#232 The powerful blessing and meaning of Guru stotram

Śri Gurustotram is found in the Gurugītā, a text of 274 shlokas.  Gurugītā itself is from Skanda Purana, one of the 18 Puranas. Pujya Swami Dayānanda Saraswatī, had selected 13 shlokas from the Gurugītā which have now been accepted and chanted by a lot of ashrams and  Gurukulams.

These shlokas talk about the glory of a guru, role and necessity of a guru in one’s life, and the benefit of the pursuit of self knowledge.

It is a deeply meaningful stotram to chant especially on the day of Guru Purnima. Every year the spiritual tradition of India celebrates this day, the full moon day in the Hindu month of Aashaadh which falls between June and July.

We celebrate this day in honor and reverence to Bhagavaan Veda Vyaasa, who was born on this day to sage Parashara and Satyavati. Veda Vyaasa codified the many mantras into the four Vedas through an elaborate 12 year project involving many other sages and pandits. Besides writing the Mahabharata, he wrote 18 Puranas and the Brahmasutras.

Whatever we practice and enjoy about Sanaatana dharma today be it our vision, our principles and practices of festivals, our devatas, our samskaras and most of all the idea that all is sacred, can be traced to Bhagavan Veda Vyaasa ‘s efforts. He helped organize the knowledge of what was revealed by Ishvara to different Rishis over time. Through the sacred oral tradition, the knowledge has been passed on from one generation to another all the way to this day.

And so you can well appreciate how significant this day is. It is a day of gratitude, reverence for the entire lineage of guru-shishyas who have ever so generously passed on the knowledge with grace, love and wisdom.    

The relationship with a guru is unlike any other relationship that you can possibly have and is a non-negotiable part of learning Vedanta.

The Guru stotram is especially chanted on this day to express the glory of the guru, our gratitude as well as to seek greater shraddha. We can also chant some select shlokas every day.

Although the word guru is now used colloquially – love guru, management guru in Sanskrit, “gu” stands for darkness of ignorance; “ru” stands for  light of knowledge, which eliminates ignorance. So, guru means the one who drives away the student’s ignorance by imparting knowledge.

A guru is not an ordinary person.

He/she is a channel for the blessings of the tradition to flow through him/her to you. The greatness of the guru lies in the greatness of the Shaastra as there cannot be a guru without the Shaastra.

All the 13 verses of the Guru Stotram end with ” tasmai shri gurave namah“, meaning “I offer my salutations, namah to that guru/ I worship the guru.

 akhaṇdmaṇdalākāraṃ, vyāptaṃ yena carācaram |

tatpadaṃ darśitaṃ yena, tasmai śrīgurave namaḥ ||1||

I worship that guru, who has shown me That (tat padaṃ darśitaṃ yena),

which is that limitless reality which pervades the entire cosmos (akhaṇḍa maṇḍala ākāraṃ) (vyāptaṃ) both mobile living-beings and stationary inert entities (cara and acaram).

Earlier the duality of the world, this relationship of me and the other bothered me. Now I see that it is sacred. Knowing that all the forms – moving or non-moving are really Ishvara, helps me relax and be in harmony with sentient and insentient.

ajñānatimirāndhasya, jñānāñjanaśalākayā |

cakṣurunmīlitaṃ yena, tasmai śrīgurave namaḥ ||2||

I worship that guru, by whom the cataract of ignorance (ajñāna timirāndhasya) is removed by the needle dipped in knowledge (jñānāñjana śalākayā) and because of whom my eyes of wisdom is bright and clear (cakṣunmilitaṃ).

Earlier my world appeared dull and dark because of the cataract of ignorance  (ajñāna timirāndhasya). I hurt myself and others by groping in the dark and having many projections. There were many complexes and judgments about me, the world and God which made me feel uncared for and alienated. But that was removed by a special eye treatment – needle like mascara stick was coated with the ointment of knowledge and my eyes were healed for good – because of this my  eyes of wisdom (cakṣunmilitaṃ) are  bright and clear. I see all as one.

gururbrahmā gururviṣṇuḥ, gururdevo maheśvraḥ |

gurureva parambrahma, tasmai śrīgurave namaḥ ||3||

Salutations to that Guru, who is the creator (Brahmā), sustainer (Viṣṇu), and resolver  (Maheśvara), and who indeed is Brahman, the Absolute. (Since he tells you that “You are that Brahman”, needless that he knows that he is that Brahman). (3)

 Why is the guru being equated to Bhagavan? Is this not an overstatement? Not at all.  The guru helps one discover Ishvara’s presence in our lives. What is the greatest thing that Bhagavan can do for you? Give pleasure, comfort, money. No.. those are all temporary.

