Guru Gita

Salutations to the Supreme Absolute, of imperceptible and inconceivable form, devoid of material qualities and yet the essence behind all excellences, whose manifestation supports the entire creation.

Oh Sūta, you who are of great wisdom and fully conversant with the Vedas and Āgamas, tell us about the svarūpa of the guru, which dispels all impurities.

We kindly request you to now speak of the supreme truth which, even if heard for just a moment, releases an embodied jīva from suffering and is the path by which the munis have attained omniscience, and having attained which, man does not re-enter into the bondage of saṁsāra.

Oh Sūta! We specifically request to hear the Guru Gītā. Please give a comprehensive explanation of its essence, which is the most confidential of all secrets, by your kind grace.

Having been thus requested again and again by the assembly of sages, Sūta responded with great eagerness and a sweet voice.

Sūta said: All you sages, listen to me with faith and utmost joy! I shall narrate that Gītā which is like a mother and cures the ailment of material life.

In former times, on the peak of Kailāsa which is served by Siddhas and Gandharvas, in an exceedingly beautiful mandira adorned with Kalpalatā flowers, seated on a tiger’s skin somewhere among munis such as Śuka, Śiva was enlightening them about the ultimate tattva.

Having witnessed Śiva performing namaskāra repeatedly with great respect, Pārvatī was filled with amazement and asked Śiva with humble words: Pārvatī said: Oh Lord, ruler of the devas, supreme preceptor of the universe! Glory to you! Devas, asuras, and men ever bow to you with devotion.

Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Indra, and others always worship you. Being verily the shelter of adoration, to whom are you bowing down?

Having witnessed this admirable and astounding act, it appears that I am bewildered. Could you kindly explain it to me, Prabhu?

Oh Lord Śambhu! Knower of all dharma, please tell me about the supreme glory of the guru, as well as the worship of the guru, which is the best of all vratas.

Oh master! By which path does an embodied jīva become immersed in the ultimate reality? Lord, shower your grace upon me, as I humbly bow at your feet.

Having been thus asked, Mahādeva, the great Lord whose heart is ever filled with ānanda, thus spoke to Pārvatī.

Śrī Mahādeva said: Oh Devi! This most concealed secret should not be spoken about, nor has it ever been spoken of previously but on account of your bhakti, I shall reveal it.

Devi! You are my own rūpā, hence I shall tell you about it. Never before has a question more beneficial for this world been asked.

To that mahātmā who has great devotion to the Lord and equal devotion to the guru, the meanings of the matters spoken herein are revealed.

The guru is said to be none other than Śiva, and Śiva is declared to be none other than the guru. Therefore, anyone who distinguishes between them defiles the guru.

Listen to what I’m saying which is difficult to obtain in the three worlds. Oh lovely-faced one, the guru is non-different from the Absolute; that is the truth, that is the truth.

The Vedas, Purāṇas, Itihāsa and other śāstras, sciences such as that of mantra and yantra, arts to bewitch and enchant, Śaiva and Śākta Āgamas; all these I consider to be sources of distortion for all those whose minds are bewildered.

My beloved! Japa, tapasya, vratas, holy places of pilgrimage, yajña, charity, and so forth all become useless for one who is ignorant of the guru-tattva.

Oh beautiful-faced one! The knowledge given by the guru is non-different from the knowledge of the Self. This is the truth, this is the truth. Those who are intelligent should thus make an effort to attain it.

Avidyā is a deep mystery, the world is māyā, and the body is born of ignorance. He by whose grace this realisation comes is known by the word ‘guru’.

He whose feet are a pair of lotuses that ward off the troubles of dualities and who serves as a raft across the ocean of rebirth, to that guru I humbly offer my praṇāmas.

By serving the feet of the guru, an embodied jīva becomes completely free from all vices and is united with the Absolute. I am revealing this out of mercy.

Drinking the water that has washed the feet of the guru and sprinkling the remainder on the head, a man obtains the fruit of bathing in all holy places.

The guru’s caraṇāmṛta dries up the swamp of sin and is the light of the brilliance of knowledge. It is indeed the means to cross the ocean of saṁsāra.

To reach perfection in jñāna and vairāgya, one should drink the guru’s caraṇāmṛta, which eradicates the root of ignorance and eliminates the karma performed in numerous lifetimes.

Drinking the water that has washed the guru’s feet, eating the remnants of the guru, continuously meditating on the guru’s form and chanting the guru’s name are the means to perfection.

Loudly chanting the name of one’s own guru is like chanting the name of the infinite Śiva and remembering the name of one’s own guru is like remembering the name of the infinite Śiva.

May we offer perpetual homage to the saviour in the form of the guru, whose mere foot dust constructs a bridge spanning the ocean of saṁsāra. Our salutations to the supreme guru, who is Paramātmā, the fraction of whose favour annihilates sorrow and delusion.

One who yearns for the fulfilment of his heart’s longing should offer his salutations to such a great guru, by whose grace even great ignorance is driven away.

The guru’s dwelling place is like Kāśī and the water that has washed his feet is like the Gaṅgā. The guru is directly Śiva and certainly the Supreme Absolute in the guise of the rescuer of humanity.

Guru-sevā is like a visit to holy Gayā. His body is like the eternal banyan tree. His feet are equal to the feet of Viṣṇu and anything offered to them yields boundless merit.

One should thus always remember the guru’s form, chant the guru’s name, carefully carry out the guru’s instruction and never oppose the guru.

In the guru’s speech resides the infinite Absolute, whom one attains by his grace. One should thus constantly meditate on the guru just as a devout wife meditates on her husband.

One’s stage of life, one’s caste, one’s fame and that which increases one’s opulence should all be given up and one should exclusively take shelter of the guru. Those who are single-mindedly absorbed in this way easily attain ultimate happiness. Therefore, whole-heartedly engage in the guru’s worship.

In the guru’s speech resides true knowledge which one attains by guru-bhakti. This is clearly proclaimed by devas, ṛṣis and men throughout the three worlds.

The syllable ‘gu’ denotes darkness and the syllable ‘ru’ signifies resplendent light. Without doubt, the guru is the Supreme Being, the destroyer of ignorance.

