Series Sanatan Dharma the eternal wisdom

GURU GITA

The Song of the Guru

(verses from Skanda Purana)

J. AmbA Ed.

Series Sanatan Dharma the eternal wisdom

GURU GITA
The Song of the Guru
(verses from: Skanda Purana)

Transliteration and Translation from Sanskrit in English by Haidakhandi Samaj, India Translation from English, Edition, Graphics and Computergraphics by Kalavati Maria Cristina Chiulli Illustrations from traditional Indian iconography

Digital Edition e-book ISBN 978-88-86340-41-0 Copyright

J. AmbA EdIzIonI
Strada Battaglini A 2 74015 Martina Franca TA Italia - tel. 333 4681236 www.j-amba.com j.amba.edizioni@gmail.com

OM SHRI SADGURUVE NAMAH Om I bow to the true Guru

To tend to Liberation one should rely on a Guru. When your mind receives his blessing, emancipation is within your reach.
(from the Song of Mahamudra by Tilopa)

SADGURU Now I shall tell you how to attain easily success in Yoga, by knowing which the Yogis never fail in the practice of Yoga. Only the knowledge imparted by a Guru, through his lips, is powerful and useful; otherwise it becomes fruitless, weak and very painful. He who is devoted to any knowledge, while pleasing his Guru with every attention, readily obtains the fruit of that knowledge. There is not the least doubt that the Guru is father, the Guru is mother, and the Guru is even God; and as such, he should be served by all with their thoughts, words and deeds. By the Gurus favour everything good for to ones self is obtained. So the Guru ought to be served daily; otherwise there can be nothing auspicious. Let the disciple salute his Guru after walking three times round him, and touch with his right hand his lotus-feet.
(Lord Shiva is speaking: from Shiva Samhita, cap. III, v. 10-15)

The Guru is nothing but the embodiment of ecstasy. A Guru is not a teacher; he does not teach anything; he does not care about doctrines and principles. A Guru is a presence. Do not think too much, go to him like a lover instead, because a Guru is found through perception. The Guru is to be eaten, the Guru is to be drunk; listening to him is useless. He is a living phenomenon: in front of you there is his energy. Its a matter of love. Its impossible to prove somebody that you have found the Guru. There is no possible evidence. Do not even try, because anybody can demonstrate the contrary. But you have found him and you know; you have tasted him and therefore you know.

Its a knowledge of your heart, of your feeling. The word Guru is loaded with meaning. The word Master has not the same meaning. Guru means heavy. The Guru is very heavy; he is a cloud heavy with rain, waiting only for your thirst to pour its contents. He is a flower full of scent, waiting only to meet your nostrils to spread it. Guru means heavy, very heavy: heavy for the energy of the unknown, heavy of the Divine, heavy like a pregnant woman. A Guru is pregnant of God; he is heavy of the Divine, he is ready to pour it. Your mere thirst is enough; a thirsty ground is enough. The Guru is a ripe, heavy fruit, waiting to fall down. If you are ready to receive him, he falls in you. When a disciple bows down in total faith to the feet of his Guru, something invisible for the eyes occurs. An energy pours down from the Guru into the disciple. If aware enough, one can see the aura of the Guru, his rainbow, pouring into the disciple. The Guru is full of Divine energy. And he has infinite of it: he can pour it into an infinite number of disciples. He can work alone with millions of disciples. He never dries up, because he is connected with the whole, he has found the source of everything. Through him you too can jump into that abyss. It is difficult to surrender to God, because nobody knows where He is: He never gave his address to anybody. But you can find a Guru. Therefore, if you like to know from me what is a Guru, well, a Guru is the address of God.
(Osho Rajneesh, 16th february 1975)

GURU GITA
The Song of the Guru

Atha shrgurugt prrambhah Now the Song of the Holy Guru begins Om asya shrgurugtstotramantrasya bhagavn sadshiva rishi nnvidhni chamdsi shrguruparmtm devat ham bjam sah shaktih krom klakam shrguruprasd siddhyarthe jape viniyogah Om. Now, presenting the mantras of the Song of Worship of the Guru, written in various meters, the Supreme Eternal Shiva is the seer, the Supreme Soul, the respected Guru is the deity. Ham is the seed-mantra, Sah is its energy, Krom is the pin. These mantras are to be recited to attain the grace of the Guru.