If there is anything that Bhagavan can give a human being it is that total fulfillment gaining which there is no lack. A freedom from seeking. How? Through the discovery of oneself as the limitless.  

sthāvaraṃ jaṅgamaṃ vyāptaṃ, yatkiñcit sacarācaram |

tatpadaṃ darśitaṃ yena, tasmai śrīgurave namaḥ ||4||

I worship my guru, who revealed That Brahman (tat padaṃ darśitaṃ yena),

who pervades ( vyāptam) the whole creation, consisting of the stationary (sthāvaram – such as trees and mountains, the moving beings (jangamam), the sentient (cara) and the insentient inert (acaram) ones.

All the forms are so different yet there is an inherent oneness present. In seeing the oneness, I see the order of Ishvara pervading the entire world. I am in harmony with this sacred world.

cinmayaṃ vyāpi yat-sarvaṃ, trailokyaṃ sacarācaram |

tatpadaṃ darśitaṃ yena, tasmai śrīgurave namaḥ ||5||

I worship my guru, who is Consciousness, who revealed Consciousness  (cinmayaṃ), who is Consciousness which pervades all lokas, spheres of experiences; along with, sentient movable beings and insentient immovable ones (sa cara acaram). 

sarvaśrutiśiroratna-vir- ājitapadāmbujaḥ | 

vedāntāmbujasūryo yaḥ, tasmai śrīgurave namaḥ ||6||

The guru’s feet shine (virājita) with the precious stones (ratna) of knowledge of the Upanisads

(sarva śruti ). This knowledge is compared to lotus-like guru’s feet (pada ambuja ) – enables me to traverse the ignorance-born notional distance between me, the jiva and paramatma. Initially the Upanisad looked like a closed lotus-bud only; but now, with the arrival of the guru as the rising sun (sūrya yah ), the Upaniṣad lotus-bud blossoms fully, revealing its glory of wisdom (vedānta ambuja). I offer my namaskārams to such a guru. 

caitanyaḥ śāśvataḥ śāntaḥ, vyomātīto nirañjanaḥ |

bindunādakalātītaḥ, tasmai śrīgurave namaḥ ||7||

My guru is pure Consciousness (caitanya ), which is eternal (śāśvata ), which is ever peaceful (śānta ), which is beyond even the subtlest space (vyoma ), which is beyond causal names and forms (bindu), which is beyond subtle names and forms (nāda), which is beyond gross names and forms (kalā). To that guru, I offer my worship. 

 jñānaśaktisamārūdha , tattvamālāvibhūṣitaḥ |

bhuktimuktipradātā ca, tasmai śrīgurave namaḥ ||8||

Prostrations to that Guru, who abides in the shakti of knowledge  (jñānaśaktisamārūdha), who is adorned with the garland of truth (tattvamālāvibhūṣitaḥ), whose worship blesses me with bhukti (material benefits) and mukti (the joy of freedom). The Guru is the giver of knowledge that you were always free.

anekajanma-samprāpta-karma-bandhavidāhine | 

ātmajñānapradānena, tasmai śrīgurave namaḥ ||9||

Salutations to that Guru, who by bestowing the knowledge of the Self, burns up the bondage created by accumulated actions of innumerable (human) lives. (9)

What is underlying our topical problems – family difficulties, work issues, financial challenges is the fundamental problem of limitation. I feel limited because I do not know who I am and hence I have taken what is associated with me – this body-mind which is limited to be the real me. The bondage is due to avidya-kaama-karma. This avidya, self-ignorance leads to thinking of oneself as wanting and incomplete and hence there are binding desires for the sake of fullness. These desires do not sit in the corner of our mind but impel us to incessantly do karma which generates punya and paapa and hence the cycle of birth and death go on.

The gift of ātmajñāna by the guru burns away the ignorance and hence bondage, bandha.

śoṣaṇaṃ bhavasindhośca, jñāpanaṃ sāra-sampadaḥ |

guroḥ pādodakaṃ samyak, tasmai śrīgurave namaḥ ||10||

The water used for washing my guru’s feet (pādodakaṃ) – which symbolises the perennial flow of wisdom – is capable of drying (śoṣaṇaṃ) out the ocean of samsara (bhavasindhośca) which is the sense of not being enough despite doing so much and having so much. The guru reveals (jñāpanaṃ) the wealth of the Truth (sāra-sampadaḥ) of jiva-jagat-iśvara. To that guru, I

offer my namaskar.

na guror-adhikaṃ tattvaṃ, na guror-adhikaṃ tapaḥ |

tattvajñānāt paraṃ nāsti, tasmai śrīgurave namaḥ ||11||

There is no Truth greater than the guru’s teaching (adhikaṃ tattvaṃ na).