The syllable ‘gu’ indicates the disease of repeated birth and the syllable ‘ru’ denotes its cessation. Since he’s the one who cures the disease of saṁsāra, the guru is referred to as such.

The syllable ‘gu’ denotes the one who is beyond the guṇas and the syllable ‘ru’ indicates the one who surpasses external phenomena. Consequently, the term ‘guru’ refers to one who transcends both.

The first syllable ‘gu’ refers to that which causes māyā, the guṇas and so forth to appear. The syllable ‘ru’ pertains to the Parabrahman who liberates from the delusion of māyā.

Thus the most excellent state of the guru which is adored by Garuḍa, nagas, Gandharvas, siddhas and suras, is difficult for even the devas to attain.

Oh Devi! Certainly there is no tattva higher than the guru for those desirous of liberation. One should worship the guru by offering one’s own existence to him.

The sādhaka should offer an āsana, bed, cloth, vehicle, ornaments, and so forth for the satisfaction of the guru.

One should always worship the guru with action, speech, and thought. In his presence, one should prostrate like a long stick, without shame.

Everything, including the body, senses, prāṇa, wealth, relatives, friends, wife, and own Self, has to be surrendered to the satguru.

The guru alone is the whole Universe comprised of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva. There is nothing higher than the guru, therefore one should worship him.

The guru’s lotus feet are the brilliant crown jewel of all Śrutis. The guru is the one who expounds the meaning of Vedānta, thus one should worship him.

By the guru’s remembrance for even a moment, knowledge arises on its own accord. He is verily the entirety of one’s wealth, therefore one should worship him.

Oh charming-faced one, know the body to be impermanent, an abode of suffering, filled with countless frightening germs, and contaminated by a multitude of foul smells.

Having climbed to the top of the tree of saṁsāra, men again plunge into the ocean of hell. Salutations to the merciful guru who uplifts all those again.

The guru is Brahmā, the guru is Viṣṇu, the guru is Śiva. The guru is verily the Parabrahman. Salutations to such a glorious guru.

Salutations to the guru who opens the eyes of those blinded by the darkness of ignorance with the brush of wisdom.

Salutations to the guru who reveals the meaning of the word ‘tat, ‘that’: the Supreme Being who pervades this cosmic sphere of animate and inanimate creation.

Salutations to the guru who reveals the meaning of the word ‘tvam’, ‘you’. He pervades this entire Universe, consisting of the movable and immovable, the animate and the inanimate.

Salutations to the guru who reveals the meaning of the word ‘asi’, ‘are’. His consciousness pervades the three worlds, consisting of the movable and immovable.

Salutations to the guru by listening to whose speech for a moment or even half a moment, one is liberated from bondage and attains a vision of the Self and Śiva.

Salutations to the guru who is the eternally undisturbed pure consciousness, beyond ākāśa, nāda, bindu and kalā.

Salutations to the guru who is serene, free from material influence, devoid of impurities and pervades this entire cosmos of movable beings and immovable objects.

Salutations to the guru who is the father, mother, friend, and worshippable deity and who destroys the delusion caused by saṁsāra.

Salutations to the guru by whose existence the cosmos exists, by whose illumination everything is illumined and by whose bliss beings experience joy.

Salutations to the guru in whom the entire Universe abides, whose light is the light of the cosmos, and by whose love affection for dear ones, sons, and others is felt.

Salutations to the guru who reveals the true nature of reality by enlivening the mind, intellect, and consciousness and enables one to experience states such as wakefulness, dreaming, and deep sleep.

Salutations to the guru whose knowledge encompasses this entire creation, by whom nothing is perceived as separate from the Supreme Reality, who is endowed with an imperishable form.

He who believes to know the Supreme, doesn’t know, but one who doesn’t deem himself to know actually knows. Salutations to the guru who is single-heartedly established in the Supreme.

He appears to be an effect, but he is actually the cause. Salutations to the guru, who is both cause and effect.

Various forms are found in this Universe, but there is no absolute distinctness from the Absolute. Salutations to the guru, who is both the cause and effect of this cosmos.

Salutations to the guru who dwells on the peak of the jñāna-śakti, who is adorned by the garland of tattvas, and who can bestow bhukti and mukti.

Salutations to the guru who by the fire of true knowledge burns the bondage owed to karma accumulated in many lifetimes.

Salutations to the guru whose caraṇāmṛta dries up the ocean of repeated birth and sets on fire the attachment to perishable wealth.

There is no tattva superior to the guru; there is no tapasya higher than worship of the guru. There is no knowledge higher than that of the guru. Salutations to such a guru!

My Lord is the Lord of this entire cosmos. My guru is the jagadguru. He is my essence as well as the essence within all beings. Salutations to such a guru!

The guru is the beginning and end of one’s existence; the guru is the supreme deity. There is nothing equal to the guru-mantra. Salutations to such a guru!

Verily the guru alone is the supreme friend who stands by one’s side in rough times. Salutations to the guru who is the essence of all dharma.

In the guru resides the entire Universe, and within the Universe resides the guru. The guru is not different from the cosmos. Salutations to such a guru!

Salutations to the guru who illumines the path for those who have entered the forest of material existence and have lost direction due to a deluded mind.

Salutations to the guru whose caraṇāmṛta is like Gaṅgā, providing solace for those restless creatures on this Earth who are constantly burning in the fire of the threefold miseries.

Who else other than the satguru who is realised in knowledge and mahā-mantras could be the doctor of those bitten by the snake of ignorance?

Salutations to the guru, the cause of the worlds, the bridge across the ocean of saṁsāra, Lord of all vidyās, and benefactor of this world.

The root of meditation is the guru’s form, the root of worship are the guru’s feet. The root of mantra is the guru’s word. The root of liberation is the guru’s kṛpā.

The fruit of bathing in all holy places of pilgrimage extending as far as the seven seas is equal to a thousandth part of a drop of the water that has washed the guru’s feet.

When Śiva is angry, the guru can save one, but if the guru is angry, even Śiva cannot save one. Having once known the guru, one should completely take shelter of him.

Just as a bumblebee thirsty for nectar goes from the flower to its inner chamber, a disciple hungry for knowledge should venture into the inner mysteries of the guru.