Atha dhynam Now the Meditation Hamsbhym parivrittapatrakamalairdivyairjagatkranair vishvotkrnamanekadehanilayaih svacchamdamtmecchay taddyotam padashmbhavam tu charanam dpmkuragrhinam pratyakshksharavigraham gurupadam dhyyedvibhum shshvatam mam chaturvidhapurushrthasiddhyarthe jape viniyogah The lotus is surrounded by the petals Ham and Sah, that are the divine Cause of the perceivable existence. According to his desire and to his own rhythm, he perceives all existence and resides in innumerable bodies. Meditate on the syllables Gu Ru, that are the manifestation of the eternal in the perceivable form of letters, on the one who shows the principle That, who always remains in the state of perfect equilibrium, whose feet emit light. St uvcha Sut said: 1. Kailshshikhare ramye bhaktisam dhnanyakam pranamya prvat bhakty shankaram paryapricchata On top of the wonderful Mount Kailash, Prvati bowed down with devotion to Lord Shiva, the teacher of union with God by means of devotion, and asked Shiva Shankar:

shrdevyuvcha the Supreme Goddess said: 2. Om namo devadevesh partpar jagadguro sadshiva mahdev gurudkshm pradehi me Om. To thee I bow Lord, Lord of all gods, higher than the highest, Guru of the universe; O eternal Shiva, great God, please bestow upon me the initiation of the Guru. 3. kena mrgena bho svmin deh brahmamayo bhavet tvam kripm kuru me svmin nammi charanau tav O Master, teach me the path which a seeker has to follow to become one with Brahman. O Swami, o Master, show me Thy compassion. I bow to Thy feet.

ishvar uvcha The Supreme Lord said: 4. mam rpsi devi tvam tvatprtyartham vadmyaham lokopakrakah prashno na kenpi kritah pur O Goddess, you are my own form. By my love for you I will answer to this question to benefit the worlds. Never before has anyone asked this. 5. durlabham trishu lokeshu tacchnushva vadmyaham gurum vin brahma nnyat satyam satyam varnane This is difficult for all the beings of the three worlds. Listen while I speak to you. The Guru is truly no other than the Supreme Divinity. This is the truth. This is the truth, o Giver of boons. 6. vedashstrapurnni itihsdikni cha mantrayantrdividyshcha smritirucchtandikam 7. shaivashktgamdni anyni vividhni cha apabrahmshakarnha jvnm bhrntacetasm In the Vedas, Shastras, Puranas, in stories and other literatures, in the mantras, yantras, other forms of knowledge, in Smritis (books taught orally), in the special mantras for attaining specific powers and others; in the treatises of the Shaiva or Shakta, in the different commentaries and others, those whose consciousness is confused or wavering can find a source of confusion.

8. yaghyo vratam tapo dnam japastrtham tathaiva cha gurutattvamavighyya mdhste charate janh Those who perform sacrifices, yagyas, sacred vows, purifying austerities, offerings, recitation of mantras, sacred pilgrimages, without understanding the principle of the Guru perform all this like fools. 9. gururbuddhytmano nnyat satyam satyam na sanshayah tallbhrtham prayatnastu kartavyo hi manshibhih The Guru is no other than the soul of intellect. This is the truth, without a doubt this is the truth. It is necessary that the ones who rule their minds strive to attain That. 10. gdhavidy jaganmy dehe chghynasanbhav udyah yatprakshen gurushabdena kathyate The Maya of perceivable existence veiles knowledge and in the individual originates the darkness of ignorance. The one who raises the light, by which enlightenment is known, is called by the word Guru. 11. sarvappvishuddhtm shrguroh pdasevant deh brahma bhavedyasmt tvatkriprtham vadmi te By the selfless loving service to the feet of the respected Guru the soul is purified from all sins. I will tell you about that grace by which one is merged into the Supreme Divinity. 12. gurupdmbujam smritv jalam shirasi dhrayet sarvatrthvaghasya samprpnoti phalam narah

