Guru Stotram — I express my gratitude to my teachers every morning with this Sanskrit Hymn
Translation and the meaning of the famous Guru Stotram of India, and how it helps me.
If you have to clear your mind and focus, there’s nothing better than Sanskrit Hymns, if you haven’t experienced their magic yet, you shouldn’t waste any time, go and hear a few of them.
Everyone goes through different struggles in life, but that’s a process, it’s a requirement that makes you strong in long term. Although, in times like these negative feelings and emotions easily creep in your mind and thoughts that won’t only waste your time, but also make you less motivated. This is disastrous if you are a dreamer or/and an ambitious person.
So, we all know the importance of keeping our minds clear. Recently, even I started having a lot of useless thoughts, so I started this new habit of meditating on various Sanskrit hymns (including the Guru Stotram) early in the morning or before sleeping.
No, you don’t need to do a course on meditation…
Whenever I tell anyone about meditation, I directly get a few questions like “Oh! where are you learning it from?” or “Which technique are you following?”
It’s not about any technique, it’s just about focusing
I just sit down, play these hymns on YouTube (Here’s the one I listen to — I’ve also mentioned it at the end of the blog), and I close my eyes, focus on my breathing, silent my thoughts, and just try to be grateful to my teachers.
But, who are my teachers?
Definitely, I love and respect the teachers who have given me education, but they are not the only ones I remember during my meditation...
I express my gratitude to even teachers who’ve taught me life,
I express my gratitude to the sun, the moon, and the stars who teach me consistency.
Whatever happens, good or bad, they will always rise and set, they will always do their job, and because of their (selfless) commitment to their job, humans survive.
I express my gratitude to the flowers that teach me cheerfulness.
They bloom and vibrate such beautiful energy that no matter what’s happening in your life, you’ll get a smile after seeing them. They teach me to smile, because it won’t only help you, but also the people who meet you, your cheerfulness will give them a smile as well.
I express my gratitude to the trees that teach me selflessness.
They provide shelter, shade, fruits, and oxygen without asking for anything in return. They teach me the simple meaning of life when you give something selflessly, you don’t lose anything, rather you grow even bigger.
I express my gratitude to the rivers that teach me determination.
No matter what obstacles they face, they keep going towards their destination, and then there are us humans who give up as soon as something doesn’t go according to our plans.
I express my gratitude to the animals that teach me adaptability.
Animals go through a struggle much worse than humans, sometimes they have to fight just to survive. Yet, they thrive as they adapt to the changes in their environment. Isn’t human life filled with constant changes too? Changes yet so many that we say that change is the only constant.
I express my gratitude to the mountains that teach me patience.
Standing tall from hundreds of thousands of years, yet unwilling to give up. Harsh weather and the forces of nature might think of themselves as unbeatable, yet they think twice while standing before the mountains. Do we stand tall? Do we take the ground when it’s necessary?
I express my gratitude to the birds that teach me curiosity.
Always flying to find new things, isn’t that what humans want too? Oh! let me correct, that’s what children want, but you killed that curiosity as you grew older, didn’t you?
I express my gratitude to the clouds that teach me creativity.
Think outside the box? Huh! we just say, and look at them clouds, you never know what shape will they take next. Can someone be more creative?
I’ve been running around trying to find people who can teach me life, and see how ignorant I was, wherever I look, I have a teacher.
How can I not express my gratitude to my teachers who’ve taught me so much without asking for anything in return?
So here’s what I do, I sit down, and thank them by just listening to them without having any of my own thoughts!
The Guru Stotram
Strophe 1:
अखण्डमंडलाकारं विशालं येन चराचरम् ।
तत्पदं दर्शितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ||
Akhanda Mandala Kaaram,
Vyaptam Yena Characharam |
Tatpadam Darshitam Yena,
Tasmai Shri Gurave Namaha ||
I offer my salutations to that Guru,
Who has shown me the abode,
By which the entire universe,
With its moving and non-moving objects is pervaded.
Guru is the ultimate truth or the ultimate reality, which is beyond the realm of perception and comprehension.
Strophe 2:
अज्ञानतिमिरान्धस्य ज्ञानाञ्जनशालाकया ।
चक्षुरुन्मिलितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ||
Ajnana-timira-andhasya jnananjana-shalakaya |
Chakshur-unmilitam yena tasmai shri-gurave namah ||
I offer my salutations to that Guru,
Who opens my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance,
With the salve of knowledge.