I praise the two feet of the guru, whose glory is beyond the reach of the speech and mind, which are invested with white and red lustre, representing the essence of Śiva and Śakti.

The syllable ‘gu’ indicates the state beyond the guṇas, and the syllable ‘ru’ indicates the abandonment of material form. Since he bestows the state beyond the guṇas and devoid of external phenomena, he is known as ‘guru’.

Oh, dear one! The guru doesn’t have three eyes, but he is Śiva himself. He has two arms but is known to be Śrī Hari. He doesn’t have four heads but is described as Brahmā.

May my folded hands praise the ocean of compassion by whose grace living beings are liberated from the saṁsāra of manifold appearance.

Those who are unfortunate don’t behold the supreme form of the guru, lacking the eye of discrimination, just as the blind cannot see the sun.

The satguru can liberate, in a mere moment, countless generations. Therefore, after having known the satguru, one should worship him three times a day.

Oh beloved! In whichever direction the lotus feet of one’s glorious nātha are splendidly shining; in that direction one should daily bow down with devotion. One should constantly worship the guru with sāṣtāṅga-praṇāma. Through such worship, one attains steadiness and becomes situated in one’s own svarūpa. Such prostration using arms, feet, knees, chest, head, sight, mind, and speech is known as aṣtāṅga-praṇāma.

Let constant offerings of sweet flowers be made in the direction where the supreme guru dwells, who is the enactor of this world’s creation and destruction as well as the eternal witness.

What is the use of practising hundreds of rounds of long and deep prāṇāyāma, which are strenuous, tedious, hard to master and likely to cause numerous diseases? Attain the spontaneous state in which the powerful prāṇa becomes still of its own accord through constant devotion and service to the one guru.

Despite being devoid of knowledge, someone with devotion to the guru attains the state of mukti. For those on the path of guru-bhakti, there is no sādhana other than the guru’s grace.

Verily the Śrutis speak of him to whom no one is superior as ‘not this, not that’. With mind and speech, one should thus worship the guru.

By the tenderness of the guru’s compassion Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva and others were bestowed with the capacity of carrying out their respective duties of creation, maintenance, and destruction.

Devas, Kinnaras, Gandharvas, pitṛs, Yakṣās, Tumburu and even sages don’t know the correct manner of service to the guru.

Oh my dear one! Those learned in logic, those capable of chanting the hymns of the Vedas, the ones knowing destiny, those who aim for svarga as well as the common men, don’t know the guru-tattva in full.

Accompanied by great ego and pride due to their strength of austerity and learning, they wander around in saṁsāra like a wheel used to fetch water.

Even those who perform sacrifice and likewise the yogīs and those performing tapasya don’t become liberated if they are averse to the guru-tattva.

Also Gandharvas, pitṛs, Yakṣas, Cāraṇas, ṛṣis, siddhas, devas and others don’t become liberated if they are averse to guru-sevā.

Oh great Devi! Listen to the meditation which bestows all bliss and confers all happiness as well as bhukti and mukti.

I remember my guru who is Parabrahman; I praise my guru who is Parabrahman; I bow to my guru who is Parabrahman; I serve my guru who is Parabrahman.

I praise the satguru, manifestation of the ultimate bliss, bestower of supreme happiness, pure embodiment of knowledge, beyond dualities, heaven-like and ornamented by various such qualities. He is the eternal One, free from impurities, internal witness of all beings, beyond mundane emotion, and free from the three guṇas.

One should meditate on the guru seated in a divine form on a siṁhāsana amidst the centre of the lotus of one’s heart, shining like the crescent moon, eagerly desiring to bestow the boon of sat-cit-ānanda.

I eternally submit myself to that glorious guru dressed in white cloth, anointed with white flowers and ornamented with pearls, possessing eyes radiant with joy, on the left side of whose seat resides divine śakti, who is slightly smiling and is a reservoir of complete mercy. His svarūpa is composed of pure knowledge, absorbed in continuous divine rapture, blissful, and a cause of bliss. He is the peaceful king of yogīs and the glorious doctor of the disease of repeated birth.

I bow down to the lotus feet of the guru who reveals the ocean of bliss of one’s own Self, who counteracts the hālāhala poison of the delusion of saṁsāra just like a pill that stops a disease.

One should worship that guru that ever shines with five acts comprising his nature: creation, sustenance, destruction, restraint, and compassion.

Within the Brahma-randhra, resides the expansive lotus of a thousand petals. Within this radiant lotus resides the candra-maṇḍala. At its heart, a sacred triangle emerges, its sides representing the syllables ’a’, ’ka’, and ’tha’. At the centre of this triangle, surrounded by the potent syllables ’haṁ’ and ’saḥ’, resides the revered guru. The guru’s divine feet hold within them a powerful fire, capable of reducing saṁsāra to ash. It is on this guru that one should meditate.

I submit myself to the guru who is eternal, pure, devoid of fallacy, devoid of material form, spotlessly pure, ever awake, abiding in conscious bliss, the supreme Absolute.

The guru’s divine glance creates all the worlds, nourishes all things, and penetrates to the essence of all scriptures. It regards wealth as a trifle. It removes failings and defects. It remains focused on the Ultimate, and though giving rise to worldly qualities, is firmly set on the final goal of salvation.

May the guru’s glance ever rest upon me! It is the pillar establishing the joy of all worlds, a shower of karuṇa-rasa. It is equal to the garland of the totality of tattvas. It creates all time. It is permeated by sat-cid-ānanda. May the divine glance of the guru be always on me!

There’s nothing superior to the guru; there’s nothing superior to the guru; there’s nothing superior to the guru; there’s nothing superior to the guru. This is Śiva’s teaching; this is Śiva’s teaching; this is Śiva’s teaching; this is Śiva’s teaching.

This is auspicious; this is auspicious; this is auspicious; this is auspicious. This is Śrī Hari’s teaching; this is Śrī Hari’s teaching; this is Śrī Hari’s teaching; this is Śrī Hari’s teaching.

Having meditated on the guru in this way, knowledge manifests on its own accord. Thus, one should think of oneself as liberated by the guru’s instructions.

One should purify the mind in accordance with the guru’s instructions and disregard any thoughts related to the perishable that arise within the mind’s reach.