By spreading water upon your head while remembering the lotus feet of your Guru you will obtain the fruit of bathing in all the sacred waters of the places of pilgrimage. 13. shoshanam pp pankasya dpanam ghyntejasm gurupdodakam samyak sansrrnavatrakam The water from the Gurus feet has the power of purify from all sins, to light the flame of knowledge and to carry easily across the ocean of this world. 14. aghynmlaharanam janmakarmanivranam ghynvairgyasiddhyartham gurupdodakam pibet Whoever drinks the water of the feet of the Guru is liberated from the root of ignorance and purified from the karma of life and obtains perfection, wisdom and detachment. 15. guroh pdodakam ptv gurorucchishtbhojanam gurumrteh sad dhynam gurumantram sad japet Drink the water of the Gurus feet and eat of his prasad, the remnants of his food. Meditate constantly upon the image of the Guru and always repeat the mantra of the Guru. 16. kshkshetram tannivso jhnav charanodakam gururvishveshvarah sksht trakam brahma nishcitam His abode is the sacred city of Kashi (Benares). The water of his feet is a sacred river. The Guru himself is Vishveshvar, the Lord of the universe; with no doubt he is the true shining star and the Supreme Divinity.

17. guroh pdodakam yattu gay-sau so-kshayo vatah trtharjah praygashcha gurumrtyai namo namah The water of the feet of the Guru is sacred. The Guru is Gaya (place of pilgrimage) and he is the banyan tree. The Guru is the king of the places of pilgrimage and the most sacred prayag (confluence of holy rivers). To the divine image of the Guru we bow. 18. gurumrtim smarennityam gurunm sad japet gurorghym prakurvt guroranyanna bhvayet Always remember the image of the Guru, always recite the name of the Guru, always observe the instructions of the Guru, always think of no other than the Guru. 19. guruvaktrasthitam brahma prpyate tatprasdatah gurordhynam sad kuryt kulastr svapateryath The Supreme Divinity resides in the mouth of the Guru and is obtained by his grace. Always meditate on the Guru just as a loving woman dreams of her husband. 20. svshramam cha svajtim cha svakrtipushtivardhanam etatsarvam parityajya gurornyanna bhvayet Renounce all thoughts about your status in your life, the nobility of your birth, your own fame and increase in this world. Deeply intuit the attitude of the Guru without thinking of anything else. 21. ananyshchintayanto mm sulabham paramam padam tasmtsarvaprayatnena gurorrdhanam kuru

The attainment of the highest status is easy by contemplating nothing else but Me. Therefore all efforts should be made to please the Guru. 22. trailokye sphutvaktr devdyasurapannagh guruvaktrasthit vidy gurubhakty tu labhyate In the three worlds Gods, demons, celestial beings and others unanimously proclaim that the knowledge residing in the mouth of the Guru is obtained by devotion to the Guru. 23. gukrstvandhakrashcha rukrasteja ucyate aghyngrsakam brahma gurureva na sanshayah The syllable Gu means darkness, Ru means light. The Supreme Divinity who destroys ignorance is verily the Guru. 24. gukrah prathamo varno mydigunabhsakah rukro dvityo brahma mybhrntivinshanam The first letter is Gu: there Maya resides with other qualities. The second letter is Ru, where the Supreme Divinity destroys the confusion of Maya. 25. evam gurupadam shreshtham devnmapi durlabham hhhhganaishchaiva gandharvaishcha prapjyate And the feet of the Guru are the ultimate goal difficult to attain even for the Gods. Even H H and H H (two famous celestial beings) and multitudes of other divine beings desire to worship them. 26. dhruvam teshm cha sarveshm nsti tattvam guroh param sanam shayanam vastram bhshanam vhandikam