Guru is the ointment which heals the pain and darkness of ignorance and enables the seeker to perceive the truth.
Strophe 3:
गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णुर्गुरुर्देवो महेश्वरः ।
गुरुरेव परं ब्रह्म तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥
Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishnu
Gurur Devo Maheshwaraha
Guru Saakshaat Para Brahma
Tasmai Shri Gurave Namaha
Guru is Brahma, Guru is Vishnu,
Guru is Maheshwara (Shiva),
Guru is the Supreme Brahman himself,
Salutations to that Guru.
The first line of the stotram equates the Guru with Brahma, the creator of the universe, and the second line equates the Guru with Vishnu, the preserver of the universe. The third line equates the Guru with Shiva, the destroyer of the universe, and also with the Supreme Brahman, the ultimate reality.
Strophe 4:
स्थावरं जंगमं व्याप्तं येन कृत्स्नं चराचरम् ।
तत्पदं दर्शितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥
Sthavaram jangamam vyaptam yatkinchit sacharacharam |
Tatpadam darshitam yena tasmai shri-gurave namah ||
I offer my salutations to that Guru,
Who has shown me the abode,
By which the entire universe,
With its moving and non-moving objects,
Is pervaded.
Guru has show this seeker (me) the ultimate reality.
Strophe 5:
चिन्मयं व्यापि यत्सर्व त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम्।
तत्पदं दर्शितं येन तस्मै श्री गुरवे नमः॥
Chinmayam Vyapiyatsarvam Trailokyam Sacharacharam |
Tatpadam Darshitam Yena Tasmai Shri Gurave Namah ||
I offer my salutations to that Guru,
Who has shown me the abode,
Which is the embodiment of pure consciousness (Chinmayam),
And pervades the entire universe,
With its moving and non-moving objects,
In the three realms (Trailokya).
The ultimate reality is pure consciousness (Chinmayam), which is beyond perception and comprehension. Guru has shown the seeker (me) this ultimate reality that pervades the entire universe, including the three realms of existence (Trailokya).
Strophe 6:
सर्व-श्रुति-शिरोरत्न- विराजित-पदाम्बुजः।
वेदान्ताम्बुज-सूर्यो यः तस्मै श्री गुरवे नमः॥
Sarva-shruti-shiro-ratna-virajita padaambujaha |
Vedantaambuja-suryoyah tasmai shri-gurave namah ||
I offer my salutations to that Guru,
Whose lotus feet are adorned,
With the gems of all the scriptures,
And whose knowledge is like the sun,
Which illuminates the lotus of Vedanta.
The first line of this version of the Guru Stotram describes the Guru’s lotus feet as adorned with the gems of all the scriptures (Sarva-shruti-shiro-ratna-virajita padaambujaha). The second line compares the Guru’s knowledge to the sun, which illuminates the lotus of Vedanta (Vedantaambuja-suryoyah). The line emphasizes the importance of the Guru’s knowledge in guiding the seeker to the ultimate truth.
Strophe 7:
चैतन्यः धरः शान्तः व्योमतीतो निस्सानः।
बिंदु-नाद-कलातीतः तस्मै श्री गुरवे नमः ॥
Chaitanyah Shashvatah Shanto Vyomatiitah Niranjanah |
Bindunada Kalatitah Tasmai Shri Gurave Namah ||
I offer my salutations to that Guru,
Who is the embodiment of consciousness (Chaitanya),
Eternal (Shashvatah) and peaceful (Shanto),
Transcending the sky (Vyomatiitah),
Pure and immaculate (Niranjanah),
And beyond the realms of subtle sound (Bindu) and vibration (Nada).
Guru is the embodiment of consciousness (Chaitanya), the divine force that pervades all existence. Guru is eternal and peaceful. Guru transcends the sky and the physical realm. Guru is pure and immaculate in nature.
Strophe 8:
ज्ञान-शक्ति-समारूढः तत्त्वमाला-विभूषितः।
भुक्ति-मुक्ति-प्रदाता च तस्मै श्री गुरवे नमः॥
Jnanashakti-samarudhah Tattvamalavibhushitah |
Bhukti-mukti-pradata ca Tasmai Shri Gurave Namah ||
I offer my salutations to that Guru,
Who is empowered by the force of knowledge (Jnanashakti),
Adorned with the garland of truth (Tattvamala),
And who bestows both, the material enjoyment (Bhukti)
and the spiritual liberation (Mukti).