Everything that is known is referred to as jñeyam. The mind is the instrument by which one knows, called jñanam. Therefore, it is crucial to integrate jñānam and jñeyam. There is no alternative way to achieve this.

What is the use of many other statements and countless śāstras? Without the supreme grace of the guru, peace of mind is difficult to attain.

The satguru is so called because he cuts the disciple’s eightfold bondage with the sword of compassion and awakens complete bliss in him.

Oh Mahādevi! He who slanders the guru after hearing this secret goes to gruesome hells for as long as the sun and moon shine.

Oh Devi! As long as the body exists, one should remember the guru. Even after attaining realisation, one should not abandon the guru.

A wise one should not speak harsh words in front of the guru and should never utter a lie to him.

One who speaks disrespectfully to the guru takes birth in a waterless forest or becomes a Brahmarakṣasa.

One should always maintain a feeling of non-duality in all circumstances, except in relation to the guru.

One should worship the guru’s feet until the material vision disappears. Only such a disciple attains liberation, not those who act in opposition to him.

Even one who has fully realised the truth but abandons the guru will face great confusion at the time of death.

One must never disregard the work assigned by the guru, nor should one undertake tasks that have not been requested. It is essential to bow down to the guru before standing up. Such are the characteristics of one who shines with devotion to the guru.

Oh Satī-devi! In the presence of the guru, one should never give instructions to others; otherwise, one will become a Rākṣasa.

In the guru’s āśrama, one should not get drunk and steal away time by running here and there. One should not make disciples, make bold statements, consider oneself an authority, and pass on the guru’s order to someone else.

In the guru’s āśrama, one should not arrange for a luxurious bed, nor should one stretch out one’s legs before the guru and engage in various sense pleasures and various forms of entertainment.

One should not judge whether the words spoken by the guru are true or false. Instead, one should day and night carry out the order of the guru and conduct oneself as a servant.

One should not enjoy something that has not been given by the guru. With joyful gratitude, one should accept all that is given by the guru to maintain one’s life.

The pādukās, āsana, bed and other items used by the guru should all be honoured with reverence. They should never be touched with one’s feet.

One should walk behind the guru while walking and avoid stepping on his shadow. One should not dress excessively and wear fancy ornaments in front of him.

Having seen one who slanders the guru, one should chase the person away or flee that place if one is incapable of cutting his tongue.

One should never give up the guru’s order or give the guru’s prasāda designated for oneself to another. One should consume the entire prasāda by oneself, knowing it to be sacred.

One should refrain from telling lies or speaking unkind or arrogant words to the guru and avoid excessive talking. One should never give orders to the guru, but instead carry out his instructions with devotion.

In the presence of the guru, one should humbly address him with ‘Oh Prabhu, Lord of the devas, great emperor, master of my body.’

Oh Pārvati! The guru protects from the curse of munis, snakes, divine beings, and the fear of time in the form of death. Divine beings, munis, and others are incapable whatsoever of saving the one who has been cursed by the guru.

The two syllables ‘gu-ru’ are the king of mantras. Without doubt, they are the essence of the Smṛtis, Vedas, and Purāṇas.

The one who bears a daṇḍa and dons saffron robes for the sake of honour, respect, and worship is not a sannyāsī, but the one who is devoted to knowing the Self. Those who know the mahāvākyas by dint of sevā to the guru’s feet are known as sannyāsīs, others are merely pretenders who put on false garbs.

He who in this world has realised the eternal Infinite One, who is devoid of material form, beyond primordial nature and possesses pure consciousness, he excels as a guru.

By the guru’s grace, one becomes an ātmārāma, rejoicing in one’s own Self. Through the path of mukti, one becomes established in equanimity, which generates knowledge of one’s own Self.

I pay my salutations to the one who, in his essence, is the indweller of moving beings and immovable objects, who contains the whole cosmos, and who is the support for all worlds up to that of Brahmā.

I salute the jagadguru, whose nature is sat-cit-ānanda, beyond material embodiment, eternal, complete, beyond material form and qualities, and ever abiding in his own Self.

One should meditate on the supreme guru who bestows bliss, seated in the space in the centre of the heart, shining brilliantly like a pure crystal.

Like a crystal reflects in a crystal, like a mirror reflects in a mirror, in the same way, bliss shines in the Self in the form of pure consciousness. Verily, ‘I am that Self’.

One should meditate on the Puruṣa, made of pure consciousness and the size of a thumb located in the heart. Please listen to my explanation of the state of consciousness that arises when meditating in this way.

One thus realises, ‘I am unborn and imperishable; I am indeed without beginning or destruction, changeless, conscious, blissful, smaller than the small and greater than the great.’

Oh Pārvati! One should know the Infinite One to be eternal, luminous, pure, infallible, superior to the ākāśa, unchangeable, blissful, undecaying, beyond speech and senses, free from material name and form, and indescribable. He is without beginning and without end.

Just as fragrance is the inherent characteristic of camphor and flowers and heat and cold are the characteristics of the material world, so is eternity the inherent characteristic of the Infinite One.

Just as the inherent characteristic of earrings and bracelets is the golden colour, in that way the inherent characteristic of Brahman is eternity.

Just as a worm becomes an insect by meditation on it, one should always meditate on Him, having oneself become of the same nature.

Thus, by meditating on the guru, one becomes immersed in the supreme reality oneself. There is no doubt that he who meditates in this way becomes liberated from piṇḍa, pada, and rūpa.

Oh Mahādeva! What is piṇḍa? What is referred to as pada, rūpa, and rūpātīta? Tell me this, oh Śaṅkara.

Śrī Mahādeva said: Piṇḍa is the kuṇḍalinī-śakti, pada is referred to as haṁsa, rūpa is the bindu which is to be known, and the state of rūpātīta is the spotlessly pure state. Oh, lady with a charming face, those who are liberated from piṇḍa, pada, and rūpa and who dwell in the state of rūpātīta, are without any doubt liberated.

By constant meditation on the guru, an embodied being realises its divine nature. There is no doubt that wherever one is, one is liberated.

Oh, dear one! The guru is endowed with the opulence of six qualities, namely knowledge, realisation, contentment, detachment, eloquence, and fortitude.

The guru is Śiva, the guru is the deity, the guru is the friend of embodied beings, the guru is the ātmā, the guru is life; there is nothing else other than the guru.

