Guru Gita, to be realized through the grace of the all-compassionate guru.


That atma-rama guru is in reality Shiva. In kutastha, in the form of virata, one can get the vision of paramatma (Supreme Self), uttama-purusha. Through the practice of Kriya, when one is able to stay in the state of tranquility, one can feel that state in the heart. In that tranquil condition, a movement in the subtle passage, which is much like a lotus stem, can be felt. This movement of prana is known as ajapa (non-chantable chanting), and it is also referred to as hamsa or kilaka. One who practices such Kriya is free from desires and expectations. To be engaged in the after-kriya state is called paravastha – the ultimate goal.

हँ� साँ�� साँ�र्या��त्म्नु� अङ्गु�ष्त्ठा�भ्र्या�� नुम्�।

Ham sam suryatmane angusthabhyam namah

Translation

I bow to Surya, the solar energy in the thumbs in the form of ham-sam.


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When ham-sam, described above as hamsah (breath), still remains between the navel and the heart, then prana naturally comes to the thumb. Remaining in this state, one should bow to oneself.

हँ� साँ� साँ�म्�त्म्नु� तर्ज�नु�भ्र्या�� स्वेहँ� ।

Ham sim somatmane tarjanibhyam svaha

Translation

I experience soma in the form of mind in the index finger as ham-sim.


Ham-sim is the state when ham-sah (breath) is kept still in the throat. The breath naturally comes to the index finger at that time.

हँ� साँ#� निनुरञ्जनु�त्म्नु� म्ध्र्याम्�भ्र्या�� वेषट्� ।

Ham sun nirañjanatmane madhyamabhyam vasat

Translación

I perceive the formless power of God in the middle finger as ham-sum.


Ham-sum means this breath is remaining in the kutastha; breath then easily touches the thumb and the middle finger.

Ham saim nirabhasatmane anamikabhyam hum

Translation

I perceive the omnipresent power of God in the ring finger as ham-saim.


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The hamsa, ham-saim, is established at the feet or state of niralamba (beyond any support, i.e., the Absolute), and, in this state, the thumb touches the ring finger.

Ham saum anusuksmatmane kanisthabhyam vausat

Translation

I realize the subtle power of God in the little finger as ham saum.


When this hamsa(breath) goes to the atom point (brahmanu), then the thumb naturally touches the little finger.

Ham sah avyaktatmane karatalaprsthabhyam astray phat

Translation

I realize the unmanifested power of God in both palms of the hands as ham-sah.


At the time when the ham-sah (breath) goes to the state of unmanifest, it is merged in Brahman and both the palms and the back are filled with life energy.

Ham sam suryatmane hrdayaya namah

Translation

I bow to Surya, the solar energy in the heart in the form of ham-sam.


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When this ham-sah (breath) remains in the heart, one should bow.

Ham sim somatmane sirase svaha

Translation

Inside the head I experience soma in the form of mind, as ham-sim.


When this ham-sah is stilled in the throat, it dissolves in the head.

Ham sum nirañjanatmane sikhayai vasat

Translation

When this breath is steady in the kutastha, then it goes to the tuft.


When the ham-sah (breath) becomes still, then one can go to the tuft.

Ham saim nirabhasatmane anamikabhyam hum

Translation

I perceive the formless power of God in the chest (breast plate) as ham-saim.


One can hear jhamkara (melodious sound).

Ham saum anusuksmatmane netratrayaya vausat

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Translation

I perceive the omnipresent power of God in the three eyes as ham-saum.


When this breath remains tranquil within the eyes, one experiences, or sees, Brahman everywhere.

Ham sah avyaktatmane astray phat

Translation

I realize the subtle power of God in the whole body as ham-sah.


The moment when this ham-sah (breath) merges in avyakta (the unmanifest), everything becomes one and even one’s individuality is lost; in other words, one no longer exists.

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Atha gurudhyanam

Now is the Meditation on the Guru

Kutastha darsanam

Experience of kutastha

Hamsabhyam parivarttapatrakamalairdivyairjagatkarai-

Visvatokirnam anekadehanilayam svacchandasatmecchaya

Tattadyogytaya svadesikatanum bhavaikadiptankuram

Pratyaksaksaravigrahan gurupadam dhyayeddvibahumgurum

Translation

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I meditate upon the guru in human form who has two hands. I bow at the feet of the one who is the manifestation of the imperishable divinity, remaining in the invisible form. Being the cause of this glorious universe, He plays with it, much like a swanm playing with a lotus. He is omnipresent throughout the universe and He resides within all bodies. He is completely free and moves with divine will. The presence of the guru germinates the divine disposition in the worthy ones. Therefore, I bow to him again.


Within each human body is kutastha. Kutastha is the real guru. In reality, it remains within the body as the soul (atma) and becomes paramatma. Without soul, where is the universe? Without soul, how did this ever-changing universe come into existence? How were all these forms manifested? The soul is the cause of the universe. It has assumed many forms. The soul roams according to its own will. Indeed, the real cause of maya is the soul. In essence, it is Brahman Himself. It is in this way one should meditate upon the guru inside the head.

Visva-vyapakamadi daivamamalam nityam param niskalam

Nitye dvandvasahasrapatrakamale nityaksarairmandape

Nityanandamanantam purnamakhilam tadbrahma nityam smaret

Atmanam svamanupravisya kuhare svacchandatah sarvagah

Translation

I remember and meditate continuously upon the guru who is Brahman—the divine, pure, eternal, supreme, taintless, primordial one, who permeates the entire universe. He remains eternally present on the imperishable altar of the two-petalled and one thousand-petalled

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lotuses. He is eternal bliss, endless, complete. Thus, he is none but the soul, who has entered into the divine cavity and can go anywhere and everywhere, according to his will.


He is the lord of the universe, and he is omnipresent. He is the primordial lord, eternal, and beyond all attributes – beyond everything. He remains as nishkala (immeasurable and formless) in the one-thousand-petalled lotus. Keeping the mind there, you will see everything.

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Atha gitarambha

Now is the Beginning of the Gita

Kailasasikhare ramye bhaktisadhananayakam

Pranamya parvati bhaktya snkaram pariprcchati

Translation

1. At the panoramic peak of Mount Kailasha, Divine Mother Parvati, who is always eager to cultivate devotion, bowed down to Lord Shankara with deep love and humbly asked him.


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Prakriti, Mother Nature, asked Mahadeva (the Lord of lords or Great Lord), the best among all who practice devotion.

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Translation

Shri Parvati said:

2. O Lord of lords, most excellent of all, the guru of the universe.

Sadashiva, Great Lord, my Master! I bow to you again and again.

Among all spiritual wisdom, which is well-hidden and unrevealed, the Guru Gita remains the most secret. Through your grace, please enlighten me and disclose this truth to me.


O Great Lord, jagadguru (guru of the universe), please bestow upon me the divine knowledge of the Guru Gita.

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Translation

3. My Lord! O Brahman! Through which path can the embodied one be brahma-maya (or realized)? With humbleness, I bow down at your feet and seek your explanation.


Please narrate to me the correct path for the embodied jiva (being) in order to attain the state of Brahman (Godhood). I bow down to you at your feet.

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Translation

Shri Shankara said:

4. One who has absolute love for God, and regards the guru the same as God, to that great-souled one, all supreme truths are revealed.


Shri Shankara declared that one who has deep devotion to Mahadeva or to Supreme Lord Brahman is a guru himself or is known as Guru.

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Translation

5. O Devi! Because you are my own self in another form, I will disclose this truth to you. Until now, no one has asked such a question that is so beneficial for all.


No one before has ever asked such a question.

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Translation

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6. O Sweet Faced (Parvati), please listen as I reveal the secret that is difficult to attain in the three worlds: the guru is none other than Brahman Himself. I affirm this truth to you.


I am telling this precious fact: there is nothing without the guru preceptor.

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Translation

7-8 The Vedas, the scriptures, the Puranas, the itihasa (history books), mantra, yantra, mohana (hypnotism), ucchatana, etc., the paths of the followers of Shiva, Shakti, Agama, Tantra, etc., and various other views existing in the world today have become false and adulterated theories that only create confusion in ignorant people.


There are many holy books such as the Vedas, scriptures, history books, Puranas, Tantra, Shaiva, Shakta, Agama, and others. Over the course, of time, these teachings have been distorted and misinterpreted.

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Translation

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9. The real guru preceptor of the entire humanity is none other than God. He knows the true reality of life. Thus, whatever actions one performs, such as yajna (sacrifice or fire ceremony), observances, penances, charity, chanting, pilgrimages, etc., are futile and meaningless if one does not possess the true knowledge of the guru. Undeniably, this maxim is the truth: there is no difference between Self-knowledge and the principle of the guru.


Undoubtedly, for the one that does not realize the real nature, the truth, of the guru preceptor, any actions such as yajna, observances, charity, penance, pilgrimages, etc., are fruitless.

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Translation

10. One who serves the guru’s feet is purified from all sins and mistakes and becomes divine. Thus, this worthy soul gains the merit of having a bath in all holy places and all sacred rivers.


The practice of Kriya is to serve the feet of the guru preceptor. After practicing Kriya (pranayama), if one stays in the after-kriya equipoise state (kriya and paravastha), the mind will not go here and there. Hence, if the mind is not running in many different directions, how can one commit a sin? One who remains in the soul becomes pure. It is said that by taking a dip in all holy waters one can gain inner purity. Thus, when one attains that state of purity of the inner Self through the after-kriya pure state, then naturally one receives the benefit of all pilgrimages.

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Translation

11. Those desiring to uproot ignorance, end the cycle of birth, karma (bond of fruits of action), etc., and attain knowledge, detachment, and perfection should drink the water that washed the guru preceptor’s feet. This blessed water has the power to enable one to cross the ocean of the world.


Metaphorically speaking, this world of birth and death is much like an ocean. The nectar that flows from the independent and unmanifested lotus is knwown as the water that washed the guru’s feet. Upon drinking this water, all restlessness of mind, i.e., the root of all ignorance will disappear. One then receives the knowledge of “who I am”. Hence, when nothing in the mind takes root, nothing will grow; thus detachment will come. Where there is detachment, there is success; in other words, the entire world becomes Brahman.

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Translation

12. One should sip the sacred water that washed the guru preceptor’s feet and eat the remnants of food that remain on his plate. One should meditate upon the guru preceptor constantly and regularly repeat his name.


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One should drink the blessed water that washed the guru’s feet and eat the leftover food on his plate. One should meditate upon the guru preceptor, and pray to maintain this state of experience.

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Translation

13. The abode of the guru preceptor is Kashi Kshetra (holy Varanasi), and the water that washes his feet is the water of the Ganga (the presiding deity of Kashi or Varanasi). The guru is none other than Vishveshwara himself, and his words are the liberating words of God.


You should remain in the holy city of Kashi (kutastha), and the pure waters of the Ganga, i.e., the water that washes the feet of Brahman. Abiding there is the real nature of kutastha, i.e., Vishweshwara, the lord of the universe. In that sacred abode, one can hear the constant omkara (om sound), the primordial sound of Brahman that brings liberation (taraka brahma).

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Translation

14. I bow to guru preceptor. Wherever his feet touch the ground becomes the holy city of Gaya (the feet of Lord Vishnu are there). His body is like an eternal banyan tree. I bow to that form of the guru, which is the same as the foremost holy places like Prayaga. One should always contemplate on the guru preceptor’s form and repeat his

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name constantly. Forsaking all others, one should always faithfully follow his command.


Always remembering the form of the guru and chanting his name means to remain in the state of paravastha after practicing Kriya. One should behave and act according to the experience gained through Kriya practice. You yourself are the guru when engrossed in the soul, no one else.

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Translation

15. Brahman resides in the tongue and mouth (words) of the guru preceptor, and through His grace, a disciple can attain Him. One should meditate ceaselessly upon the guru preceptor as directed, thinking of nothing else. One should take refuge in him alone and renounce one’s stage of life, kith and kin, reputation, and anything else in the world that is an attraction.


The guru is Brahman. Thus, if one follows his instruction, through his grace, one will attain the state of Brahman. As a result, one will acquire all-round development regarding one’s stage of life, family, reputation, and physical health. Therefore, constantly be engrossed in the meditation of one’s own guru preceptor.

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Translation

16. Trough the disciple’s pure love for the guru, he or she attains the knowledge that is possessed by the guru preceptor. Therefore, with utmost care, gratitude, and effort, one should worship the guru preceptor.


If one practices Kriya as instructed directly by the guru preceptor, then one will know everything that is to be known. By practicing Kriya and having sincere faith in the words of the guru, one is blessed with devotion. Therefore, with extreme effort worship the guru—which means listen to the om sound.

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Translation

17. The syllable gu implies darkness and ru is light. No doubt the guru is the Brahman who destroys darkness.


Gu is darkness and ru is light, which means there is a light that emerges from the darkness. Inside the head one can experience the moonlight, which dispels all darkness. He is Brahman; he is the guru. There is no doubt about it.

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Translation

18. Thus, the first syllable gu is the cause of manifestation of maya (illusion) and the gunas (triple qualities of nature). The syllable ru is parambrahma, who removes delusion, illusion, and error.


The first syllable gu is maya (illusion) of the triple qualities of nature, and the second syllable ru is Brahman, who eliminates illusion and error.

