Guru Ashtakam/गुरु अष्टकम्

Guru Ashtakam (गुरु अष्टकम्): The Guru Ashtakam (“Eight Verses for the Guru”) is a poem attributed to the eighth-century Hindu philosopher and theologian Adi Shankara, who is credited with a number of other Sanskrit texts and devotional compositions. This composition emphasizes the importance of one’s guru in the spiritual journey. Without devotion to one’s teacher, all of one’s achievements, knowledge, and possessions are essentially useless, the text tells us.

Adi Shankaracharya, the famous saint-philosopher, has composed many hymns and Stotra on Advaita Vedanta themes. But he has also composed several devotional hymns on various Gods and Goddesses. One such hymn is the Guru Ashtakam, a hymn with 8 verses in praise of the Guru. An Ashtakam is a poetic composition in Sanskrit of eight stanzas or verses, typically arranged as sets of rhyming quartets.

It explains us the need for Sad Guru and that we need to attach our mind to the Guru’s Lotus Feet. Complete surrender to Guru is the path to spiritual gain, that’s the message this Guru Ashtakam (Octet) tells all.

Guru Ashtakam can be understood as introspection by a person who has achieved that entire he can achieve of worldly matters and has reached the understanding that the absence of devotion to the lotus feet of Guru makes all else worthless. To such a sincere seeker, the Guru appears, in the final Sloka, with reassuring calm and serenity, with benedictions promised for earnest effort.

Guru Ashtakam Benefits:

Whoever reads, studies and recites this collection of eight verses on Guru and remains devoted and attentive to the sayings of the Guru, he, no matter if he is a holy person, ascetic, king, neophyte, or householder, attains his coveted object, namely the supreme abode of Brahman, the unassailable seat of immortality.

That blessed one who reads this octet to the teacher, be he a saint, king, bachelor or householder. If his mind gets attached to the words of the teacher, he would get the great gift of attainment of Brahman.

Who has to recite Guru Ashtakam:

The persons who are not finding any result of their hard labour must recite this Guru Ashtakam to overcome that uncalled-for situation.

For further details please contact Astro Mantra.

गुरु अष्टकम्/Guru Ashtakam

शरीरं सुरुपं तथा वा कलत्रं

यशश्चारू चित्रं धनं मेरुतुल्यम् ।

मनश्चेन्न लग्नं गुरोरंघ्रिपद्मे

ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किम् ।।१।।

कलत्रं धनं पुत्रपौत्रादि सर्वं

गृहं बान्धवाः सर्वमेतद्धि जातम् ।

मनश्चेन्न लग्नं गुरोरंघ्रिपद्मे

ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किम् ।।२।।

षडंगादिवेदो मुखे शास्त्रविद्या

कवित्वादि गद्यं सुपद्यं करोति ।

मनश्चेन्न लग्नं गुरोरंघ्रिपद्मे

ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किम् ।।३।।

विदेशेषु मान्यः स्वदेशेषु धन्यः

सदाचारवृत्तेषु मत्तो न चान्यः ।

मनश्चेन्न लग्नं गुरोरंघ्रिपद्मे

ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किम् ।।४।।

क्षमामण्डले भूपभूपालवृन्दैः

सदा सेवितं यस्य पादारविन्दम् ।

मनश्चेन्न लग्नं गुरोरंघ्रिपद्मे

ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किम् ।।५।।

यशो मे गतं दिक्षु दानप्रतापात्

जगद्वस्तु सर्वं करे सत्प्रसादात् ।

मनश्चेन्न लग्नं गुरोरंघ्रिपद्मे

ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किम् ।।६।।

न भोगे न योगे न वा वाजिराजौ

न कान्तासुखे नैव वित्तेषु चित्तम् ।

मनश्चेन्न लग्नं गुरोरंघ्रिपद्मे

ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किम् ।।७।।

अरण्ये न वा स्वस्य गेहे न कार्ये

न देहे मनो वर्तते मे त्वनर्घ्ये ।

मनश्चेन्न लग्नं गुरोरंघ्रिपद्मे

ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किम् ।।८।।

अनर्घ्याणि रत्नादि मुक्तानि सम्यक्

समालिंगिता कामिनी यामिनीषु ।

मनश्चेन्न लग्नं गुरोरंघ्रिपद्मे

ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किम् ।।९।।

गुरोरष्टकं यः पठेत्पुण्यदेही

यतिर्भूपतिर्ब्रह्मचारी च गेही ।

लभेत् वांछितार्थ पदं ब्रह्मसंज्ञं

गुरोरुक्तवाक्ये मनो यस्य लग्नम् ।।१०।।