He is known as Brahma-jñānī, who is devoid of possessions, peaceful, free from worry and jealousy, and innocent like a child.

In this world, there is no happiness in the Vedas, śāstras, mantras, yantras, or anywhere else apart from the guru’s grace.

There is no happiness in the philosophies of the Cārvākas, Vaiṣṇavas, or Mīmāṁsākas comparable to that bliss at the guru’s feet. It is that which the Vedānta celebrates.

That happiness which is experienced by a sovereign of the world, or the king of devas, is not equal to that experienced by a sage who lives alone, free from attachment.

Having drunk the brahma-rasa which is found in the Paramātmā, even the position of Indra seems utterly insignificant. Then what to speak of kings?

Verily, one who is self-controlled reaches supreme liberation by following the path instructed by the guru. Those desiring mokṣa should always delight in guru-bhakti.

By the guru’s teachings, one comes to the realisation that ’I am truly one, without duality.’ Practising this consistently eliminates the need for retreating to a forest.

By consistently practising, one can attain samādhi in a mere blink of the eye. At this very moment, even sins that have not yet come to fruition are destroyed.

What kind of āvāhana (invocation) should be performed for the one who is unmanifest? What kind of visarjana (sending away) is to be done for the all-pervading one? What kind of pūjā should be done for the one devoid of form? What kind of meditation should be done on the one who is infallible?

The guru is Viṣṇu, in charge of sattva, Brahmā in charge of rajas, and Rudra controlling tamas. He is creating, maintaining, and destroying.

Having realised the state of Brahman, one should not look to anything else, for there is nothing higher, and Brahman is present everywhere and infallible.

Having attained a vision of Him by the guru’s grace, one should give up all attachments, live in solitude, be free from possessions, and be content. One should abide in a state of complete satisfaction.

When obtaining something or not obtaining something, whether big or small, one should be completely satisfied and enjoy it without desire.

That is called the state of omniscience, in which the consciousness of an embodied being becomes all-pervading. One experiences bliss and contentment wherever one goes.

Even the place where such a person lives receives enormous benefits. Oh Devi! Thus, I have explained to you the characteristics of a liberated person.

I have given you the teaching of the path of the guru, which bestows liberation. Mankind should thus perform intense guru-bhakti.

I bow down before the supreme guru, who completes the Vedas and bestows the supreme bliss of the Self.

Oh, dear one! Even for one who is learned in the Vedas, Āgamas, Vedāṅgas, and other scriptures, there is no knowledge for him without the guru.

Even for one who is greatly fond of the worship of Śiva or Viṣṇu, everything is useless if he is devoid of understanding the guru-tattva.

Oh beloved! Performing a pūjā of Śiva without knowing the nature of Śiva, is pūjā in name only, like a lamp’s reflection in a mirror.

All work becomes successful on account of the prowess of guru-dīkṣā. By obtaining the grace of the guru, everything is obtained; the one who has no guru, however, is a fool.

One who lacks a guru can be considered like cattle, an insect, or moth, devoid of knowledge of Śiva’s rūpa or svarūpa, nor of one’s own Self.

Giving up all attachments and disregarding the web of endless scriptures, one should, with all effort, take shelter of the guru alone.

I worship the guru who removes all doubt, makes one single-pointed, and reveals the beautiful secret.

One should give up a guru lacking knowledge who speaks falsely and is merely an imitator. How can one who is not peaceful himself bestow supreme peace?

Even if a rock had vast knowledge, would it be able to carry a group of stones across the ocean? If someone doesn’t know how to cross the ocean of saṁsāra, how can they carry others across?

They should not be worshipped because they cause confusion, and their mere sight leads to misery. One should renounce such a guru, keep at a distance, and take shelter only to the truly wise.

Oh, dear one! One should not worship heretics, those who indulge in sin, atheists, those who give contradictory opinions, those who lust after women, those who are wicked, ungrateful, hypocritical, corrupt, without forgiveness, those who speak with faulty logic, those who burn with passion, anger, those who are violent, cruel, cheaters, those who have fallen from the path of true knowledge, those who are great sinners. The guru who is different from them should be worshipped with one-pointed devotion.

Oh Devi! One should not disclose this secret to anyone other than a disciple. Bhakti alone is the means to attain the supreme goal of mankind.

There are five kinds of gurus: the hidden one, the resolute one, the joyful one, the silent one, and the one who wanders freely at will.

Whatever is received from the guru brings success and destroys sin. Whatever is for one’s own good should not be misused.

Oh pious lady! I am satisfied with whatever is offered to the guru. One should however guard the guru’s pādukās, mūdra and mūla-mantra.

Śrī Pārvatī said: Lord, with my intellect, senses, prāṇa, mind, and speech, I bow down to your lotus feet, which are meditated upon by seekers of liberation to appease the effects of their karma.

Śrī Mahādeva said: I will tell you, my dear, what this will achieve. For the sake of the world, one should give up worldliness.

Due to worldliness, a righteous person devoid of true knowledge remains in the ocean of worldly existence. In the state of knowledge of the Self, both karma and niṣkarma are destroyed.

One who recites this Guru Gītā with devotion, or even hears it, writes it, or offers it as a gift, attains all good fortune. Oh Devi! One should always meditate on this Guru Gītā in one’s heart. Even if you are suffering from a terrible disease, you should chant it with joy.

Oh dear one, each and every syllable of the Guru Gītā is a king of mantras. Various other mantras are not worth a sixteenth part of it.

One who recites the Guru Gītā obtains endless results. Oh Devi! It destroys all sins and removes all poverty.

It guards against untimely death, destroys all difficulties, and keeps Yakṣasas, Rākṣasas, spirits, thieves, tigers, and so forth at bay.

The Guru Gītā wards off all calamities, offences, and faults, as well as diseases such as leprosy. The benefit that is obtained in the presence of the guru is received by reciting it.

It destroys great diseases and confers all wealth and siddhis. Even when one is deluded or controlled by others, one should always chant it.

Oh Devi! Seated on an āsana of kuśa grass or fresh grass covered with white cloth, one should chant it with a single-pointed mind.