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Translation

19. The word gu is darkness and the word ru is its inhibitor. Hence, one is called “guru” because he or she dispels darkness.


Gu is darkness and ru is the obstacle or dispeller. When one no longer remains in darkness, one becomes one’s own guru.

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Translation

20. In such manner, it is even rare for the devas to attain the feet of the guru, which are adored by Haha, Huhu, and also gandharvas (celestials). For them, there is nothing beyond guru.


The supreme feet of the guru are difficult even for devas to attain. The gandharvas, Haha and Huhu, also worship his divine feet.

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Translation

21-22. Seats (cushions), bed, clothes, vehicles, ornaments, etc., whatever you possess, should be presented to the guru preceptor for his contentment.

Abandon all feelings of shyness and bow down flat at the feet of the guru, dedicating your entire life to him, including your spouse.


You should conduct yourself in the manner in which the guru would be pleased. Give all that you have to him.

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Translation

23-24 O beautiful-face Parvati, know this transitory body to be the abode of misery, full of worms, dirt, and other foul smelling substances.

Whosoever climbs the tree of samsara (ever changing world) will surely fall into the ocean of hell. I bow to the guru preceptor, who rescues the seeker from a life of misery.


This world is the ocean of hell. I bow to such a guru who rescues the seeker from this situation.

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Translation

25. The guru is Brahma (the creator). The guru is Vishnu (The sustainer). The guru is Maheshwara (The destroyer). Indeed, the guru is supreme Brahman. I bow to the guru preceptor.

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This entire creation was God’s desire. For a period of time, He remains hidden within His own desire. Then, ultimately, God, as Maheshwara, destroys all desires. Indeed, He is the real parambrahma.

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Translation

26. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, who restores my vision by opening up my real eye, eliminating the darkness of ignorance with the collyrium of knowledge.


The mind that does not remain in the soul, going hither and thither in many directions, is masked in darkness. When such a condition prevails, no one can escape that fate; therefore, one should be free from that darkness and remain in the soul. This is the collyrium cream stick of knowledge use to open the eyes. One who achieves this is the guru; about whose sacred feet it was previously written. Hence, by bowing to him, I am actually bowing to my real Self.

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Translation

27. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, who blessed me with the vision of tat, “That”—the supreme Brahman who pervades and permeates the entire universe, all that is movable and immovable, as unbroken and complete consciousness.

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Brahman pervades this entire creation in the form of a circle; permeating everything moving and non-moving. I humbly bow to the one who has discovered Brahman’s feet—the guru in the form of the soul within.

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Translation

28. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, who gave me the experience of tat (That), in the form of all that is moving and non-moving and all things with and without life.


I bow to the one who pervades everything moving and non-moving, living and non-living. His holy feet (state) are pure, thinner than water, and more subtle than smoke. I bow to that guru who takes me to such state.

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Translation

29. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, who has revealed tat (That), which pervade the three worlds as consciousness, in all things movable and immovable.


Brahman permeated the three worlds, all things moving and non-moving, when He entered into them. I bow to the one, through whose grace; I have been given this state of experience.

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Translation

30. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, who is like the sun shining on the lotus of Vedanta. At his lotus feet, the pearls of all Vedantic wisdom are shining.


Omkara (divine sound) is Brahman, and it is the crest jewel of all Vedas. I bow to that guru at whose lotus feet this divine sound is remaining. Seated in the sahasrara, he is like a brilliant sun illuminating the lotus of Vedantic knowledge.

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Translation

31. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, who is pure consciousness, eternal, peaceful, unattached like the sky, full of light and beyond all color, above the stage of nada (sound), bindu (atom point), and Kala (the quality).


When kutastha is in the body, there is constanst presence of Brahman as consciousness. Therefore, within this body temple peace exists. Know that the real nature of kutastha is unlike ordinary space. The true nature of kutastha is just like a taintless sky. One who is merged in that sky becomes aware of a black point, similar to a mole or the head of a black bee. Remaining there, one listens to the om sound. If one increases Kriya practice the day after the new moon until the following full moon, one will then experience a special, new state – and the guru is even beyond that. Thus, bowing to the unmanifested guru, I am indeed bowing to the Self within.

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Translation

32. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, who is established in knowledge and power, who is adorned with the garland of truth and reality, and who is the bestower of liberation and enjoyment.


Know thyself. In this truth, there exists a special experience; one becomes established in power and holds the garland of five principles. The true teacher, who leads one to the enjoyment of these principles, and also makes one free, is the guru; that is, the soul roaming within. I bow to the soul, the real guru.

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Translation

33. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, who dissolves the bond of karma (seed of action), acquired in countless births, with the powerful shower of Self-knowledge.


I bow to such a guru, who has the ability to destroy all the desires of many lives by revealing Self-knowledge.

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Translation

34. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, the water that washes his feet has the ability to completely dry up the ocean of the world and reveal the treasure.

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Trough the practice of Kriya, when one acquires natural control in the throat center, then one experiences “moonlight” in the forehead. From that light comes a secretion of nectar. It is sweet and cool. Hence, this nectar is known as the water that washes the guru’s feet. When one achieves, contentment by swallowing such nectar, then instantly the restless mind, representing the ocean of the world, evaporates. Therefore, this nectar is more valuable than all the treasure found on earth, because whoever drinks it finally becomes completely content. I bow to the ever-content guru who is parambrahma, existing within oneself.

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Translation

35. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, for he is the greatest of the great. There is no greater truth, no greater penance and no greater knowledge than he.


There is no truth greater than the guru. There is no penance greater than the guru. Bow to the guru, the Self within, who is the highest truth and beyond all that exists.

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Translation

36. I bow to him, my guru preceptor. He is the lord of the universe and the guru of the universe as well. I experience my own soul as the soul of all.

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The one who is my lord, the soul, my real Self, is the lord of the universe. Therefore, I am in the world and also beyond the world. Thus, this supreme Self is my guru. Because I am all-pervading and also remaining in the world, I am the guru of the universe, and the soul within me is the soul of all. For that reason, bow to your own soul, the real guru remaining within.

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Translation

37. I bow to him, my guru preceptor; the beginning and the beginningless, the supreme reality and supreme divinity. None can equal him.


The unmanifested guru, the absolute, is primordial one. Through his grace, primordial Brahman permeated the whole universe. Thus, the guru is beyond space, and there is nothing superior to him. One who receives the grace and instruction of the guru is blessed with mudras like khechari, chanchari, buchari, agochari, unmani, etc. Moreover, one can then listen to ten types of divine sounds (Anahata nada). I, as the soul, bow to the soul that is the guru.

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Translation

38. The true foundation of meditation is the form of the guru preceptor. The root of worship is found at his feet. Every word he speaks is a mantra to be practiced. The cause of liberation is the grace of the guru preceptor.

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This body has assumed the form of the guru, and it is the real cause of meditation. The practice of Kriya is the foundation of worship and is also the feet of the guru. The instruction of the guru is the om sound, which is the foundation of all mantras. The foundation to liberation is staying in the state of paravastha after Kriya practice.

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Translation

39. Whatever merit a person accumulates from pilgrimages and bathing in the sacred waters of holy places (spanning all the oceans of the world), is not equal to even a one-thousandth part of a drop of the water that washed the feet of the guru preceptor.


If one listens to the om sound continuously, one experiences the moonlight on the forehead. From that comes a secretion of nectar, which is very rare. Hence, even if one takes a dip in every holy place spanning the seven oceans of the world, it still would not equal a one-thousandth part of this secretion of nectar.

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Translation

40. Therefore, one should worship the guru preceptor, because the guru alone is the entire universe. He alone is the personification of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva and there is no one superior to him.


The soul as the guru, atma-rama, is all-pervading. He Himself has become one with creation, sustenance, and dissolution. When

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everything is Brahman, then there is nothing greater than guru-brahma. Therefore, one should worship the guru nicely, which means listen to the om sound continuously.

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Translation

41. Only through devotion for the guru preceptor can one attain the state of liberation, even without knowledge. For those who walk on the path of unshakable devotion to the guru preceptor no practice (sadhana) is needed other than his grace.


The bird soars in the sky. If one holds a thread that is attached to it as it flies, one will feel a connection to the high altitude it is experiencing. In a similar manner, sincere devotees will get everything through his love and devotion as they sit quietly. One who loves is able to experience without knowledge. In other words, one is bestowed with all divine qualities. Therefore, nothing exists that is greater than the guru. One should walk on the path directed by him.

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Translation

42. The Vedas declare “not this, not this,” and also speak of something that, beyond which there is nothing. That principle is the guru; thus one should worship him with mind, speech, and action.


Those who know this path have revealed in the Vedas that whatever is manifested as speech is not that, because the unmanifested feet are the supreme feet of all. Thus, if it is unmanifested, how then can one

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explain it? Therefore, perform all actions while meditating on the soul as the guru. Whenever you speak, remain conscious of the soul as guru. It is in this manner that one should worship the guru. In other words, do everything while remaining anchored in the soul.

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Translation

43. It is through the grace of the guru preceptor that Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, etc., are capable of accomplishing their duties – creation, preservation, and dissolution, respectively. Each one adores the guru preceptor according to his own ability.


Through the grace of that unmanifested guru, one can serve him, i.e., practice Kriya. Brahma, Vishnu, Sadashiva, all owe their powers of creation, sustenance, and dissolution to him.

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Translation

44. Even the devas and the celestials, like kinnaras, gandharvas, pitris, yakshas, tumburu, and even the munis, etc., do not know the art of serving the guru preceptor.


Serving the guru is practice that is unknown even to devas, kinnaras, gandharvas, pitris, yakshas, charanas, and munis.

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Translation

45. Those who are averse to the service of the guru preceptor cannot be completely liberated, even if they are gandharvas, pitris, yakshas, charanas, rishis, siddhas, or devas.


Devas, gandharvas, pitris, yakshas, kinnaras, rishis, even the siddhas, are unable to be liberated if they dislikes serving the guru.

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Translation

46. O Mahadevi (Great Divine Mother), please listen to the proper method of meditation (on the guru), the bestower of all bliss and joy, as well as the giver of success and liberation.


Oh Mahadevi! Please meditate continuously. Listen to me. I will reveal to you how to meditate in the proper manner; as a result, you will attain all types of bliss, enjoyment, happiness, and liberation.

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Translation

47. I contemplate on Shri Guru who is parambrahma, the supreme One. I sing of Shri Guru. I speak of Shri Guru, and I bow down to Shri Guru.


The guru who is remaining in this body is parambrahma. To speak of him is to sing his song. To remember him and to bow down to him is blissful.

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Translation

48. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, who is the bliss of Brahman, the bestower of the highest joy, who is absolute and the personification of knowledge. Beyond duality, he is all-pervasive like the sky, and is the object of the great Upanishadic statement, “Thou art That.” The guru preceptor is one, eternal, pure, steady, the witness of all thoughts, beyond all modification, and free from the three gunas.


He is brahmananda (bliss absolute), the bestower of supreme happiness. Knowledge alone is Him form. At that time, there is no other thought. You are that kutastha, formless like the sky. When you are that, there is only one. That one is eternal. No impurities of the fire elements remain. He abides in that kutastha, just above your eyes. In reality, He is the witness of all, because He is omnipresent and beyond all thoughts and the triple qualities too. Paravastha, the after-kriya state of silence, is such that one can bow to sadguru Brahman when merged in that state.

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Translation

49. I bow to the guru preceptor as Brahman, the eternal, pure, formless one, who is all-pervading, and the essence of all that exists. His nature is eternal wisdom, consciousness, and bliss.


Being eternal, he has become pure. When one experiences the kutastha within, at that time, there is no impurity. Thus, one is in a pure state. Inside the kutastha there is just empty space, which has no

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appearance. Having no shape, it is the spotless, formless form. However, one can feel its existence in the heart. Hence, through retention one feels blissful. Through omkara Kriya I am bowing to that blissful guru-brahman.

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Translation

50-52 Let one meditate on the divine form of the guru, seated on the throne in the center of the lotus of the heart, having a crescent moon as an ornament, and capable of bestowing the bliss of eternity, consciousness, and desired boons.

Wearing white clothes, smeared with white sandalwood paste, and adorned with a rosary of pearls, he is the one who is ever cheerful, upon whose left side is seated divine Shakti (Divine Mother), who bestows a kind look.

I am forever worshipping my guru preceptor, who is bliss as well as the bestower of bliss. My guru is the adorable one, who is always in Self-awareness, ever content, the personification of knowledge, the king of yogis, and the physician of worldly disease.


This type of breath retention and concentration, as described above, can be felt from the lotus of the heart to the navel. When one experiences the formless form in the throne of the heart, one is experiencing the guru. The adored one is like the wish-fulfilling tree. He is the epitome of truth and knowledge, and the bestower of happiness and the desired object. Having white clothes means there is a white color moonlight manifesting everywhere. Such is his divine form. If one meditates with sincere effort (forcefully) on the right side and on the left side there is the same energy. Through that energy, one can experience everything completely. He becomes the source of such

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compassion. How much contentment and bliss is experienced when the desired is attained? Such ultimate knowledge is possible through the Self-knowledge that I am Brahman. Undoubtedly, the one who bestows this blessing is the king of yogis and worthy of adoration. He is the physician of worldly disease. Again and again, I bow to the one who has become our guru-brahman.