27. sdhaken pradtavyam gurusantoshakrakam gurorrdhanam kryam svajvitvam nivedayet Those who can worship him are firmly fixed in the highest principle of the Guru, who is the Supreme Lord of all. A seat, a bed, clothes, ornaments, conveyance and other things ... ... the disciple should offer these things to satisfy the Guru: offerings of the necessities of life to produce delight in the life of the Guru. 28. karman manas vch nityamrdhayed gurum drghadandam namaskritya nirlajjo gurusannidhau Eternally please the Guru through your actions, thoughts and words. Offer respect to the Guru without shame, modesty or hesitation. 29. sharrmindriyam prnn sadgurubhyo nivedayet tmadrdikam sarvam sadgurubhyo nivedayet Offer your body, senses, life itself to the Sadguru, the True Guru. With your bursting soul open your heart and offer everything to the Sadguru. 30. krimiktbhasmavishthdurgandhimalmtrakam shleshmaraktam tvach mmsam vamchayenn varnane O Giver of boons, dont be attached to this body full of germs, foul smelling feces and urine, phlegm, blood and meat covered with skin, which will ultimately become scattered ashes. 31. samsravrikshamrdhh patanto narakrnave yena chaivoddhrith sarve tasmai shrgurave namah We bow down to the respected Guru,

who allows us to climb up beyond the tree of the phenomenal world and rescues all from falling into the ocean of the hell of conflict and confusion. 32. gururbrahm gururvishnurgururdevo maheshvarah gurureva parabrahma tasmai shrgurave namah The Guru is Brahma, the Guru is Vishnu, the Guru is Lord Maheshwar. The Guru is actually the Supreme Divinity, and therefore we bow down to the Guru. 33. hetave jagatmeva samsrrnavasetave prabhave sarvavidynm shambhave gurave namah He is the one who actually dissolves the perceivable universe, he is the bridge across the ocean of objects and relationships; he is the one who illuminates all knowledge with great delight. We bow down to the respected Guru. 34. aghyntimirndhasya ghynjanshalky chakshurunmlitam yena tasmai shrgurave namah He applies the ointment of wisdom to the eyes closed by the darkness of ignorance, and therefore we bow down to the respected Guru. 35. tvam pit tvam cha me mt tvam bandhustvam cha devat samsrapratibodhrtham tasmai shrgurave namah You are my father, you are my mother. You are my friend, you are all of the Gods. To understand this world of objects and relationships, we bow down to the respected Guru. 36. yatsatyena jagatsatyam yatprakshen bhti tat

yadnanden nandanti tasmai shrgurave namah We bow down to the Guru, whose truth makes true the perceivable existence, whose illumination illumines That, whose bliss makes everything blissful. 37. yasya sthity satyamidam yadbhti bhnurpatah priyam putrdi yatprty tasmai shrgurave namah We bow down to the respected Guru, whose existence reveals this truth, who shines through the form of the sun, whose love makes us love the children and all others. 38. yena cetayate hdam cittam cetayate na yam jgratsvapnasushuptydi tasmai shrgurave namah We bow down to the respected Guru, who instigates the consciousness to illuminate the object of awareness, while consciousness itself is not illuminated; who illuminates the waking, dreaming and deep dreamless sleep and other states of consciousness. 39. yasya ghyndidam vishvam na drishyam bhinnabhedatah sadekarparpya tasmai shrgurave namah By whose gift of wisdom and inspiration the universe is perceived as undivided. We bow down to the respected Guru, who is the one form of truth of all forms. 40. yasymatam tasya matam matam yasya na ved sah ananyabhvbhvya tasmai shrgurave namah One who has an opinion does not understand.