Oh beloved! A white āsana is for all purposes, and a red one is for charming others. One should sit in padmāsana and continuously chant the Guru Gītā to attain supreme peace.

On an āsana of cloth, one attains poverty. On a stone, one attains disease. On the ground, one experiences suffering. On wood, one attains no result.

By repeating it, sitting on the skin of a black deer, one attains knowledge; on the skin of a tiger, one attains the wealth of liberation; on an āsana of kuśa grass, one attains knowledge; on a woollen blanket, one attains all the accomplishments.

Chanting while facing south-east gives the power of attraction, north-west the power to destroy enemies, south-west the power of sight, north-east the power of knowledge.

When one faces the North while chanting, he attains peace; when one faces the East while chanting, he obtains the power to enchant others; when one faces the South while chanting, he obtains the power to kill the evil forces, and when one faces the West while chanting, he obtains great wealth.

By reciting the Guru Gītā, one gains the power to enchant all creatures, obtains supreme liberation from bondage, becomes the favourite of gods and rulers, and even brings kings under one’s control.

The Guru Gītā has the power to paralyse speech, nourishes good qualities, neutralises bad actions and brings deeds to fulfilment.

The Guru Gītā has the power to grant success in all actions, to destroy the fear of the Navagraha, to end bad dreams and to fulfil good dreams.

Oh, auspicious one! It calms the waves of delusion and grants supreme liberation from bondage. This Gītā śāstra is an abode of Self-knowledge.

Whatever one desires when chanting the Guru Gītā, one certainly attains. It is the eternally auspicious bestower of good fortune and destroys the three-fold afflictions.

It always bestows peace, grants a son to a barren woman, saves a married woman from widowhood, and increases good fortune.

It grants longevity, health, wealth, and power, children and grandchildren. If a widow repeats the Guru Gītā without desire, she obtains salvation.

If she repeats it with a desire, she will not become a widow in her next life. It removes all misery, fears, and obstacles and delivers one from curses.

It cures all the effects of sin and grants righteousness, wealth, pleasure, and salvation. Whatever desire its worshipper has is certainly fulfilled.

Of desirable objects, the Guru Gītā is Kāmadhenu, the wish-fulfilling tree for the imaginative and the wish-fulfilling jewel for the contemplative. It is beneficial in all respects.

One who writes and worships the Guru Gītā attains the wealth of liberation. This always awakens guru-bhakti in one’s heart.

Śāktas, Sauras, Gāṇapatas, Vaiṣṇavas, Śaivites, and Pāśupatas chant it. Without doubt, this is the truth, this is the truth.

This is the second chapter of the Guru Gītā, the dialogue of Umā and Maheśvara, part of Uttarākhaṇḍa of the Śrī Skanda Purāṇa.

Oh beautiful one! Now I will speak of the places where those with desires should recite the Guru Gītā. It can be recited on the seashore, on the riverbank, in the temples of Hari, Śiva, or Śakti, in cowsheds, in all holy temples, at the root of a banyan tree, in an āśrama, or in Vṛndāvana. In any pure and clean place, one should repeat it regularly in silence, with a calm and tranquil mind.

By reciting it, one attains success and the result of japa-siddhi. One should give up all wicked actions and renounce all despicable places.

Reciting it at a cemetery, at the root of a Bilva, Banyan, or Kānaka tree, or near a mango tree yields success.

One should chant it on a yellow āsana when in delusion and on a black āsana under the influence of magic spells, a white āsana for attaining peace and a red one to control others.

Read on an improper āsana, one bears an incomplete result. Repeating the Guru Gītā on a journey or in the face of danger from the enemy on the battlefield gives victory. Reciting it at the time of death brings salvation. All efforts undoubtedly bring perfection to a disciple.

Actions give success to the one who has the guru-mantra in his mouth, not otherwise. Through such dīkṣā, all actions become successful for a disciple.

For destroying the root of material existence and escaping the eight ropes of bondage, one who knows the truth ever bathes in the ocean of the Guru Gītā.

He is definitely a satguru who knows sat, asat, and the Infinite One. Without doubt, all places where he dwells are great purifiers.

Wherever the all-pure guru stays out of his own will, there, in such a holy place, the devas and gaṇas roam.

One attains divine knowledge by the sheer sight or touch of those who have attained purity and wisdom by repeating the Guru Gītā, whether they’re sitting, resting, walking, standing, mounted on a horse or elephant, sleeping, or awakening.

Just as water merges in the ocean, milk in milk, water in water, the space inside a broken pot in the ākāśa, the jīvātmā unites with the Paramātmā. In the same way, the enlightened person’s individuality is fully pervaded by God. He revels in the bliss of the Self, day and night, wherever he is. Thus, a wise being always dwells in supreme freedom. One should thus serve the guru with full commitment.

Oh Pārvati! O Devi! Through the satisfaction of the guru alone, one attains liberation. By his grace, one acquires possession of siddhis, such as aṇimā (becoming smaller than the smallest).

Such a jñānī enjoys equanimity, day and night. The great silent one attains disinterest regarding the three worlds.

Certainly all those who are bound to saṁsāra enjoy all the pleasures by chanting the Guru Gītā. What I’ve said is true in the past, present, and future.

This is the truth, the truth and nothing but the truth. What I’ve spoken is the essence of dharma. There is no stotram equal to the Guru Gītā, there is no tattva higher than that of the guru.

The guru is the worshippable deity, the guru is dharma, there is no higher austerity than firm faith in the guru. There is nothing higher than the guru. I’m declaring this thrice.

Fortunate are the mother, father, lineage, and ancestors of a guru-bhakta. Blessed is the country where he dwells.

O Devi! All the yajñas, vows, austerities, and pious deeds performed in countless lives become successful by a single moment of the guru’s satisfaction.

Without doubt, the guru is the body, the senses, the prāṇa, the most precious wealth, all the near and dear ones. He is the mother’s family and the father’s family.

Those who don’t subscribe to this view are unfortunate and weak. Those who are averse to guru-sevā are bound to suffer in an impure hell.

Oh Pārvati! Knowledge, wealth, strength, and good fortune are useless for those who don’t have the guru’s kṛpā. Even Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Rudra, devas, Pitṛs, Kinnaras, Siddhas, Cāraṇas, Yakṣas, munis, and others fall down without it.