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Translation

53. In the serene hours of dawn, let one meditate on the guru preceptor residing within lotus inside the head. This supreme guru has two eyes and two hands, is peaceful, and is the bestower of blessings and fearlessness. Let one forever remember his name.


Rising up from the bed, early in the morning, inside my head, I experience the white-colored light. I remember the guru of this body, who has two eyes and two hands; who is peaceful and is the bestower of fearlessness.

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Translation

54. There is nothing greater than the guru.

There is nothing greater than the guru.



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(I say) by the command of Shiva.

by the command of Shiva.




Here is nothing more than the guru. This rule of discipline I am declaring to you who are prakiti (Mother Nature). Thus, I am telling it four times; that is, from four directions.

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Translation

55. The one who recites this mantra while meditating on the guru preceptor will be blessed with real knowledge. Thus, when following the instruction of the guru preceptor, one should feet, “Ï am free.”


In this manner, when one meditates on the guru residing within the body, knowledge is born automatically. Through knowledge, one is free.

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Translation

56. Verily, one should purify the mind by walking on the path directed by the guru preceptor. With Self-knowledge, one should abandon everything that is ephemeral.

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One should follow the path shown by the guru, the soul within—in other words, practice Kriya. When one is remaining in the soul, the mind will not go in any other direction. When the mind does not get distracted, then the mind remains inside the mind; hence, the mind is purified. All things moving and non-moving are temporarily and will disappear. Know everything as transitory. One then will have the experience of the mind resting in the mind.

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Translation

57. The knower, the knowable and even knowledge itself comes under the domain of the mind. For this reason, knowledge and the knowable are one. There is no other way.


Knowledge and the knowable, both are one. In other words, one who knows and what one knows become one. In this state, everything is Brahman and nothing else exists. Ephemeral is eternal and eternal is ephemeral; hence, there is no other knowledge than this.

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Translation

58. O Mahadevi (Pravati), having listened to all this, surely you now understand, so long as the moon and sun remain in the sky, one who blames or vilifies the teacher goes to a terrible hell.

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Having now heard this, please know that so long as the sun and the moon exist, when one censures the guru, one will be cast into a terrible hell.

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Translation

59. O Devi, as long as one has a body, until the end of a kalpa (a cycle of creation and dissolution), one should always remember the guru preceptor. Even after one is liberated and independent, one should not speak of the absence of the guru preceptor (that is, one should not behave as if he does not need the guru anymore).


As long as the body is there, one should continue practicing Kriya.

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Translation

60. One must never utter lies and falsehoods in front of the guru preceptor.


Never tell lies in front of the guru preceptor.

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Translation

61. Those who speak disrespectfully to the guru, full of hum (anger), are destined to become a terrible ghost (Brahma rakshasa) in the forest or in the desert.


One, who does this, even in a solitary place, attains the life of a terrible demon.

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Translation

62. O Parvati! Even when one is cursed by the munis, celestials, or faced with dangerous serpents or death, the guru preceptor is the savior.


Even when the munis or the celestials curse one with danger or death, still none other than the soul—as the guru—can save him.

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Translation

63. The celestials and munis are helpless to save one who is cursed by the guru preceptor. No doubt he or she will surely perish.


There is no doubt that one who is cursed by the guru will come to destruction. Even the celestials and munis are incapable of freeing one from this undesirable fate.

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Translation

64. O Devi! This two-syllable word gu-ru is the king of all mantras. Thus, it is the essence of the Vedas, the law books, and the Puranas that the guru preceptor is the supreme.


The word guru is a two syllable mantra. One will find proof of this in the teachings of the Vedas.

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Translation

65. Through service to the guru preceptor even one without knowledge of the Vedas or other scriptures can be a true sannyasi (renunciate), while others put on robes only for show.


Without the knowledge of the Vedas and other scriptures, if one practices Kriya, know that person to be a true sannyasi (renunciate); others are only wearing the robes.

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Translation

66. Through the grace and contentment of the guru preceptor one can attain the state of atma-rama – roaming within oneself. One who follows the path of the guru preceptor is blessed with Self-knowledge.


After practicing Kriya, if one remains in paravastha, one then is in the state of atma-rama (rejoicing in the Self); thus by following the path of the guru, one becomes engrossed in Self-knowledge.

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Translation

67. Everything that exists, moving or unmoving, starting with Brahma (the creator) all the way down to a blade of grass, is the form of the Supreme Self (paramatma). I bow down to the all-pervading One.


Through omkar-kriya I bow to him, the one, all-pervading Brahma. The entire universe is the lingam of Vishweshwara, the real nature of the Supreme Self, the unmanifested feet.

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Translation

68. I adore and worship the guru preceptor, who is sat-chit-ananda, beyond all dualities, eternal, complete, formless, beyond the triple qualities of nature, and established in the Self.


That one who is in essence consciousness and bliss, the one indivisible Brahman, is in me. Complete, formless, beyond the qualities of nature, that Brahman, in truth, is my real Self.

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Translation

69. One should always meditate on the Supreme, beyond whom nothing exists, bestower of bliss, seated in the inner space of the heart and pure like a crystal.


He is the best of all, even beyond the reach of meditation. That One, who is eternal, is the bestower of bliss in the inner sky of the heart. He is pure and shining, like clear crystal.

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Translation

70. Please listen to what I am about to narrate to you. A bhava (a feeling) arises in the heart when purusha (the indwelling soul), the size of the thumb, is meditated upon as consciousness within the heart.


This purusha (the indwelling spirit) is the size of a thumb, and it remains within the heart in the nature of pure consciousness. How is this possible? I will explain that to you.

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Translation

71. O Parvati, that bhava, or feeling, is beyond the perception of the senses. It is the most difficult to attain and is devoid of name and form. It is without words and therefore inexplicable. One should thus know that bhava, which is Brahman.

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The state that occurs when one remains in the left side of the heart cannot be witnessed with the eyes. In that state, one is complete. After practicing Kriya for a longer period of time, one can experience that state naturally. There is no forcible entry that requires any other effort, because it is the unmanifested feet or state, devoid of name and form. So, the ultimate remaining state is Brahman. When such a state becomes permanent, one has attained the state of liberation while living, which in reality is one’s own true nature.

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Translation

72. Just as smell is inherent and natural to camphor and flowers, and heat and cold is natural to fire and ice, similarly eternity is natural for Brahman. In the same manner, meditating upon the guru preceptor, one becomes brahmanaya (all-pervading Brahman). There is no doubt that such a person is the liberated one, in body, breath, and beauty (panda, pada, and rupa).


Constantly engrossed in meditation on this guru, an embodied being becomes Brahman. That Brahman, whom one experiences in the midpoint of the eyebrows, is as minute as a sesame seed. When one is firmly established in that state, confusion and doubt no longer exist. This pinda, or, body, (like a ripe palm) and the atom point become Brahman.

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Translation

Shri Parvati asked:

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73. O Mahadeva! What is pinda? What is called as pada? O Shankara, please describe what is rupa and rupatita?


Prakriti (Mother Nature) asked the soul, manifested as the guru, “What is pinda?” In other words, what is beyond the form?

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Translation

Shri Shankara said:

74. Pinda is the power of kundalini. Pinda is also said to be hamsa. Rupa is the bindu or atom point, and rupatita (beyond form) is attributeless.


The inner Self answered by saying that pinda is the power of kundalini. It is remaining at the end of the spine, in the muladhara. This power is the strength that holds the body in tact, making it steady. Its color is purple, much like the tip of a new banana leaf. When this power comes to the heart and attains the state of stillness, moving in a very feeble manner in the finer passage of the lotus stem, the ensuing state is known as hamsa. Upon entering the midpoint of the eyebrows, it gives the vision of a “point” (bindu), which is also called rupa (beauty). To remain in kutastha and the after-kriya state (paravastha) is formless, pure Brahman.

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Translation

75. I am He. Being oneself, merged in divine consciousness, one will perceive the Supreme; who is all-pervading, diseaseless, and nothing else.


When the after-kriya state of calmness, “I am everything,” is experienced, I then see parambrahma, who has become the unmanifested state. This is nothing but the ultimate, supreme stage. At the time, I am healthy and disease free; in other words, the mind is steady and still.

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Translation

76. O Beloved! Having achieved the vision of that Supreme One, one becomes free from all attachments. From that moment, one becomes free from desires or expectations, peaceful, and abides in seclusion.


As a result of beholding that parambrahma, one becomes free from all attachments. One sees “One Brahman” in all. This is the true meaning of seclusion or being alone. If one sees “one” in everything, then how can desires arise? Freedom from desires instantly brings the state of calmness.

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Translation

77. Whether one gets something or not, no matter if it is little or plenty, one should always be mentally content and enjoy all things without any desire.

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Live a life of enjoyment without desire – whether you get something or nothing, whether it is plentiful or little. In this way, when one maintains a state of contentment of mind, resulting from no desires, then where is misery?

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Translation

78. Absorbed in a state of perpetual peace and bliss, wherever the guru preceptor goes, that place becomes enriched with virtues and merits.


Where there is no misery, there is constant bliss. Hence, when there is constant peace, one is blessed with a peaceful continence – any place and any time. Wherever the guru preceptor remains, that place becomes holy.

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Translation

79. O Devi! Thus, I have revealed the qualities of the liberated ones to you. O Devi! Know this to be true; these instructions of mine have thus been experienced by following the path directed by the guru preceptor.

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O Devi! I narrated to you the qualities of one who is free. This I imparted to you in the same manner as the guru gives instructions. Therefore, following such wisdom, one will also attain freedom.

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atha gitamahatmyam

Now is the glory of the Gita

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Translation

80. Devotion to the guru preceptor as well as meditation on him has been revealed to you in detail. Now I am going to narrate the benefits that one accrues through them. Know this to be a great penance also.


I imparted all instructions about the guru, devotion, and meditation. Now I will speak of mahatapa (great penance), or what can be achieve through this.

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Translation

81. O Devi! What I am disclosing to you is for the benefit of creation. Do not consider what I am telling you as something common and

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ordinary. In this ocean of the world, people are engrossed in worldly activities; bereft or right knowledge, they suffer.


The knowledge I imparted to you is for the benefit of the world. Do not think it is worldly knowledge, for it can lead you to the supreme goal.

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Translation

82. If anyone with faith and devotion studies, listens to, or writes about this scripture for others, they will attain all merits.


What has been said about the Guru Gita is nothing less than pure truth. Hence, by putting it into practice, one will attain knowledge. Without knowledge, how can one attain liberation? When one who has devotion reads, listens to, or writes about the Guru Gita, and then present it to others, all of one’s actions become fruitful.

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Translation

83. O Devi! This Guru Gita, which has been expounded by me, is the pure knowledge. You, yourself should always chant or read it to eliminate the disease of the world.


I spoke of the purifying principles in this Guru Gita. Through them, one becomes free from worldly disease. Needless to say, for that reason you should do japa (chanting) constantly.

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Translation

84. O My Beloved! Each letter of this Guru Gita is the king of mantras. No other mantra equals even one-sixteenth part of it.


Consider each every letter of the Guru Gita as the king of mantras. Other mantras are incomparable to even one-sixteenth of it.

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Translation

85. This (Guru Gita) destroys all sins, anxieties, and eliminates all poverty, too. Untimely death is prevented and all troubles are overcome by it.


By practicing Kriya and staying in the state of paravastha, all sins, all anxieties, and all poverty are eliminated. One will not meet an untimely death, and all one’s difficulties will be destroyed.

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Translation

86. This (Guru Gita) dispels the fear of yakshas, demons, ghosts, thieves, tigers, etc. It also removes great diseases and bestows supernatural powers and perfection.

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All fear of yakshas, rakshasas, thieves, tigers, etc., are also removed. Great diseases are destroyed, and one attains eight types of siddhis.

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Translation

87. This (Guru Gita) is infused with the power of attraction. It destroys all bonds; thus liberating the devotee. Indra becomes dear to one and all rulers are brought under one’s control.


This (Guru Gita) can overpower all bhutas (elements, spirits, or beings). It can free one from bondage. One will become dear to the rulers and the deities, and all people will be brought under one’s control.

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Translation

88. This (Guru Gita) hast the power to stop other’s speech. It also increases one’s virtues and good qualities, thus it destroys all evil deeds and brings perfection through righteous actions.


This (Guru Gita) can control the talk of others. Becomes it helps one to accumulate good qualities, bad actions are then eliminated and good works are fructified.

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Translation

89. This (Guru Gita) blessed one with devotion, brings success in all works, and removes the fear resulting from the negative effects of the nine planets. Nullifying bad dreams, it brings one the experience of good dreams.


Through the practice of Kriya, one becomes advanced in devotion. As a result, one achieves perfection in action and becomes free from any fear stemming from the ill effects of the nine planets. Bad dreams are eliminated, and one receives the vision of good dreams.

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Translation

90. It bestows eternal peace and blesses a barren lady with a well- mannered child and prevents the widowhood for women and brings good fortune.


It bestows all peace, which means that peace prevails in one’s every activity. Even a barren woman will be blessed with a child and a woman will not become a widow. Furthermore, one will be the recipient of good fortune.