One who has no opinion has the right understanding. We bow down to the respected Guru, who realizes the absence of many opinions. 41. yasya kranarpasya kryarpen bhti yat kryakranarpya tasmai shrgurave namah To the one who is the form of the cause, as well as the light by which the form of the effect is illuminated; who is the form of effect and cause, to this respected Guru we bow down. 42. nnrpamidam sarvam na kenpyasti bhinnat kryakranat chaiv tasmai shrgurave namah Everything appears as various forms, whereas for the Guru there is no differentiation. He alone is the manifestation of cause and effect. Therefore we bow down to the respected Guru. 43. yadanghrikamaladvamdvam dvamdvatpanivrakam trakam sarvad-padbhyah shrgurum pranammyaham His lotus feet remove the heat of conflict. Those feet are always shining. To the respected Guru we bow down. 44. shive kruddhe gurustrt gurau kruddhe shivo na hi tasmtsarvaprayatnena shrgurum sharanam vrajet If Shiva has anger the Guru can remove it, whereas if the Guru has anger Shiva cannot. Therefore all effort should be made to take refuge in the respected Guru.

45. vande gurupadadvamdvam vnmanashcittagocharam shvetaraktaprabhbhinnam shivashaktytmakam param Worship the feet of the Guru with words, mind and illumination of consciousness. He illuminates the colours white and red, representing the supreme manifestations of Shiva and Shakti (consciousness and nature). 46. gukram cha gunttam rukram rpvarjitam gunttasvarpam cha yo dadytsa guruh smritah Gu is beyond all qualities. Ru excludes all forms. One should remember the Guru as the intrinsic nature of that which is beyond the attributes. 47. atrinetrah sarvasksh achaturbhuracyutah achaturvadano brahm shrguruh kathitah priye Without three eyes he is the witness of all (Shiva). Without four arms he is Vishnu (all circumstances). Without four faces he is Brahma, the Supreme Divinity. O Beloved, so it is said of the respected Guru. 48. ayam mayjalirbaddho daysgarvriddhaye yadanugrahato jantushcitrasamsramuktibhk I clasp my hands with respect before the one whose ocean of compassion increases, by whose compassion living beings may attain liberation from the phenomenal world. 49. shrguroh paramam rpam vivekachakshusho-mritam mandabhgy na pashyanti andhh sryodayam yath

The Guru is the supreme form of nectar, the bliss of immortality to those who see with the eye of discrimination. Those whose minds are not so fortunate to perceive this divinity are just like the blind who do not see the rising sun. 50. shrnthacharanadvamdvam yasym dishi virjate tasyai dishe namaskuryd bhakty pratidinam priye O Beloved, everyday you should bow down in whatever direction are situated the feet of the respected Guru. 51. tasyai dishe satatmajaliresha rye prakshipyate mukharito madhupairbudhaishcha jgarti yatra bhagavn guruchakravart vishvodayapralayan tkanityasksh O You who are purified by knowledge, with handfuls of flowers buzzing with bees in search of honey worship the eternal Witness of the drama of creation and dissolution of the universe, in whatever direction be situated the wakeful Supreme Lord who has dominion. 52. shrnthdigurutrayam ganapatim pthatrayam bhairavam siddhaugham batukatrayam padayugam dtkramam mandalam vrn dvyashtachatushkashashtinavakam vrvalpachakam shrmanmlinimantrarjasahitam vande gurormandalam By means of the king of mantras, the Guru Gita, we bow to the circle that surrounds the Guru, to the Supreme Lord, our Guru, and the three other previous Gurus; to Ganapati, to the three places of worship of Bhairava; to the Siddhas (realized beings), to the three Batukas, to the two feet (of the Guru), to the order of ambassadors to the circle, to the heroes, the sixteen, the sixty-four and the nine ones, to the five heroes that sacrificed, to the respected makers of garlands.