The guru-bhāva is the supreme tīrtha. Other places of pilgrimage are useless. Oh Devi! The lotus feet of the guru are filled with all tīrthas.

My beloved! In this world, there are foolish men who enjoy the company of young women while turning away from their own wives. That’s why I have never revealed this secret to anyone.

Oh, charming one! This secret should not be spoken aloud, but it should be guarded well. Oh Sati! I have told it to you for my own satisfaction.

This should not be revealed to svāmīs, leaders, Gaṇeśa, Vaiṣṇavas and others. Oh Mahāmāyā! Promise me thus by touching my feet.

The Guru Gītā should not be spoken, even mentally, to those devoid of devotion, cheaters, swindlers, impostors, the faithless, and others of such nature.

There are many gurus who steal the wealth of their students, but I consider that guru difficult to obtain who destroys the heart’s affliction of his disciples.

One who is skilled, who possesses discrimination, spiritual knowledge, and purity, and whose mind is devoid of any contamination, in him the status of guru shines brilliantly.

Gurus are spotlessly pure, peaceful, saintly, frugal in speech, free from desire and anger, of good conduct, and have mastered the senses.

There are many divisions of gurus such as sūcaka and others. A wise one should first examine the guru and then worship him who is devoted to the supreme Truth.

Oh Devi! One who is well versed in externally oriented, worldly scriptures such as those dealing with the alphabet is known as sūcaka.

Oh Pārvati! Know the one who imparts knowledge pertaining to dharma and adharma, suitable to one’s varṇa and āśrama, as the vācaka.

Oh Pārvati! The guru who initiates into the pañcākṣarī and other mantras is known as the bodhaka. He is better than both kinds of gurus mentioned before.

Paṇḍits and those perceiving the truth call the guru who bestows trifling mantras for bewitching, killing, or controlling others as niṣiddha.

My beloved! The guru who explains that this world is temporary, that saṁsāra is an abode of problems, and who shows the way of vairāgya is known as vihita.

O Pārvati! The guru who teaches statements such as ‘tat tvam asi’ is known as kāraṇākhya. He destroys the disease of material existence.

He who is experienced in uprooting the totality of all doubt, who destroys the fear of repeated birth and death, is the supreme guru. Such a great guru is attained through puṇya accumulated over countless lifetimes. Having obtained his grace, a disciple doesn’t fall back into the bondage of saṁsāra.

Oh Pārvati! In this world, there are many kinds of gurus. Amongst those, the supreme guru should be served with all effort.

The disciple of a niṣiddha-guru who is corrupted by wicked intentions doesn’t again attain a human body until the dissolution of the Universe.

Having heard these words of Mahādeva, the great Devī asked Śaṅkara, being greatly perplexed. Śrī Pārvatī said: Salutations to you, Lord of Lords. Having heard your words, my mind is now greatly disturbed. Thus there’s still something I want to hear.

What is the fate of those who are deluded, who are afraid of death, who have abandoned the path of virtue or those who have taken shelter of a niṣiddha-guru?

Śrī Mahādeva said: Oh Devi, listen to this truth! When a man becomes detached, then the best of Śrutis declare him to be qualified.

One who reveals the unbroken, supreme joy of the Infinite One with oneself, who is always free and pure, only he is a guru.

Oh Pārvati! Just as the ocean is the king of waters, the parama-guru is the king among all gurus.

Such a parama-guru is free from all kinds of delusion, peaceful, ever satisfied, and not dependent on anybody, considering even the opulence of Brahmā and Viṣṇu as insignificant as a mere straw.

The parama-guru is always independent, unperturbed, content and blissful, due to tasting the highest rasa, in every place and at all times.

The parama-guru is free from (conceptions of) dvaita and advaita owing to his own direct experience. He is omniscient and removes the blind darkness of ignorance.

The parama-guru is one by whose darśana for merely a moment the mind becomes endowed with tranquility, satisfaction and contentment.

One who sees the various siddhis of the yogīs or those who recite mantras and perceives them as insignificant as mere blades of straw is a parama-guru.

One who considers their body as a lifeless shell and their Self as without a second, and who dispels the delusion of women and gold, is a parama-guru.

Oh Pārvati! There are two kinds of knowers of truth: the maunī, one who remains silent, and the vagmī, the one who speaks. My dear, no benefit occurs in this world through the maunī.

But the vāgmī is able to make one cross the vast ocean of saṁsāra because he cuts away doubts with his expertise in śāstra, deep reasoning, and own realisation.

O Devi! By chanting the guru’s name, even the sins acquired in many lifetimes are dissolved. Regarding this, there’s not even a grain of doubt.

On this earth, there is no deity like the guru, there’s no father like the guru, and there’s no act equal to meditation on the guru.

Family, wealth, strength, śāstra, friends, and brothers are of no use in death. Only the guru is the real saviour.

By serving one’s guru, one’s family becomes pure. By satisfying the guru, all the devas, including Brahmā, become satisfied.

It is the guru alone who knows the real nature of the imperishable Lord. Realisation is attained by his grace and not otherwise, not even by innumerable śāstras.

O Devi! In the absence of Self-knowledge, even that which has been done is as good as not done. Tapasya, japa and so forth, all become like a child’s chatter.

Some think Śiva is supreme, some think Hari is supreme, some think Brahmā is supreme, some think everything is the will of Śakti. Men thus argue with one another in vain.

Those who are averse to guru-dīkṣā don’t know the supreme tattva. They roam around like animals, deprived of Self-knowledge.

Oh beloved! Thus, one should worship the guru for the sake of the perfection of liberation. Without the guru, the fools cannot know that supreme abode.

Oh, auspicious one! By the grace of the guru, the knot of ignorance in the heart is severed, all doubts are cut loose, and the results of all actions are destroyed. Through guru-bhakti practised according to the Vedas and Śāstras, especially for a true guru-bhakta, one is liberated from terrible sin.

The characteristic of the mind of one to whom guru-dīkṣā is granted is that it has abandoned evil company and evil actions.

One whose heart is fixed in renunciation, who has given up anger and pride and who has relinquished the sense of duality, to him guru-dīkṣā is given.