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Translation

91. It brings long life, health, prosperity, and increases progeny (children and grandchildren). If one studies this three times without any desires, one will attain liberation.


One’s life span will be enhanced, and prosperity, children, and grandchildren will be plentiful. If one practice Kriya three times and is devoid of all desires, such a one will attain liberation.

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Translation

92. This (Guru Gita) eliminates all sorrows, fears, and obstacles, and removes all afflictions. It nullifies all obstacles and bestows virtues, financial security, fulfillment of noble desires, and liberation.


It destroys all sorrow, fear, afflictions, and neutralizes all obstacles. One attains virtues, material success, fulfillment of desires, and liberation.

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Translation

93. No doubt, whatever one desires is fulfilled accordingly. This (Guru Gita) is the wish-fulfilling cow for all desires, and it is the wish-fulfilling tree for a person with expectations.


Because it is wish-fulfilling tree, one will attain the fulfillment of one’s desires.

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Translation

94. It is the chintamani (wish-fulfilling stone) for all thoughts, as well as the bestower of all auspiciousness. The followers of Shakti (Divine Mother), Surya (sun god), Ganapati, Vishnu, Shiva, Pashupati all chant this (Guru Gita). O Devi, it fulfills dharma, artha, kama, and moksha.


Kutastha is the wish-fulfilling jewel. When one contemplates there, all goodness comes. Therefore all, including Shakta, Shaiva, Ganapatya, Vaishnava, Saura, etc., become God-realized and attain the fulfillment of dharma, artha, kama, and moksha.

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Translation

95. To cleanse oneself from the impurities of the world and to be free from the afflictions of this worldly life, the knower of truth should always bathe in the sacred waters of the Guru Gita.


All impurities of the world are eliminated. All afflictions of the world are destroyed. After taking a bath in the water of the Guru Gita, one becomes a person of knowledge.

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Translation

96. He is the sadguru who knows what is real and unreal. He is the best among the knowers of Brahman. Every place he resides is sanctified; there is no doubt about it.


One is the sadguru, who has seen Brahman in the real and unreal and truly knows the six chakras, their colors, and the number of petals in each lotus.

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Translation

97. Wherever this rare and precious Gita is placed, that place becomes sanctified, and all the devas reside there also.


Anywhere this holy Gita is read, that place becomes sanctified. Undoubtedly this Gita is extremely are, wherever it remains all deities and holy places also congregate.

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Translation

98. Indeed, by chanting this Guru Gita one is pure and always in knowledge. One who has been given a mere glimpse of Him is freed from the cycle of rebirth.


One who chants the Guru Gita is pure and wise. After having this darshana, one no longer is subject to rebirth.

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Translation

99. It is truth, truth, and truth again that whatever is being declared by me is the essence of dharma (values, virtues, and duties). There is no other hymn equal to the Guru Gita. O one with a beautiful face, what I repeatedly said is the truth.


Thus, I described to you my entire nature (dharma). Clearly, there is nothing equal to the Guru Gita. This affirmation of truth I declare to you three times.

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Translation

100. This affirmation I will repeat to you three times: The guru is God. The guru is dharma. It is supreme austerity to have firm faith in the guru. There is nothing superior to the guru and no greater truth than the guru.


The guru is God. The guru is dharma. Faith in the guru is the supreme penance; however, this nishtha (faith) must be completely established. Nothing exists that is greater than the guru. Thus, there is no greater truth than him.

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Translation

101. O Devi! In regards to the one who has this extremely rare devotion to the guru preceptor: blessed is the mother, blessed is the father, blessed is the family and the clan – even blessed is the Earth.


Devotion to the guru is extremely rare. (If one has devotion to the guru preceptor), then his or her mother, father, dynasty, family, and even the Earth are blessed.

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Translation

102. Within this body, the senses, prana (breath), wealth, one’s friends, relatives, mother’s clan, and father’s clan, exists the presence of the guru preceptor; in other words, one can feel the presence of the guru in all. Without a doubt, this assertion is the truth.


The guru has manifested himself as the body, the senses, prana, wealth, relatives, father, mother, and family. Undoubtedly, such a claim is indeed the truth.

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Translation

103. O Devi! Through the mere satisfaction of the guru preceptor, all yajnas (fire ceremonies, sacrifices), observances, austerity, and kriyas that were practiced during millions of births becomes fruitful.


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When the guru is contented, it is equal to the blessings received from millions of lifetimes of chanting, observances, and penance.

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Translation

104. Listened to my words and know them to be the truth: those ill-fated people, who are full of pride due to their knowledge and wealth, do not serve the guru preceptor.


Please understand, I am telling you the truth, one who is ill-fated, proud of wealth and knowledge, cannot serve the guru.

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Translation

105. Right attitude towards the guru preceptor is the greatest holy place of all; other places of pilgrimage are useless. O Devi, within the sacred water that washes the feet of the guru preceptor know there to be all holy waters of all sacred places.


Service to the guru is the supreme pilgrimage. All holy places have become the water that washes the guru’s feet.

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Kriyaadhikaari nir’aya

Determination of Qualified Kriyavans

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106. This hidden knowledge, difficult to comprehend, should not be revealed to all. Therefore, this knowledge must be well-guarded with special effort. However, because you are very dear to me, I have narrated this wisdom to you.


One must take great care when revealing this secret knowledge.

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Translation

107. O Parvati! This secret knowledge (of Guru Gita), which brings one to my company, should not be revealed to devas like Kartikeya, Ganesha, etc., even in your own mind.


Never disclose it even mentally to Kartikeya, Ganesha, and the vaishnavas.

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Translation

108. O Devi, O My Beloved! You are my soul. You are so very dear to me. Therefore, I disclosed this wisdom to you. Reveal it only to those who are extremely peaceful in mind and enriched with pure love.

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Tell only those who are extremely peaceful and faithful.

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Translation

109. O my beloved! This Guru Gita should never be revealed, even mentally, to the devotionless, the deceitful, the wicked, the faithless, the atheists, etc.


Please do not disclose this knowledge to those who are devoid of devotion, who cheat others, are cunning, hypocritical, atheists, etc.

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Translation

110. The Guru Gita as explained by me is the essence of the Vedas, Tantras, and all scriptures that expound the path of liberation.


There are three groups of scritures: Agama, Nigama, and Nirvana. Hence, this means that the Guru Gita was revealed after practicing Kriya and paravastha.

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Translation

111. O Devi! There are many teachers who steal the wealth of the disciples; however, that guru preceptor is extremely rare who steals the suffering of the disciples.

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There are many gurus who take the wealth of the disciple. Thus, the guru who takes away the suffering from the disciple is indeed very rare. All suffering disappears after Kriya and paravastha.

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Translation

112. I adore and bow down to the great mantra of the guru, which is the only mantra that enables one to cross the ocean of the world. Thus, it is the siddha (perfected) mantra that is worshipped by all the celestials, and even Brahma, etc., and the munis. This divine mantra rescues one from all manner of poverty, misery, worldly diseases, and fear.


Practice of Kriya is the real mantra that helps one to cross the ocean of the world. One can learn this divine technique directly from the guru. This is the mantra of perfection, which is practiced by gods like Brahma, etc., and the munis. It alleviates poverty, misery, fear, and suffering. This mantra is so powerful that it even eliminates the greatest fear; that is, the fear of death. Thus, such a guru is the Supreme, end he is the mantra-raja (the king of mantra).

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Thus ends the hymn of the Guru Gita from the Vishwasara Tantra.

63

BOOK TWO

SHREE SHREE GURU GITA

FROM SKANDA PURANA

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Chapter I

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Translation

1. I bow to Brahman, the unmanifested One, who is unthinkable and the domain of the triple qualities of nature, and yet the source of those qualities, too; as well as the support or substratum of the manifested universe.

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Translation

The rishi said:

2. O Suta, The greatest among the wise, master of the Vedas (Nigama) and the Tantras (Agama), please narrate to us the essential nature of the guru preceptor, who has the ability to eliminate all impurities of the mind and the body.

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Translation

3. Upon hearing this, an embodied being becomes free from all sufferings; therefore, by treading that path, the munis (the persons of meditation) have attained the state of omniscience.

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Translation

4. Attaining that, one is never again trapped in the bondage of the world. Please narrate that supreme truth to us now.

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Translation

5. O Suta, we are most eager to listen to your narration through your grace, especially the Guru Gita, which is not only the essence of truth but also the secret of all secrets.

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Translation

6. When Suta was again and praying by the congregation of the munis, with full enthusiasm, she spoke these sweet words:

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Translation

Suta said:

7. O Munis, please listen to me with faith and love. I will narrate the Gita to you, which destroys all worldly diseases and is like a mother to you all.

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Translation

8. Long ago on the mountain peak of Mount Kailasha, which is served by the siddhas (the perfect ones) and the gandharvas (the celestial musicians and dancers), in the most beautiful place, adorned with the wish-fulfilling creepers (kalpalata), flowers, etc.,

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Translation

9. Lord Shiva, seated on a tiger skin, and adored by Shuka and other munis, was expounding the supreme truth.

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Translation

10. Parvati (Lord Shiva’s divine consort), her face aglow with love and devotion, observed the Lord bowing to someone with great reverence and adoration. Bewildered, she then asked him.

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Translation

Parvati said:

11. Om. O Lord of Lords, I bow to you. You are supreme. You are the teacher of the entire universe (jagad guru). The suras (divine one), asuras (the demonic nature), and the humans always adore you with utmost devotion.

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Translation

12. You are always adored by Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, Indra, and others, and yet you bowed down to someone. I wish to know who is that one worthy of your adoration.

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Translation

13. After witnessing your divine action, I am amazed and greatly confused and unable to comprehend its meaning. Please enlighten me, O Lord.

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Translation

14. O Bhagavan (Lord), thou art the knower of all dharmas (duties, rules, and principles). O Shambu, please explain to me the glory of the guru preceptor, which is the best of all vratas (life-style, vows, or observances).

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Translation

15. O Lord! Which path should the embodied being follow to reach the ultimate state of Brahman-hood (becoming Brahman)? O Swami (My Beloved), please shower your grace upon me. I bow down to you.

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Translation

16. In this way, after the repeated requests of Parvati, the great Lord, Maheshwara, spoke these words; his heart overflowing with love and bliss.

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Translation

Shri Mahadeva said:

17. O Devi, this most hidden and mystical truth was not meant to be revealed to anyone. Until this time, it was never told to anyone before. However, because of your great devotion, I will disclose it to you now.

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Translation

18. O Devi! You are my own self in another form; therefore I will narrate this to you. No one has ever asked such a question that is beneficial for all.

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Translation

19. When one’s heart is full of supreme love and devotion for the Lord and one’s guru preceptor, truths will be explained and will even reveal themselves, too.

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Translation

20. The scriptures declare that it is Shiva himself who is the real guru preceptor. If one makes a distinction between the two, then it can be said that one is guilty of the crime of sleeping with the preceptor’s wife.

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Translation

21. O Sweet Faced (Parvati), please listen as I reveal the secret of the three worlds. I affirm this truth to you: the guru is none other than Brahman.

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Translation

22. The Vedas, the scriptures, the Puranas, the itihasa (history books), mantra, yantra, mohana (hypmotism), ucchatana, etc.,

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Translation

23. the paths of those who follows Shiva, Shakti, Agama (Tantra), etc. , among other views that exist in the world today, are false and adulterated theories that only create confusion in ignorant people.

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Translation

24. O Beloved! Even such things as japa (chanting), austerities, observances, pilgrimages, yajnas (sacrifices or fire ceremonies),

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charity, etc., are meaningless and futile without understanding the principle of the guru preceptor.

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Translation

25. O Beautiful Faced (Parvati)! I declare this truth to you: there is no difference between the guru preceptor and the soul (atman). Therefore, every effort should be made by all intelligent seekers, well-versed in the scriptures, for attaining that (the guru preceptor or the Self).

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Translation

26. The hidden ignorance, the world, maya (illusion), and even the body are all caused by nescience or ignorance. That one, by whose grace a seeker of truth attains direct knowledge (vijnana), is known by the name of Guru.

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Translation

27. I bow to that guru preceptor whose two lotus-like feet help remove all dualities of life (such as pleasure and pain), afflictions, and miseries; thus enabling one to safely cross the ocean of the world.

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Translation

28. Now I will reveal to you that divine knowledge by which an embodied being, has been purified from all sins and mistakes, becomes Brahman, Because of my love for you I will disclose this truth: one can only attain this state by offering service at the guru’s feet.

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Translation

29. One who drinks the water that washed the holy feet of the guru preceptor, and then sprinkles the remainder on his head, obtains the merit of having a bath in every holy place and every sacred river.

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Translation

30. The water collected from washing the guru preceptor’s feet has the power to wash away the viscous mud of sins and kindle the flame of knowledge, allowing one to cross the ocean of the world.

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Translation

31. To uproot ignorance, end the cycle of birth and karma (the bond of fruits of actions), etc., and attain knowledge, detachment, and perfection, one should drink the water that washed the guru preceptor’s feet.

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Translation

32. Not only should one drink the water that washed the guru preceptor’s feet, but one should also eat any food that remains on his plate. Thus, one should meditate upon the guru preceptor constantly and continuously repeat his name.