Guru is empowered by the force of knowledge, Guru is adorned with the garland of truth, Guru gives both — Bhukti and Mukti.
Strophe 9:
अनेक-जन्म-सम्प्राप्त- कर्म-बन्ध-विदाहिने।
आत्मज्ञान-प्रवेन तस्मै श्री गुरवे नमः॥
Aneka-janma-samprapta karma-bandha-vidahine |
Atma-jnana-pradanena Tasmai Shri Gurave Namah ||
I offer my salutations to that Guru,
Who dispels the ignorance that causes the bondage of karma,
And who imparts the knowledge of the self,
thus liberating the disciple from the cycle of birth and death,
which is the result of accumulated karmas.
Guru imparts the knowledge of self — which is the highest form of knowledge to achieve liberation from the cycle of birth and death.
Strophe 10:
शोषणं भव-सिन्धोश्चासं सार-सम्पदः।
गुरोः पदोदकं सम्यक् तस्मै श्री गुरवे नमः ॥
Shoshanam Bhavasindhoshcha Jnanapana Sada Shuchi |
Guror Padodakam Samyak Tasmai Shri Gurave Namah ||
I offer my salutations to that Guru,
Whose feet-wash is a proper means to cleanse away all impurities of the mind and intellect, just as it dries up the ocean of samsara, and bestows the wealth of wisdom.
Guru’s feet-wash (Charanamruta) is a sacred substance that purifies and enlightens the mind, and it is a symbol of the Guru’s grace and blessings that lead the disciple towards spiritual liberation.
Strophe 11:
न गुरोरधिकं तत्त्वं न गुरोरधिकं तपः।
तत्त्वज्ञानात् परं नास्ति तस्मै श्री गुरवे नमः॥
Na Guror Adhikam Tattvam Na Guror Adhikam Tapah |
Tattva Jnanat Param Nasti Tasmai Shri Gurave Namah ||
I offer my salutations to that Guru,
There is no greater reality than the Guru, no greater austerity than serving the Guru, and no higher knowledge than realizing the Guru’s true nature.
The Guru is the embodiment of the highest spiritual truth, and the disciple must surrender to the Guru’s guidance to attain liberation.
Strophe 12:
मन्नाथः श्रीजगन्नाथः मद्गुरुः श्री जगद्गुरुः।
मदात्मा सर्वभूतात्मा तस्मै श्री गुरवे नमः ॥
Manmatha Sri Jagannatha Madguru Sri Jagadguru |
Madaatma Sarvabhutatma Tasmai Sri Gurave Namah ||
I offer my salutations to that Guru,
Who is my Lord and the Lord of the universe,
Who is my teacher and the teacher of the entire world,
Who is my self and the self of all beings.
Guru is not separate from the disciple or any other being, but is the very essence of the self of all.
Strophe 13:
गुरुरादिरनादिश्च गुरुः परमदैवतम्।
गुरोः परतरं नास्ति तस्मै श्री गुरवे नमः॥
Gurur-adir-anadish-cha Guruh-param-daivatam.
Guroh-parataram nasti tasmai Shri Gurave Namah.
Guru is the beginning and the end, and the supreme deity.
There is nothing higher than the guru. Salutations to the revered guru.
I offer my salutations to that Guru.
The guru is considered the embodiment of the divine and the source of all knowledge and wisdom.
Strophe 14:
त्वमेव माता च पिता त्वमेव । त्वमेव बन्धुश्च सखा त्वमेव
त्वमेव विद्या द्रविणं त्वमेव । त्वमेव सर्वं मम देवदेव॥
Tvameva mata cha pita tvameva
tvameva bandhushcha sakha tvameva.
Tvameva vidya dravinam tvameva
tvameva sarvam mama-dev-deva.
You are indeed my mother and my father,
You are indeed my relative and my friend,
You are indeed my knowledge and my wealth,
You are indeed my all, my God of gods.
I hope you got to learn something new by reading the meaning of these divine Sanskrit verses.
Here’s the audio by “Jaya Vidyasagar” (her voice is mesmerizing) —
If you liked this blog, consider leaving some claps 👏
Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theleanprogrammer/