One who is endowed with these qualities, intent on the welfare of all beings and who lives a pure life, to him guru-dīkṣā is bestowed.

Previously, the procedure of dīkṣā, along with the rites such as mantra-dīkṣā and all its parts and divisions, have been declared by me.

With the proper rites, without the guru-dīkṣā, which bestows deep absorption in the guru, who could uphold the conduct prescribed by the guru?

Whether capable or incapable, through complete surrender at the feet of the guru, one’s life becomes successful and blessed with the fruits of enjoyment and liberation.

O Devi! The Guru Gītā that always gives me satisfaction should be spoken only to one whose consciousness is completely purified and who is endowed with faith and devotion.

Oh, fortunate one! This Guru Gītā, which is the secret of all śāstras, should only be spoken to a great sādhaka after he has been completely examined.

With great effort, the Guru Gītā should be spoken to a wise sādhaka who has attained purity of heart by the blossoming of his pure actions.

It should never be spoken to an atheist, an ungrateful person, a hypocrite, a cheat, a person without devotion or a person who wants to remain independent.

The Guru Gītā should never be revealed to a womaniser, a fool, someone whose mind is infatuated with desire or a slanderer.

Oh Devi! Oh fortunate one! This Gītā-śāstra cures all sin and counteracts all misfortune. It destroys the cycle of birth and death.

Oh auspicious one! This is the essence of śruti, which explains everything in a concise manner. There is no way for mankind to reach the ultimate goal without the feet of the guru.

Due to sins and other misdeeds committed in many lives, one does not take delight in the Guru Gītā. However, to find release from the bondage of repeated birth, one should continuously worship the guru.

I am united with the whole Universe and deeply connected with the highest state. I bow down to the guru who imparts such knowledge.

Enough with false imaginations! I am not bound by anything. In the supreme Self rests this entire world of moving beings and immobile objects. The guru who has revealed this secret to me is the only one worthy of worship.

I bow to the satguru who has no end, no beginning, no middle, no hands, no feet, no gotra, no sacred thread, no jāti, no varṇa, who is neither male nor female nor neuter, who is without form, change, birth or death, who has no puṇya, no pāpa, who is the only tattva and is naturally established in equanimity.

Salutations to the crest jewel of gurus, the eternal one, the embodiment of pure consciousness, who is ever fresh, gracious, higher than the highest, wise, and spotlessly pure.

I bow to the glorious lord of gurus, the embodiment of radiant bliss, who is the all-pervading Supreme Self and possesses a form of sat-cit-ānanda.

Prostrations to the guru, who is learned in the Vedānta, who is the sole cause of knowledge and happiness, who is the witness of the intellect and whose essence is that of truth and eternal bliss.

Oh Nātha! Oh Bhagavān! Oh Auspicious One! I bow to you in the form of the guru, you who accept various manifestations and āvatāras for imparting knowledge.

Praises to you, the personified supreme consciousness, whose form is ever fresh, who is the sole embodiment of the supreme goal, whose brightness destroys all darkness and ignorance.

I bow to the one who is supremely independent, whose form is made of compassion, who is the essence of Śiva, who is dependent on his devotees, and whose form is most beautiful.

Salutations to him who is the wisdom of the wise, the reasoning of those who reason, the enlightenment of the enlightened ones, and the knowledge of the knowledgeable.

I prostrate myself before you from the front, from the side and from the back, from above and from below. Please be seated in my heart eternally.

I worship the divine guru, the supreme bliss, whose very form is made of joy, whose contact, even for a moment, fills the mind with bliss.

I prostrate myself before you, gurudev, who has the nature of innate bliss and whose immortal speech destroys the poison called saṁsāra.

Through your various instructions, a multitude of disciples have been liberated. By your grace, the essence of the Vedas, they have attained that infallible state gifted by the guru.

I bow down to the infallible guru, who is the Paramātmā, who is independent from all doctrines and the embodiment of condensed bliss and consciousness.

Prostrations to the guru, the imperishable one, who possesses a svarūpa of vidyā and avidyā, who is sharp in keeping his disciple on the right path and who is an ocean of sweet mercy.

Salutations to the guru who is Acyuta, a bridge across saṁsāra for his disciples, who is like a lion in caring for the affairs of his bhaktas, who is the essence of consciousness and bliss.

There is no deity like the guru’s name, no father like the guru, no friend like the guru, no Lord equal to the guru’s name, and nothing like the supreme state given by the guru.

One who does not honour the guru who bestows the syllable oṁ will be reborn as a cāṇḍala after a hundred births from a dog’s womb.

Abandoning the guru results in death, giving up mantras leads to poverty. One who lets go of their guru-mantra goes to the hell called Raurava.

If Lord Śiva becomes angry the guru can come to your rescue, but if the guru becomes angry, even Śiva cannot save you. Therefore, one should make every effort not to neglect the guru’s instruction.

I worship that mantra, which is the only rescue from the ocean of saṁsāra, that siddha-mantra, which is worshipped by Brahmā, munis, and others, the mantra that destroys poverty, misery, and the disease of repeated birth, as well as the great fear.

There are 70 million mahā-mantras which simply confuse the mind. However, there is only one mahā-mantra: the two syllables ‘guru’.

Sūta said: Having thus spoken to Pārvatī, he again addressed her as follows: ‘O Devi! Hear about the supreme tattva, which bestows happiness.

O Devi! I have narrated the entire guru-tattva in a condensed form. One should never tell this unknown secret to anyone.

Oh Devi! That which I have spoken should never go to waste, as it embodies the truth. There is no hymn equal to the Guru Gītā in this world. There’s none like it; there’s none like it!

Oh Devi! This Guru Gītā destroys the misery of material existence. It should never be told in front of someone who doesn’t have guru-dīkṣā.

Oh Maheśvari! This most secret of secrets is not available to those tainted by sin. Instead, one who has been purified by performing virtuous deeds throughout many lives obtains this truth about the guru.

I eternally bow to the lotus feet of the guru, the embodiment of the eternal highest Self, by whose grace I’ve come to know that I am connected with the whole and that all limitation has been falsely attributed to myself.

Oh Lord! To me who is blinded by the darkness of ignorance and whose mind is absorbed in material pleasure, gift your grace in the form of effulgent knowledge.