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Translation

33. The repetition of the guru’s name becomes the repetition of the name of Lord Shiva. Likewise, the infinite and immortal (ananta) contemplation on the name of one’s own guru preceptor becomes the meditation on Shiva, the infinite one.

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Translation

34. Every day I worship and adore mu guru preceptor, my lord and savior; the dust of whose feet becomes a sturdy bridge across this worldly ocean.

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Translation

35. I bow to the Supreme Self, the master of masters, by whose grace alone, sorrows and delusions are destroyed.

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Translation

36. I bow to the master of masters, who bestows the fulfillment of all noble desires. Upon attaing his grace, one can cast off the great danger of ignorance.

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Translation

37. The abode of the guru preceptor is Kashi Kshetra (holy Varanasi), and the water that washes his feet is the water of Ganga. The guru is Vishveshwara (the presiding deity of Kashi or Varanasi) himself and his words are the liberating words of God.

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Translation

38. The service to the guru preceptor is the holy city of Gaya (the feet of Lord Vishnu are there). His body is the eternal banyan tree, and because his feet are the feet of Lord Vishnu, anything offered there gives infinite merits.

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Translation

39. One should always contemplate on the guru preceptor’s form and repeat his name continuously. Follow his command always and think of him alone, and none other.

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Translation

40. Brahman resides within the tongue (words) and mouth of the guru preceptor and a disciple can attain Him, through his grace. One should meditate on the guru preceptor continuously, just like a devoted and chaste wife thinks of her beloved husband.

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Translation

41. One should take sole refuge in the guru preceptor, renouncing one’s own stage in life, one’s relatives, reputation, and all attractions and temptations.

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Translation

42. Therefore, with extreme effort, one should worship the guru preceptor, giving up all other thoughts, so that one can easily attain supreme bliss.

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Translation

43. It is through the seeker’s pure love for the guru preceptor that he or she attains the supreme knowledge that is possessed by the guru. In the three worlds, this truth is clearly emphasized by the celestial sages, the ancestors, and wise people.

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Translation

44. The syllable gu implies darkness and ru is light. No doubt the guru is Brahman who can swallow the darkness of ignorance.

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Translation

45. The syllable gu implies worldly disease and ru implies the obstruction of worldly disease. One who has the power to destroy the worldly disease is named Guru.

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Translation

46. The syllable gu also represents one who is beyond the triple qualities of nature and ru means to be beyond all forms. Hence, as he is free from the gunas (the play of nature) and forms, he is known as a guru.

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Translation

47. The first syllable gu signifies the cause of the manifestation of maya (illusion) and the gunas (triple qualities of nature). Accordingly, the second syllable ru is parambrahma who removes delusion, illusion, and error.

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Translation

48. Thus, the auspicious feet of the guru are great and divine, and even difficult to attain by devas, the divine ones. They are worshipped by celestials, garuda, divine serpents, and gandharvas, and the perfected ones.

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Translation

49. O Devi! It is the firm truth that the essential nature of the guru is supreme for the seeker of freedom – nothing is greater. One should worship one’s guru preceptor with complete dedication.

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Translation

50. The seeker should offer the seat (cushion), bed (mattress), clothes, vehicles, ornaments, etc., to the guru preceptor to bring him contentment and comfort.

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Translation

51. With every thought, word, and action one should worship the guru preceptor. With complete prostration (bow down flat on the ground) all feelings of shyness should be dismissed when in the presence of one’s guru.

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Translation

52. One should surrender completely, offering one’s body, senses, prana (vital breath), wealth, relatives, spouse – even one’s very soul.

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Translation

53. The guru is the essence of the entire universe, which includes Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva – there is no one superior to him. Thus, one should worship the guru preceptor.

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Translation

54. The lotus-like feet of the guru preceptor shine like the jewels of all Upanishads. The guru preceptor is the exponent of the message of Vedanta; hence, without a doubt, he is worthy of worship.

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Translation

55. By mere remembrance of the guru preceptor, Self-knowledge automatically descends upon one. He is the real treasure. Therefore, one should constantly worship him.

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Translation

56. O Beautiful Faced (Parvati). Please acknowledge this transitory body as being the abode of misery – full of worms, filth, and foul smelling substances.

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Translation

57. Those who ascend the tree of samsara (ever-changing world) fall into the ocean of hell. It is the guru preceptor who rescues them from their suffering and misery. I bow to the guru preceptor.

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Translation

58. I bow to him, the guru preceptor who is Brahma (the creator). The guru is Vishnu (the sustainer). The guru is Maheshwara (the destroyer). The guru is Supreme Brahman.

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Translation

59. I bow to my guru preceptor, who restores my vision and opens my real eye, eliminating the darkness of ignorance with the collyrium of knowledge.

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Translation

60. I bow to the one guru preceptor, who blessed me with the vision of tat (That), the Supreme Brahman, which pervades and permeates the

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entire universe, movable and immovable, as unbroken and complete consciousness.

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Translation

61. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, who has given me the experience of tvam (You) in the form of all movable and immovable objects, with and without life.

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Translation

62. I bow to my guru preceptor, who has given me the experience of asi (Are), which pervades everything that exists throughout the three worlds, movable or immovable, as consciousness.

* Note: The above three verses (60-62) are beautiful descriptions of the profound Upanishadic teaching tat-tvam-asi : “You are That.”

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Translation

63. I bow to my guru preceptor, one who follows his words, even for a moment (or less), can perceive the soul as Shiva and become liberated.

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Translation

64. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, who is pure consciousness, eternal, peaceful, unattached like the sky, full of light and beyond all color, who is above this stage of nada (sound), bindu (atom point), and kala (time).

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Translation

65. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, who is beyond the gunas (triple qualities of nature), pure, peaceful, moving as well as unmoving, who pervades the entire universe.

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Translation

66. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, he is the father, the mother, the relative, and above all, he is God. Thus, he frees me from the delusion of the world.

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Translation

67. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, whose potentiality allows the universe to appear to exist; whose light illuminates the universe; whose bliss creates bliss and joy everywhere.

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Translation

68. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, the one in whom the entire universe exists. His light illuminates everything, and his delight and love progeny are dear to all.

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Translation

69. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, whose power enables one to see everything, and the mind, intellect, and memory to function. One can also experience the wakeful state, dream state, and deep sleep state.

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Translation

70. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, whose knowledge is this universe, in whom there is no difference between seer and seen, who is ever existing in truth and oneness.

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Translation

71. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, who is established in one state, feeling, and experience. Those who only have limited experience are attached to a particular view; however, this view is not the same as knowledge.

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Translation

72. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, who is the cause of everything, as well as the effect.

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Translation

73. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, who shines on the cause and effect of everything. Although there appears to be diversity in the universe, in him no diversity exists at all.

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Translation

74. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, who is established in knowledge and power, who is adorned with the garland of truth and reality, and who is the bestower of liberation and enjoyment.

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Translation

75. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, who destroys the bond of karma (seed of action), acquired in countless births, with the powerful fire of knowledge.

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Translation

76. I bow to my guru preceptor; even the water that washes his feet has the ability to dry up the ocean of the world; illuminating all worldly treasure as perishable.

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Translation

77. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, his greatness is unsurpassed. In the entire creation, there is no greater truth, no greater penance, and no greater knowledge than the guru.

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Translation

78. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, for I have experience my Lord as the lord of the universe and my guru as the guru of the universe. Also, I have realized my soul is the soul of all.

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Translation

79. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, who is both the beginning and the beginningless; the supreme reality and the deity. No other mantra can equal these two syllables: gu-ru. There is no greater mantra than the one given by the guru preceptor.

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Translation

80. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, who is the best friend in the world when one is faced with the most difficult situations. He is the supreme help, because he is the knower and follower of all dharmas (duties, practices).

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Translation

81. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, through him one will know that the universe exists in the guru and the guru exists in the world, too. Thus, this world itself is the guru.

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Translation

82. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, for pointing to the right path when one becomes confused and deluded about what direction to take in this forest of a world.

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Translation

83. I bow to him, my guru preceptor; the water that washes his feet is like the Ganga to those tormented by the fire of the three afflictions, who are restless and devoid of peace on this Earth.

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Translation

84. The guru knows the mahamantra of right knowledge to treat those who have been bitten by the snake of ignorance; thus, he is the only real physician.

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Translation

85. I bow to the guru, who is Shambhu, the cause of the world. The guru is a bridge over the ocean of the ever changing world, and the master of all knowledge and sciences.

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Translation

86. The foundation of meditation is the form of the guru preceptor. The root of worship is his feet. The words of the guru are the mantra to be practiced. The cause of liberation is his boundless grace.

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Translation

87. Whatever merit a person has accumulated from pilgrimages and bathing in the sacred waters of holy places, covering the entire seven oceans of the world, is equal to only one-thousandth part of a drop of water that washes the guru preceptor’s feet.

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Translation

88. If Shiva is displeased, the guru can still rescue one, but if the guru is displeased, no one can help you. Therefore, having attained the right kula guru, one should take complete refuge in him.

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Translation

89. Just as the bee seeking honey goes from one flower to another, so also should the disciple who is in the quest of knowledge go from one guru to another.

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Translation

90. I worship the two feet of the guru, endowed with the beauty of Shiva and Shakti, differentiated by white and red colors, which are beyond the reach of speech, mind, and the senses.

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Translation

91. The syllables gu is beyond the gunas (triple qualities of nature), and ru is above all forms. One who can confer the state beyond the gunas and forms is called a guru.

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Translation

92. O My Dear (Parvati)! The guru is Shiva without three eyes; Hari with two hands, and also Brahman without four faces.

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Translation

93. With folded hands, may these prostrations be offered to him, the ocean of mercy, the perfected one, by whose grace individuals attain liberation from this most colorful world.

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Translation

94. Just as a blind person cannot see the sunrise, similarly those who have ill-luck cannot see the supreme beauty of Shri Guru, which is visible through the eyes of discrimination.

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Translation

95. The guru preceptor is the instantaneous liberator of one’s family – not only one, but millions of generations. Therefore, knowing this, one should bow down to sadguru three times every day.

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Translation

96. My Dear One (Parvati)! With deep devotion one should bow down every day to the place and the direction where the sacred feet of Shri Guru rest.

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Translation

97. Each day one should sing hymns to the guru by offering full prostrations with the eight limbs. Thus, in doings so, one attains steadiness and ultimately experiences one’s own real nature.

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Translation

98. Complete prostration implies lying flat and touching the ground, with hands, legs, knees, thighs, head, sight, mind, and speech.

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Translation

99. May these repeated offerings of freshly bloomed flowers and sweet words be dedicated to the direction where Shri Guru Bhagavan, The king of kings abides. Shri Guru is the one, eternal witness who watches the drama of creation, sustenance, and dissolution of the world.

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Translation

100. If, by the dawn of the guru’s grace, all obstacles disappear and the blissful state of natural breath control (sahaja avastha) is attained, then what need is there of practicing hundreds of pranayamas for long periods of time, with the risk of disease, difficulties, and pains. Therefore, one should serve the guru preceptor only.

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Translation

101. Through sincere devotion to the guru preceptor, one can attain the state of liberation – even without knowledge. For the one who walks on the path of unshakable devotion to the guru preceptor no practice (sadhana) is needed other than his grace.

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Translation

102. The Vedas declare, “not this, not this” and also speak of something that exists – beyond which, there is nothing. That principle is known as the “guru”, and one should worship him with mind, speech, and action.

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Translation

103. It is through the grace of the guru preceptor that Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, etc., are capable of accomplishing their duties – creation, preservation, and dissolution respectively. Each one, according to his ability, adores the guru preceptor.

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Translation

104. Even such beings as the devas and celestials (like kinnaras, gandharvas, pitris,yakshas, tumburus), and also munis, do not know the correct art of serving the guru preceptor.

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Translation

105. O My Dear (Parvati)! Even people who have gained the mastery of logic, Vedic meter, and astrology, and those proficient in rituals and worldly sciences, do not know the principle of the guru in its entirety.

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Translation

106. Just like pots in a Persian well, people of great ego, pride of penance, education, and power roam in this world.

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Translation

107. Neither those who perform yajnas (sacrifices or fire ceremonies), nor the yoguis, nor even those who practice austerities can attain liberation without having the knowledge of the principle of the guru.

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Translation

108. Hence, those who are averse to serving the guru preceptor cannot become completely liberated, even if they are gandharvas, pitris, yakshas, charanas, rishis, siddhas, or devas.

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Translation

Thus is the first chapter of the Guru Gita, found in Skanda Purana, Uttara Khanda, in Sanatkumara Samhita in the form of dialogue between Uma and Maheshwara.

Chapter II

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Translation

109. O Mahadevi (Great Divine Mother)! Please listen to the proper method of meditation (on the guru), the bestower of all bliss and joy, as well as the giver of success and liberation.

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Translation

110. I contemplate on Shri Guru who is parambrahma, the Supreme One. I sing of Shri Guru, I speak of Shri Guru, and I bow down to Shri Guru.

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Translation

111. I bow to him, my guru preceptor, the absolute, who is the bliss of Brahman, the bestower of the highest joy, and the personification of knowledge. Shri Guru is beyond duality, all-pervasive like the sky, and the object of the great Upanishadic statement, “Thou art That.” He is one, eternal, pure, steady – the witness of all thoughts, beyond all modification, and free from the three gunas.