There is no tapaḥ or sadhana, greater than listening to the teaching of the guru (adhikaṃ tapaḥ na). There is nothing superior to the Truth given by guru’s teaching (tattvajñānāt paraṃ nāsti). To such a guru, I offer my worship.

mannāthaḥ śrījagannāthaḥ, madguruḥ śrījagadguruḥ |

madātmā sarvabhūtātmā, tasmai śrīgurave namaḥ ||12||

Salutations to that Guru, who is my Master (mannāthaḥ), who is the lord/master of the universe śrījagannāthaḥ, who is my guru (madguruḥ) as well as the guru of the universe  śrījagadguruḥ, who is the same Atma in me, and the Atma pervading all beings. (12)

To that guru I offer my worship.

gururādir-anādiśca, guruḥ paramadaivatam |

guroḥ parataraṃ nāsti, tasmai śrīgurave namaḥ ||13||

My guru, as the Lord, is the cause of the entire universe (gururādi ) and He is

also beyond the cause (anādi ca ). This means that, my guru, being Brahman, transcends both cause and effect. Therefore, my guru is the Supreme Deity (parama daivatam). There is none superior to Him (parataraṃ nāsti). To that guru I offer my pranaams.

brahmānandaṃ paramasukhadaṃ, kevalaṃ jñānamūrtiṃ,

dvandvātītaṃ gaganasadṛśaṃ, tattvamasyādi-lakṣyam |

ekaṃ nityaṃ vimalam-acalaṃ, sarvadhī-sākṣibhūtaṃ,

bhāvātītaṃ triguṇarahitaṃ, sadguruṃ taṃ namāmi ||14||

The one whose nature is fullness that is Brahman brahmānandaṃ , one who gives me (and all) complete happiness paramasukhadaṃ, who is one (non-dual), whose is of the form of knowledge/consciousness jñānamūrtiṃ, who is beyond  the pairs of opposites dvandvātītaṃ, who is like the Space (all-pervasive) gaganasadṛśaṃ, who is the implied meaning of ‘That you are’ tattvamasyādi-lakṣyam, who is One (without a second) ekaṃ, who is timelessness nityaṃ,  who is pure (free from binding likes and dislikes) vimalam-acalaṃ, who is stillness (acalam), who is the self-evident witness of the mind (sarvadhī-sākṣibhūtaṃ), who is free from the three guṇas (sattva,rajas and tamas) triguṇarahitaṃ, who is the very existence bhāvātītaṃ , I salute that Guru in deepest reverence. 

tvameva mātā ca pitā tvam eva,

tvameva bandhuśca sakhā tvameva |

tvameva vidyā draviṇaṃ tvameva,

tvameva sarvaṃ mama deva deva ||15||

You alone are my mother (tvameva mātā), as you are responsible for the birth of my wisdom and liberation. You alone are my father (tvameva pitā ), in terms of guidance. You alone are my relative (tvameva bandhu), in terms of support. You alone are my friend (tvameva ) showering compassion.

Two words are used in this verse. tvameva – you alone. Does that minimise the role of parents, relatives and friends in our lives? Not at all. While our parents and friends have loved and guided us in this lifetime helping us to fulfil the purushartha pursuits of Dharma, Artha and Kama, the guru has freed us through our moksha pursuit. The guru has helped us see that the sense of bondage was notional and that we were always free not just in this lifetime but across lifetimes. The guru introduced us to the unchanging reality of ourselves, the jagat and Ishvara.  

The wisdom and support of a guru is not just that of the individual but it is the wisdom and support of the entire lineage. To indicate the rnam, the love, the reverence and gratitude, tvam eva is used. We hear often about students leaving gurus, but very rarely we hear about gurus forsaking their students.

You alone are the knowledge, or source of my knowledge (tvameva ). You are wealth and the source of my wealth (tvameva draviṇaṃ), both material and spiritual. You are everything for me (tvameva sarvam). You are the God of all Gods (mama devadeva).

(15)

|| Iti shree gurustotram sampurnam ||

I have seen the truth of this stotram in my gurus and in all these years of singing Guru Stotram, the lump in my throat appears. What does one do with this enormous gratitude but express it?

The glory of our Vedic tradition is that our shraddha in the guru extends to shraddha in the Shaastra and Ishvara.

All the way we are blessed with Guru krpa, Shaastra krpa, Ishvara krpa and Atma krpa.