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Translation

112. One should meditate on the divine form of the guru, seated on the throne in the center of the lotus of the heart, emanating light like the full moon, that is capable of bestowing the bliss of eternity, consciousness, and desired boons.

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Translation

113. Wearing white clothes, covered with white sandalwood paste, bedecked with white flowers, adorned with a rosary of pearls, who is ever cheerful, bestow a kind look, has two eyes, and to his left side is seated divine Shakti (Divine Mother).

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Translation

114. I bow down to the sadguru, always worthy of adoration, who is the best among the yogis and the physician of worldly diseases. Ever content, full of knowledge, and engrossed in his own divine nature, he is bliss and the distributor of bliss, too.

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115. I worship the lotus feet of the gurus who have revealed the source of the eternal ocean of bliss, born of the Self within, for they have given us the remedy for the virulent poison of the ever changing world.

116. One should adore and worship the guru preceptor in whom theses five qualities are ever present – creation, sustenance, destruction, the ability to discipline or punish, and to give blessings.

117. Contained within his lotus-like feet is the forest fire needed to set the entire universe ablaze. Inside his fontanel (brahmarandhra), the thousand-petalled lotus, there is a moonlike nectar.

118. Let one meditate on the guru preceptor, seated in the center a triangle (with three syllables: a, ka, tha) of the thousand-petalled lotus.

119. I bow to the guru preceptor, who is Brahman. He is eternal, pure, formless, unattached, unmanifested, and constantly in knowledge, consciousness, and bliss.

120. So powerful is the divine glance of the guru preceptor that creation itself is sustained by his look; thus it is the field in which the entire creation is super-imposed. All Vedic injunctions, the experience of truth, Brahma (the creator) and his creation also depend upon it, because it is his look that reveals the path to liberation.

121. He has both the power to support and end this creation, comprising of so many worlds. The penetrating rain of his merciful glance bestows the totality of love and freedom. He gives the vision of sat-chit-ananda (existence-consciousness-bliss) as well as the continuous creation. Let the divine vision of the guru preceptor dwell in me.

122. There is nothing greater than the guru.

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(This I say) by the command of Shiva,

by the command of Shiva,



123. By the authority of Hari, this indeed is Shiva.

By the authority of Hari, this indeed is Shiva.



124. By the direction of Brahma, this is the only and unchallenged truth.

By the direction of Brahma, this is the only and unchallenged truth.



125. In this manner, meditating on the guru preceptor, one becomes blessed with real knowledge. When following the instruction of the guru preceptor, one should feel, “I am free.”

126. Verily one should purify the mind by walking on the path directed by the guru preceptor. With Self-knowledge, one should abandon everything as ephemeral.

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127. Everything knowable, known, and even knowledge itself comes under the domain of mind. Hence, knowledge and knowable are one – there is no other way.

128. What is the use of having millions of scriptures that teach in many different ways, when in this world real peace of mind is rarely to be found? However, it can be attained through the grace of the guru preceptor.

129. He is known as the sadguru, who, with the sword of compassion, severs the eight knots that bind the disciple, releasing the flow of bliss.

130. O Mahadevi (Parvati)! Having listened to my words, know this to be true; so long as the sun and moon shine in the sky, one who blames or vilifies the teacher goes to a terrible hell.

131. O Devi! So long as one has a body, one should always remember the guru preceptor, even until the end of a kalpa (a cycle of creation and dissolution).Thus, long after one is free and independent, one should still not neglect him.

132. Never should the wise disciple utter any words of anger or defiance to the guru preceptor. Nor should one ever tell lies or falsehoods in front of him.

133. Speaking with disrespect, using hum (anger) and tvam (addressing one as an inferior) to the guru preceptor, results in one becoming a terrible ghost (brahma rakshasa) in the forest or in the desert.

134. At all times and in all conditions, one should feel the state of advaita (non-dual existence). However, one should never maintain such an attitude in the presence of the guru preceptor.

135. As long as one think and see, one should continue worshipping the feet of the guru preceptor. Through that alone one can attain liberation, and not by other means.

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136. Although one may be the knower of all scriptures, if one abandons the guru preceptor, he will surely face great distraction at the end of his life.

137. One should never ignore one’s duties towards the guru preceptor. Neither should one say or do anything without first consulting him. Each morning, upon awakening, one should bow down to him. These are means of expressing devotion to the guru preceptor.

138. O Devi! When the guru preceptor is present, one should never give instructions to others. If one does so, he or she will become a demon.

139. In the hermitage of the guru preceptor, one should not drink (prohibited substance) and roam here and there without purpose. One should not initiate, give lectures, or show one’s own mastery (supremacy) and command in the presence of the guru preceptor.

140. Sitting in close proximity of the guru preceptor, using luxuries like cushions, stretching one’s legs, wearing cosmetics, acting frivolous with other should never be practiced.

141. One should never ignore the order of the guru preceptor; no matter if it is just or unjust. Day and night one should live like his attendant and carry out his words.

142. One should never enjoy anything belonging to the guru preceptor, unless it was offered by him. Whatever the guru preceptor gives one, should be received with great humility. Through this one attains long life.

143. All items such as shoes (sandals), seats, bed, etc., that are used by the guru preceptor should never be touched by one’s feet. One the other hand, one should bow down to them with deep reverence.

144. Wherever the guru preceptor walks, one should follow him; however, one should take great care never to cross his shadow. Also,

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one should avoid adorning oneself with expensive clothes and ornaments (as show or imitation).

145. One should immediately leave the presence of anyone speaking ill of the guru preceptor, if one cannot stop such conduct.

146. One should not share with others any morsels of food remaining on the guru preceptor’s plate. Thus, take all that is leftover and consume it with the feeling that it is the holy remnants from a great fire ceremony. Remain obedient and never disobey any orders he may give you.

147. Never lie or speak unpleasantly, proudly, or incessantly in front of the guru preceptor. Do not speak in a commanding voice. Faithfully carry out all orders he may give you.

148. “O Lord, my God, O best among humans, O Master, O King, O lord of my family” – in this manner one should address the guru preceptor with devotion and with awe; accordingly, one should behave in a similar manner in his company.

149. O Parvati! For one who is cursed by the munis, celestials, or confronted by dangerous serpents or death, the guru preceptor is the savior.

150. Even the celestials and munis are powerless to save one who is facing the curse of the guru preceptor.

151. O Devi! This two syllable word gu-ru is the king of all mantras. It is the essence of the Vedas, the law books, and the Puranas.

152. One who puts on ochre-colored robes and holds a staff (danda) for the sake of respect, honor, and worship cannot be called a sannyasin (monk). A sannyasin is one who is always eager to gain knowledge.

153. One who clearly understands the significance of the great commandments of the Upanishads, through serving the guru

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preceptor, is called a sannyasin. Others are merely adorning themselves with ochre-colored robes.

154. Blessed is that one, the teacher, established in the knowledge of truth, who realizes Brahman – the absolute, eternal, formless one, who is beyond the triple qualities of nature – for he is glorious to the world.

155. It is by the grace of the guru preceptor that one attains equanimity and progresses on the path of liberation. Thus, by practicing introspection within, if one discovers one’s true self, ultimately Self-knowledge will dawn.

156. Starting with Brahma (the creator) all the way down to a blade of grass, everything that exists – moving or unmoving – is the form of the supreme Self (paramatma). I bow down to that all-pervading one.

157. I bow down to the guru of the universe, who is sat-chit-ananda (existence, knowledge, and bliss), who is beyond all thoughts (transcendent), eternal, complete, formless, beyond the triple qualities of nature, and established in one’s Self.

158. One should always meditate on the Supreme, beyond whom nothing exists. He is the bestower of bliss, who is seated in the inner space of the heart, and pure like a crystal.

159. As the beauty of the crystal shines in a crystal, and as the reflection in a mirror shines in a mirror, so also in the soul sun shines the bliss of chidakasha (in the sky of consciousness). “I am He” is the essence of it.

160. Please listen and I shall narrate to you. There is a bhava (feeling that arises in the heart) that occurs when purusha (the indwelling soul, the size of a thumb) is meditated upon as consciousness in the heart.

161. I am unborn. I am deathless. I am without beginning. I am without any modification. I am bliss. I am smaller than the smallest and greater than the greatest.

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162. Nothing was prior to me; so also nothing after. I am eternal. I am self-effulgent. I am without pain and free from diseases. I am ever pure. I am the eternal space. Know me to be steady and immovable bliss.

163. O Parvati, I am beyond the perception of the senses. I am unreachable and devoid of name and form – silence itself and inexplicable. Know me thus, my real form is Brahman.

164. Just as smell is inherent and natural to camphor and flowers, and just as heat and cold are natural to fire and ice, similarly, for Brahman eternity is natural.

165. Just as gold exists in its own nature in earrings and bracelets, similarly I am eternal Brahman.

166. Just like an insect, out of constant fear, dwells on a black bee and becomes a black bee, similarly, no matter what condition or state one is in, one can become Brahman through constant meditation on Brahman.

167. In similar manner, by meditating upon the guru preceptor, one becomes a brahmamaya (all-pervading Brahman). Without a doubt, such a person is a liberated one; even while in body, breath, and beauty (pinda, pada, and rupa).

Shri Parvati asked:

168. O Mahadeva! Thus I ask you, what is pinda? What is pada? O Shankara, please describe what is rupa and rupatita?

Shri Mahadeva said:

169. Know that pinda is the power of kundalini. Pada is said to be hamsa. Rupa is the atom point, and rupatita is formlessness.

170. O Beautiful Faced (Parvati), undoubtedly, those who are free from pinda, from pada, from rupa, and also free from the state of rupatita (beyond form), are really free.

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171. By constant meditation on the guru preceptor, an embodied being becomes all-pervading Brahman. Without any doubt, wherever one is living, one is liberated.

172. O My Dear (Parvati)! One who possesses these six qualities; knowledge, Self-realization, peace, detachment, oratory, and fortitude is Bhagavan or Shri Guru.

173. Guru is Shiva, guru is God. Guru is the relative of all embodied beings. Guru is the soul. Guru is the jiva (the soul and the body together). Hence, there is nothing other than the guru.

174. He is known as a brahma jnani (knower of Brahman) who is desireless, peaceful, childlike, free form jealously and all worries, and who remains alone.

175. There is no happiness in the study of the Vedas and scriptures. There is no happiness in mantras and yantras. There is no true happiness in anything in the world, apart from the happiness arising out of the guru preceptor’s grace.

176. There is no real happiness in the philosophy of charvakas (atheists), the vaishnavas (the worshippers of Lord Vishnu), nor even in the teachings of prabhakar (followers of the Mimansa philosophy). The happiness present at the feet of the guru preceptor (living in his close proximity) cannot be found elsewhere – such truth is confirmed in Vedanta.

177. The happiness enjoyed by a muni, free from all attachments and living in seclusion, is even superior to the happiness of Indra or a great emperor.

178. After having constantly enjoyed the divine nectar (brahmarasa) to one’s own full satisfaction, and becoming firmly anchored in the Supreme Self, one then even considers Indra (king of heaven) insignificant – and what to speak of the kings of the Earth!

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179. The seekers of liberation should always engross themselves in devotion to the guru preceptor, because by following the path of the guru, one achieves the state of absolute freedom (kaivalya).

180. Following the instruction of the guru preceptor, whoever practices meditation with firm determination; fixing the mind on “I am one and one alone, without a second,” need not take recourse into a forest.

181.Thus, one who practices this, even for a moment, attains Samadhi, and instantly all sins accumulated from birth are destroyed.

182. O Niramaya (Pure One), how can one invoke the unmanifested one? After prayer or worship, how is it possible to leave one who is omnipresent? Hence, what worship or meditation is suitable for the formless one?

183. With the rajasic quality, the guru as Brahman creates the world; as Vishnu, with the sattvic quality, he protects the world; and as Rudra, with tamasic quality, he destroys the world.

184. Being endowed with divine consciousness, one should perceive the Supreme; who is all-pervading, diseaseless, and with nothing else beyond.

185. Having achieved the vision of that Supreme One, by His grace, one should stay completely alone, compassionately detached, free from desires or expectations, and peaceful.

186. Whether one gets something or not, whether it is little or plenty, one should always be mentally content and enjoy things without any desire.

187. The embodied being, after having experienced the state of all-permeating, or all-satiated, in this world, is constantly peaceful, always lives in bliss, and roams in love everywhere. This state is known as the state of omniscience.

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188. Wherever he (the liberated one) lives, that place is blessed and auspicious. O Devi! Thus I have narrated to you the qualities of a liberated one.

189. O Devi! This is the instruction on the path of the guru preceptor that can bestow liberation. Therefore, devotion to the guru should be practiced with extreme love by all wise people.

190. I worship him, the guru preceptor, the lord, who is ever united (with the Divine), the support and refuge of all, the author of all Vedic knowledge, and the bestower of worldly knowledge as well as Self-knowledge.

191. O My Beloved! Even by studying the Vedas, the six limbs of the Vedas, Tantra, and all existing spiritual scriptures, one cannot attain knowledge without a guru preceptor.

192. One may be engrossed in the worship of Lord Shiva, or immersed in worshipping Lord Vishnu, but without knowing the principles of the guru, all such learning is of no use.

193. Without knowing the real nature of Lord Shiva, when one worships Him, that worship is just a formality (for name’s sake); thus it is comparable to looking at a picture of a lamp (devoid of light) as opposed to seeing a real lamp.

194. As the result of initiation by the guru preceptor, all one’s actions become fruitful. Through one’s attainment of a guru preceptor, one gains everything. Undoubtedly, one without a guru preceptor is indeed a fool.

195. Those without a guru preceptor cannot understand the nature of Lord Shiva, nor can they even understand their own Self. Thus, they can be likened to an animal, worm, or insect.

196. Therefore, relinquishing all association with other, and abandoning the confusing trap of the scriptures, with all sincere effort, one should depend upon the guru preceptor.

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197. I worship the guru preceptor, the lord, who is free from all doubts and has a single-pointed vision of the Supreme. He is the revealer of the sacred secret who makes divine vision possible.

198. The (so-called) guru, who is devoid of knowledge, a lover of falsehood, and a fraud should be abandoned or given up. When he himself is unable to find peace, how then can he bestow peace upon others?

199. What special knowledge does a stone possess when it comes to saving other stones from sinking or even helping them cross over water? It also cannot swim; therefore, how can it help others?

200. These gurus are not worthy of worship and they cause others pain. By a mere look, they create confusion and delusion. One should keep a distance and give up such gurus; instead one should depend upon calm and learned ones.

201. Skeptics, habitual sinners, nonbelievers of the Vedas (atheists), creators of difference and conflicts, lustful ones, evil-doers, traitors, religious hypocrites;

202. those who have fallen from the path of ritualistic practices, impatient ones, argumentive people, slaves of anger and passion, violent brutes, cheats;

203. those devoid of knowledge; and great sinners are to be avoided when accepting a guru preceptor: O Dear (Parvati), one should only take refuge near a real guru preceptor, who is endowed with one-pointed devotion and discrimination.

204. O best of the Devis! This should not be revealed to anyone other than a true disciple. For human beings, it is devotion alone that allows them to attain their desired results.

205. One who is well-accomplished in these five areas – the hidden, the firm, the loving, the silent, the free to go anywhere at will – is known as a teacher.

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206. Whatever is received (as instruction or admonition) from the mouth of the guru preceptor brings success and destroys sins and impurities. The disciple should never fraudulently take anything from the guru for one’s own use.

207. O one with noble observances! I am satisfied with whatever articles the disciple offers to the guru preceptor. However, the sandals, the mudra (yogic technique), and mulamantra (the original mantra given by the guru preceptor), should be kept hidden.

(Parvati said):

208. My Lord, thou art ever united with the Self; I bow with devotion at your lotus feet. With intellect, sense organs, prana, mind, and speech, your holy feet are ever contemplated on and thought of by sincere seekers, freeing them from the bonds of action.

(Mahadev said):

209. O Beloved (Parvati)! O Devi! Now I will tell you what can be achieved by this. As this is for the benefit of the world: one must banish worldliness from one’s mind.

210. One devoid of knowledge, drifting in the ocean of the world, suffers greatly because of worldly desires. But when one is in knowledge, then both karma (action) and nikshkarma (inaction) are nullified.

211. If anyone with faith and devotion studies, or listens to, or presents this knowledge to others in writing, he will attain all merits.

212. O Devi! You may always contemplate this Guru Gita in your heart. When one is suffering from fatal diseases or sorrows, one should repeat this with a cheerful attitude.

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213. O Beloved! Every syllable of this Guru Gita is the king of mantras. Other mantras do not even equal one-sixteenth part of this.

214. O Devi! One acquires endless results by the repetition of the Guru Gita. It destroys all sins and eliminates all poverty.

215. It (the study of the Guru Gita) saves one from an untimely death and destroys all afflictions. It eliminates the evil effects from yakshas, rakshasas, ghosts, even the fear of theft, tigers, and others.

216. It (the study of the Guru Gita) also removes all chaos, troubles, diseases (like leprosy), and other great evils. By studying this Gita, one acquires merits similar to that of that of being in the holy company of the guru preceptor.

217. It (the Guru Gita) is the destroyer of great diseases, the bestower of all divine glories and powers (siddhis). In case of mohana (delusion), vashya (other’s bad influence), one should always read the Guru Gita.

218. O Devi! Seated on a mat of kusha or durva grass, or on a with blanket, one should chant (the Guru Gita) with a concentrated mind.

219. A white-colored seat is recommended for all purposes. A red-color is to have control over others. One who chants while sitting in the lotus posture acquires supreme peace.

220. If one chants while sitting on a cloth seat, it will bring poverty; if one is seated on stone, disease will come; sitting on the earth, brings miseries, and on a wooden seat, all efforts will be fruitless.

221. If (one chants) seated on a deer hide, one will attain knowledge; on a tiger skin, one will gain perfection, liberation, and prosperity; a mat of kusha grass bestows mastery over Self-knowledge, and a woolen seat, all siddhis.

222. When one chants facing the southeast one will acquire a charming nature; while those who face the northwest eliminate all enemies. The southwest give one divine vision and the northeast, knowledge.

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223. Chanting while facing north brings peace; facing east bestows the power of attracting others; facing south, the power of destruction, and facing west brings profuse wealth.

224. This (Guru Gita) has the power of attraction. Furthermore, it destroys all bonds and bestows freedom. It makes Indra dear to one and brings all rulers under one’s control.

225. This (Guru Gita) has the power to stop other’s (negative) speech. It increases one’s virtues and good qualities, destroys all evil deeds, and brings perfection through good action.

226. (Trough the chanting of the Guru Gita) one attains success even when facing the most difficult endeavors; hence it removes the fear of the nine planets. All evil dreams are eliminated and instead one receives good dreams and their good results.

227. O Auspicious One (Shiva)! This scripture (Guru Gita) brings peace where there is confusion, and freedom from all bondages. It is the storehouse of all knowledge, especially Self-knowledge.

228. Whatever one desires is surely attained. It bestows eternity, fortunes, and merits, and destroys the three afflictions.

229. It bestows eternal peace and blesses barren lady with a well-mannered child. For women, it prevents the death of husbands and enhances good fortune.

230. It brings long life, health, prosperity, increases progeny (like children and grandchildren). A widow who studies this without any expectation or desires attains liberation.

231. Hence, in the next life a widow will not again be a widow if she chants this Guru Gita with expectations of result. It destroys all miseries, obstacles, and afflictions.

232. Thus, it is the destroyer of all sins and the bestower of righteousness; it also fulfills all desires – each and every one

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accordingly – and gives one prosperity and liberation. Whatever one desires, one surely attains that.

233. This (Guru Gita) is the kamadhenu (wish-fulfilling cow) for all desires, and the kalpapadapa (wish-fulfilling tree) for all thoughts. It is chintamani (wish-fulfilling stone) for all thoughts, as well as the bestower of all auspiciousness.

234. Whoever writer (the Guru Gita) and worships it, attains liberation, prosperity, and true devotion for the guru preceptor, which is born in the heart.

235. The followers of Shakti (Divine Mother), Surya (sun god), Ganapati, Vishnu, Shiva, Pashupati, and all others, chant this (Guru Gita). This is truth. This is truth. There is no doubt about it.

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Thus is the second chapter of the Guru Gita, found in Skanda Purana, Uttara Khanda, in Sanatkumara Samhita, in the form of a dialogue between Uma and Maheshwara.

Chapter III

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236. O Sweet Faced (Parvati)! Now I will speak of the suitable places for chanting (the Guru Gita) – on the seashore, river bank, in a holy place, and in the temple of Hari or Hara.

237. O Auspicious One (Shubhe)! One should chant in the temple of Shakti (Divine Mother), a cowshed, all temples, underneath a banyan or an amla tree, in a hermitage, in Vrindavan (or in the place of tulsi plants);

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238. in a holy and clean place, after performing one’s daily obligatory duties, with a pure dispassionate heart and while observing silence.

239. By doing japa, one attains victory and success in all endeavors and also perfection in chanting. However, one should avoid forbidden acts and inauspicious places.

240. One attain siddhi (perfection) by chanting in the cremation ground, under the vilva (wood apple) tree, banyan tree, kanaka (thorn apple) tree, as well as near a mango tree.

241. Chanting while seated on a yellow seat brings hypnotic power, a black seat bestows abhichara (magic powers), a white seat brings peace, and a red-colored seat gives one control over others.

242. Doing japa while sitting on forbidden seats brings result of forbidden actions. However, one should chant the Guru Gita at the time of death, in battles, or when fearful of enemies.

243. By doing japa, one attains victory and, at the time of death, liberation. For the one who is the son (disciple) of the guru preceptor, all actions bring success.

244. Undoubtedly, the son, or the disciple, of the guru preceptor who always has the guru-mantra on his or her tongue, attains bountiful success, proficiency in all actions, and also perfection.

245. To uproot the tree of samsara (the world) and to be free from the eight nooses (the bondages and attachments), the knower of truth should always bathe in the waters of the Guru Gita.

246. He alone is the sadguru who knows the real from the unreal. Thus, he is the best among the knowers of Brahman. All the places that he has stayed are now sanctified. There is no doubt about it.

247. As a result of his ever pure nature, wherever the guru preceptor resides, all devas and celestials move around that sacred place.

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248. Whether seated, lying down, walking, standing, on horseback or the back of an elephant, sleeping or awakened;

249. being pure, wherever a person of knowledge chants this Guru Gita, by his sight or touch, divine knowledge is manifested.

250. Just like a river merges in the ocean, milk merges with milk, water merges with water, and the space that fills a pot merges into space itself, in the same manner, atma (soul) is one with paramatma (Supreme Self).

251. Similarly, an embodied being with knowledge always feels constant unity with paramatma (Supreme Self) wherever he roams, day or night.

252. In this manner, the one who is united with the state of mahayoga exists everywhere at all times. Therefore, with extreme effort one should constantly practice devotion to the guru preceptor.

253. O Parvati! By pleasing the guru preceptor, one becomes liberated. O Devi! Through his grace, one is entitled to enjoy all siddhis.

254. Wherever this person of knowledge roams, he enjoys the bliss of equanimity, day and night. In this manner, this great observer of silence experiences harmony in all three worlds.

255. By chanting the Guru Gita, even worldly people obtain the fulfillment of their every desire. Please know that whatever I said is true, true, and true.

256. Whatever is declared by me is nothing less than the essence of dharma (values, virtues, and duties); this is truth, truth, and again, truth. Thus, there is no hymn equal to the Guru Gita and no other truth greater than the guru preceptor.

257. I affirm this thrice with exaltation. The Guru is God. The Guru is dharma. It is the supreme austerity to have firm faith in the guru; hence nothing exists that is superior to the guru.

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258. O Devi! For one who has devotion to the guru preceptor – blessed is the mother, blessed is the father, blessed is the family, the clan, and even blessed is the earth.

259. O Devi! By merely satisfying the guru preceptor, all yajnas (fire ceremonies and sacrifices), observances, austerities, and kriyas that one practiced throughout millions of births become fruitful.

260. The body, the senses, the prana (breath), wealth, friends, relatives, the mother’s clan, the father’s clan – everything is the presence of the guru preceptor. There is no doubt about it.

261. However, those who do not avail the opportunity to serve the guru preceptor or turn their face against this service, are the weak and unfortunate. Because of all their impurities, they suffer in a terrible hell.

262. O Parvati! Education, wealth, strength, and good fortune are of no use without the grace of the guru preceptor. Moreover, for those who pursue these things, they become the door to their downfall;

263. even if they are Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, devas and other celestials like, pitris, kinnaras, siddhas, charanas, yakshas, or even the munis.

264. For the devotee, right attitude towards the guru preceptor is the greatest holy place; all other places of pilgrimage are useless. O Devi, holy waters from every sacred place are present in the sacred water that washes the feet of the guru preceptor.

265. O Devi! O Dear! I am giving this precious treasure to you. Do not divulge this knowledge to those ill-fated ones who indulge themselves in other woman, abandoning their wives, or those possessing an evil eye while gazing at their own daughters.

266. This hidden knowledge, difficult to comprehend, should not be revealed to all. O Beautiful Faced (Parvati), it must be kept secret and well-guarded. I have narrated it to you because you are very dear to me.

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267. O Parvati! O Mahamaya! Promise me by touching my feet that you will not reveal this Guru Gita to anyone, including Kartikeya, Ganesha, and vaishnavas.

268. This Guru Gita should never be disclosed, even mentally, to the devotionless, the fraudulent, the wicked, the faithless, the atheist, and others of this type.

269. In this world, there are plenty of teachers who rob the wealth of the disciples. But I consider that guru a rare one, who steals the affliction and troubles that torment the disciple’s heart.

270. Gurutva (the state of a guru preceptor) shines in one who is intelligent, discriminative, a knower of spiritual scriptures, pure in heart, and also mentally clean.

271. Guru preceptors are pure of heart, peaceful, noble, good mannered, and have control over the senses. Thus, they speak only measured words and are free from lust, greed, and all other vices.

272. There are various types of teachers, known by various names such as Suchaka, etc. A wise student should observe and test the guru; then follow and serve the one who is established in truth.

273. O Devi! The suchaka guru is one who is not only well-versed in letters, but is also a scholar of external and worldly sciences.

274. O Parvati! The vachaka guru is one who knows the duties of all classes of society, all stages of live, the dharmas (values), and adharmas (unrighteousness), and can communicate this knowledge skillfully.

275. O Parvati! The guru who initiates the disciple into the panchakshari mantra (mantra of five syllables) is the bodhaka guru; thus, he is superior to the former two.

276. The wise, the knowers of true, describe that person as a nishiddha guru (forbidden one) who initiates one with the mantra to acquire the lower siddhis, such as mohana, marana, vashya, etc.

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277. O My beloved! The vihita guru is one who shows the path leading to vairagya (no-attachment). Hence, this guru teaches that everything here is transitory and this world is the abode of miseries.

278. O Parvati! That person is called a karana guru who initiates the disciple with mahavakyas (great commandments of the Upanishads), such as tattvamasi (Thou art That). Such a guru is the dispeller of worldly disease.

279. Alas, know that one to be a parama guru who is an expert in dispelling a multitude of doubts, along with their roots, and removing the fear of birth and death.

280. A disciple, who, as a result of merits accumulated in many births, attains such a maha guru (the great-preceptor), is never again bound with the knot of the world.

281. O Parvati! As you can see, there are many kinds of gurus in this world. Of all these, one should selflessly serve the paramaguru with great care and effort.

282. The disciple of a nishiddha guru, impure and having wicked desires, never again attains a human body until the end of creation.

283. Upon hearing these words of Mahadeva, Parvati was extremely overwhelmed; thus she asked Shankara with humility.

Parvati said:

284. O Lord of gods and devas! I bow to you. Upon hearing your words, my mind has become overwhelmed and perplexed. I humbly request that you answer my question and thus put an end to my confusion.

285. What is the fate of those disciples who by chance or ill-luck go to a nishiddha guru? As they are already dull, confused, and afraid of death, they cannot comprehend the benefit of good deeds.

Shri Mahadeva said:

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286. O Devi! Please listen to this truth. When a person is naturally endowed with vairagya (dislike for worldly pleasure) he or she is called an adhikari (a qualified seeker), according to the Upanishads.

287. One who enables the seeker to see his or his real Self – the one Brahman, without any division, eternal, ever free, and devoid of pain – becomes the deshika (spiritual teacher).

288. O Parvati! As the ocean is the king of waters, so also is such a parama guru the king of all gurus.

289. One who is devoid of delusion, peaceful, ever content, self-sufficient, and considers the status of Brahma or Vishnu the same as a mere piece of straw is a parama guru.

290. A parama guru is one who at all times and in all places feels independent, steady, and ever joyful; thus, he is always enjoying a homogenous state of bliss and contentment.

291. This supreme parama guru is one who is free the state of dvaita or advaita (duality or non-duality). Brilliant and shining with the lights of inner experience, this omniscient guru is the destroyer of the dense darkness of ignorance.

292. By his mere look, the parama guru brings calmness and cheerfulness of mind to others, because he himself is the epitome of peace and steadiness.

293. Hence, a parama guru considers such things as siddhis, yoguic feats, and miracles of mantra as insignificant, or nothing but straw.

294. One becomes a parama guru who looks upon his own body as a corpse and experiences the non-dual atman; having annihilated the infatuation for women and wealth.

295. O Parvati! Please listen to me. There are two groups of knowers of truth: mauni (silent) and vagmi (eloquent). For the people of the world, there is no gain that comes from a silent but realized guru.

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296. The vagmi (eloquent one) is the vessel that carries others over the great ocean of the world; clearing their doubts through scriptural knowledge, logical approach, and his own direct experience.

297. O Devi! By chanting the guru’s name, the sins accumulated from many lifetimes are destroyed. Let there not be even an iota of doubt that what I just told you is true.

298. In this world, there is no god like the Shri Guru, no father like Shri Guru. There is no action equal to meditation on the guru. Thus, there is nothing that equals him.

299. Family traditions, wealth, strength, scriptural knowledge, even one’s own relatives are useless at the time of death. The guru alone is the savior.

300. By serving the guru preceptor one’s entire family is sanctified. Thus, even all deities, such as Brahman and others, becomes satisfied through one’s service to the guru.

301. Only the guru knows the real nature of the immutable divinity. Knowledge of That (Supreme) is possible by his (Guru’s) grace; not through the study of millions of scriptures.

302. O Devi! Without the knowledge of one’s own nature, whatever one does is fruitless. Hence, penance, chanting, and all other forms of worship become nothing more than the prattling of a child.

303. People holding different religious views – worshippers of Shiva, Hari, Brahma, Shakti, or some other great deity – disagree and argue unnecessarily about who is great.

304. Those who are adverse to initiation from the guru preceptor are unaware of the ultimate truth. Indeed they are deluded like animals, devoid of Self-knowledge.

305. O My Beloved! Therefore to achieve the goal of liberation, one should adore and serve the guru preceptor. Those ignorant ones, without a guru preceptor, remain unaware of the supreme state.

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306. O Auspicious One (Shive)! Through the grace of the guru preceptor, all knots of the heart are penetrated, all doubts and confusions are dispelled, and all karmas (seeds of action) are destroyed.

307. When a guru bhakta (devoted to the guru preceptor) practices such devotions as injuncted in the Vedic texts and other scriptures, he or she free from all terrible sins.

308. One who has given up bad company, abandoned sinful acts, and maintains impressions of purity in the heart and mind, can be ordained for initiation by the guru preceptor.

309. One who is free from anger and pride, who has given up the feeling of duality (mine and thine), and whose heart and mind are engaged in the practice of renunciation, can be ordained for initiation by the guru preceptor.

310. One endowed with such characteristics, engrossed in the welfare of all living beings, and living a pure and clean life can be ordained for initiation by the guru preceptor.

311. The entire process of initiation has been ordained by Shiva (Me) with all rites and rituals, Kriya, and all other rules, including teachings of mantra.

312. Without initiation by the guru preceptor, without proper Kriya, how can one be a sincere follower of the injunctions of the guru-tattva, which is the bestower of union with the guru preceptor?

313. Whether one is capable or incapable of serving the guru preceptor, one should willingly take refuge at his feet, ensuring a successful and enjoyable life as well as liberation.

314. O Devi! This should be revealed to one with a mature mind, who is endowed with faith and devotion. From this I receive the greatest satisfaction in my soul.

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315. O Auspicious One (Shive)! This message of the Guru Gita is the secret of all scriptures. That is why it should only be revealed to seekers of the great soul, and only after careful examination.

316. This Guru Gita should be narrated with utmost care to those intelligent seekers whose heart and mind are pure and whose good deeds have matured.

317. This (Guru Gita) must not be taught to one who is an atheist or is disloyal. Neither should these teachings be disclosed to anyone who is obstinate, proud, deceitful, or devotionless, or one who speak against the guru.

318. Furthermore, this Guru Gita should not be told to those who are passionate, foolish, lustful, or others.

319. O Devi, O Shive! This scripture of the Gita is the destroyer of all sins, and the remover of all obstacles and disturbances. It also eliminates the fear of birth and death.

320. O Devi! O Auspicious One (Shive)! This is the essence of all the Vedas; therefore, I have narrated to you all there is to be told. Thus, the wise understand, there is no other path for the attainment of liberation than devotion at the feet of the guru preceptor.

321. No doubt this interpretation is unpalatable for some, because of the sins accumulated from many lives. Indeed those seeking freedom from the cycle of birth and death should wholeheartedly devote themselves to the guru preceptor.

322. I Bow to him, the guru preceptor, who enlightens one with the knowledge that “I am the entire universe. I am that supreme state.”

323. Hence, do away with all distracting imaginations of the mind! Only I alone really exist. In me, the entire universe of moving and unmoving objects reside. Therefore, only the guru preceptor, who has revealed this secret, is really worthy of worship.

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324-325. I Bow to him, the sadguru, who is without end, middle, or beginning; who has no hands, feet, name, clan, race, caste, or even sacred thread; is not a man, a neuter, nor a woman; has no form, no modification, no birth, no death, nor virtue or vice; ever the personification of equanimity and steadiness, such a one is not a principle, but instead is truth itself.

326. I bow to the crest jewels of the guru preceptor (guru shekhara), the embodiment of knowledge and truth, who is eternal, dignified, and ever new; that pure, enlightened, detached one is undoubtedly the greatest of them all.

327. I bow to my guru preceptor, my lord, who is sat-chit-ananda (existence-consciousness-bliss), all pervading, the supreme Self, and the embodiment of light and love.

328. I bow to my guru preceptor, the essence of truth and bliss (satyananda), who is the cause of integrated knowledge and happiness, the knower of Vedanta (Upanishadic truth), and the divine witness of the intellect.

329. I bow to you, my Lord, O Bhagavan, Shiva in the form of the guru preceptor; you are the incarnation of knowledge for the attainment of perfection and have assumed many forms, too.

330. I bow to the one who is ever new, pure consciousness, manifesting in infinite forms, the ultimate reality. You are one and absolute; you are the sun that can penetrate into the core of all ignorance.

331. I bow to the independent, personification of compassion; in reality you are Shiva, the most beautiful one, dependant on the love of your devotees.

332. I bow to the discrimination within all discriminative people, to the inquirer of all who are engaged in self-inquiry, to the light that illuminates those who need light, to the one who is knowledge of all knowledgeable people.

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333. I bow to him in the front, on the sides, in the back, above, and below. May he be pleased to take his seat in the heart or mind forever.

334. I bow to the guru preceptor who is supreme bliss and the personification of joy; in his presence alone, does the mind assume the form of pure consciousness and bliss.

335. I bow to you, O my guru preceptor, the personification of natural bliss, whose nectar-like words destroy the poison this world.

336. As a result of your prefect guidance and direction, all your disciple-children are saved. Through your shower of compassion, they have taken unshakable refuge at thy blessed feet.

337. I bow to you, my guru preceptor; you are the Supreme Self, without any deviation. Free from all limitations and the knower of all scriptures, you are the embodiment of knowledge and bliss.

338. I bow to you, my guru preceptor; you are achyuta (steadiness). Because you are the manifestation of both knowledge and ignorance, you are an expert who can lead disciples on the right path. O Guru, you are the divine ocean of nectar and compassion.

339. I bow to you, my guru preceptor; you are om. You are firm and solid; hence you are a strong bridge for the disciple to cross over the ocean of the world. Like a lion, you accomplish the noble works of your devotees. Thus, you are the embodiment of consciousness and bliss.

340. There is no god in heaven, no father on earth, nor any relative to be found that can equal the name of Guru. Undoubtedly, there is no lord that can even match the guru’s feet (or name).

341. One who does not respect and honor the guru preceptor, the giver of the single-syllable (mantra), is born again, hundreds of times, in bodies such as that of that a dog – or even one who eats dogs.

342. By abandoning the guru preceptor, one endures death; by giving up the mantra, one welcomes poverty; however, one who abandons the guru as well as the mantra goes to the hell known as raurava.

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343. The guru preceptor is able to save you from the anger of Shiva, but Shiva cannot save you if the guru is displeased. Therefore, with extreme care and effort, one should never disobey the command (order) of the guru preceptor.

344. I adore and bow down to the great mantra of the guru, which is the only mantra that helps one cross the ocean of the world. This siddha (perfected) mantra is worshipped by the gods, like Brahma etc., and also the munis. The power of this mantra saves one from poverty, misery, worldly diseases, and great fear.

345. Seventy million maha mantras may create extreme confusion in the mind. However, all one really needs is one great mantra consisting of two syllables: gu – ru.

346. After speaking these words, Lord Mahadeva again told Parvati, “O Devi, this is the supreme truth. Please listen to that, which will bestow infinite happiness.”

347. O Devi! The entire principle relating to the guru preceptor has thus been precisely narrated to you. Please know, this great, unexpressed secret should not be given to just anyone.

348. O Devi! What I have told you shall never become untrue. Whatever is narrated by me is in reality the essence of truth. On this Earth, there is no hymn equal to the Guru Gita. There is none. There is none.

349. O Devi This Guru Gita is the dispeller of all pain and suffering in this ever-changing world. However, take heed; one should never read this in the presence of one who has not been initiated by the guru preceptor.

350. O Maheshwari! This is the ultimate secret. Thus, it is the secret of all secrets and should not be disclosed to one who is a wrong-doer. It is only by the virtuous karma performed in countless previous births, giving the result in this life, that a person becomes eligible to receive this truth of the guru preceptor.

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351. Forever do I offer my salutations at the lotus feet of the one whose grace allowed me to realize that “I am everything – and everything is superimposed on me.”Through this, I am constantly aware of my own true Self.

352. O Lord! I am one whose eyes are covered by ignorance and my mind is contaminated by the pleasure of sense objects. Through the divine gift of light and knowledge, I pray that you shower your grace upon me.

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Thus ends the third chapter of the Guru Gita, found in Skanda Purana, Uttara Khanda, in the Sanatkumara Samhita, in the form of dialogue between Uma and Maheshwara.

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GURU STOTRAMS

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Gurvastakam

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Shree Shree Guru Gita

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Transcript of Shree Shree Guru Gita