śrī gurugītā

The Guru is Brahma, the Guru is Vishnu, the Guru is Lord Maheswara (Shiva). The Guru is verily the Supreme Brahman; salutations to that Guru.

Salutations to Brahman, who is of unthinkable and unmanifest form, who is devoid of attributes yet is the essence of all attributes, and whose form is the support of the entire universe.

The sages said: O Suta, O Suta, O highly wise one, O master of the Vedas and Agamas, please tell us of the nature of the Guru, which removes all impurities.

By the mere hearing of which, the embodied soul is liberated from sorrow, and by which path the sages attained omniscience.

Having attained which, a person does not return to the bondage of worldly existence; please now explain to me that supreme truth.

The Guru Gita is the most secret of all secrets and the very essence; by your grace, I wish to hear it all, O Suta, please tell us.

Thus requested again and again by the assembly of sages, Suta replied.

With great curiosity, [she/he] spoke sweet words.

Suta said: Listen, O sages, with supreme faith and joy; I shall speak of the Gita, which is the very form of the Mother, and which destroys the disease of worldly existence.

Formerly, on the peak of Mount Kailasa, served by the Siddhas and Gandharvas, in a temple of wish-fulfilling creepers, which was extremely beautiful.

Seated upon a tiger skin, worshipped by sages like Shuka, and teaching the supreme truth amidst a gathering of sages in a certain place.

Seeing him bowing down repeatedly with a humble face and great reverence, Parvati was filled with astonishment and asked.

Parvati said: Om, salutations to You, O Lord of Lords, Supreme of the Supreme, Teacher of the Universe. Suras, Asuras, and humans always bow to You with devotion.

You are indeed always worshipped by Brahma, Vishnu, Indra, and others; to whom then do you bow, when you are yourself the very source of all salutations?

Seeing this vast action, it appears wonderful to me. I do not understand what this is; out of compassion, tell me, O Lord.

O Lord, knower of all duties and the foremost of all vows, O Shambhu, please tell me out of compassion the supreme greatness of the Guru.

By what path, O Lord, does the embodied soul become one with Brahman? Bestow that grace upon me, O Lord; I bow at your feet.

Thus, being repeatedly entreated, the Great God, the Supreme Lord, filled with bliss in His heart, spoke this to Parvati.

Lord Mahadeva said: O Devi, this is a secret, the most secret of all, and should not be spoken of. It has never been revealed to anyone before, but because of my devotion to you, I shall speak of it.

You are my own form, O Devi; therefore, I shall tell it to you. A question so beneficial to the world has never been asked by anyone before.

Unto that high-souled one who has supreme devotion to the Divine, and to the Guru just as to the Divine, these truths here declared become revealed.

He who is the Guru is declared to be Shiva, and he who is Shiva is remembered as the Guru. He who perceives a difference between them is considered one who has committed the sin of violating the Guru's bed.

That which is rare in the three worlds, listen, I shall tell you; there is no one other than the Guru who is Brahman, this is the truth, the truth, O beautiful-faced one.

The Vedas, Shastras, Puranas, and Itihasas, as well as the sciences of Mantras, Yantras, and the arts of fascination, eradication, and the like.

The Shaiva, Shakta, and other such scriptures, as well as many other doctrines, are merely corruptions for all those beings whose minds are deluded.

Chanting, penance, vows, pilgrimages, sacrifices, and charity—without knowing the truth of the Guru, O beloved, all of these become futile.

O beautiful one, there is no truth other than the Guru, who is the Self; this is the truth, the truth. Therefore, the wise should make every effort to attain that.

The hidden ignorance is the world-illusion, and the body is born of ignorance; that knowledge, by whose grace it is revealed, is known by the word 'Guru'.

I bow to that Guru, whose pair of lotus feet removes the suffering of duality and serves as a raft to cross the ocean of worldly existence.

Since the embodied soul becomes Brahman through Your grace, I shall speak of that; by serving the feet of the Guru, one’s soul is purified of all sins.

By drinking the water that has washed the Guru's feet and sprinkling the remainder upon one's head, a person attains the fruit of bathing in all the holy waters.

The water that has washed the Guru’s feet dries up the mire of sins, kindles the light of knowledge, and is the means to cross the ocean of worldly existence.

One should drink the water that has washed the Guru's feet, for it eradicates the root of ignorance, puts an end to the cycle of birth and action, and leads to the attainment of knowledge and realization.

Drinking the water that has washed the Guru's feet, eating the remnants of the Guru's food, always meditating on the Guru's form, and always chanting the Guru's name.

The chanting of the name of one's own Guru is indeed the chanting of the name of the infinite Shiva. The contemplation of one's own Guru is indeed the contemplation of the infinite Shiva.

We worship that Guru, the Lord, whose foot-dust serves as a bridge for crossing the ocean of worldly existence.

Salutations to that supreme soul, the lord of preceptors, by whose mere grace sorrow and delusion are destroyed.

Having received grace from whom, one casts off great ignorance, to that supreme Guru, I bow for the fulfillment of all desires.

The place of residence is Kashi, and the water washing the Guru's feet is the river Ganga; the Guru is verily Lord Vishveshvara (Shiva) himself, and the knowledge of the ultimate reality is the means of liberation.

The service of the Guru is declared to be the imperishable Banyan tree of the body; His feet are the feet of Vishnu, and whatever is offered there becomes infinite.

One should constantly meditate on the form of the Guru, always chant the name of the Guru, carry out the commands of the Guru, and contemplate nothing other than the Guru.

Brahman resides in the mouth of the Guru and is attained through His grace; one should always meditate on the Guru, just as a devoted wife meditates on her husband.

Abandoning all these—one's own ashrama, one's own caste, one's own fame, and the enhancement of one's prosperity—one should take refuge in the Guru alone.

Those who contemplate upon the Guru with single-minded devotion easily attain the supreme bliss; therefore, strive with all your might to worship the Guru.

Knowledge resides in the mouth of the Guru and is attained through devotion to the Guru; in the three worlds, the gods, sages, ancestors, and humans are all clearly its speakers.

The syllable 'gu' is darkness, and the syllable 'ru' is said to be light. There is no doubt that the Guru is indeed the Brahman who consumes ignorance.

The syllable 'gu' represents the disease of worldly existence, and the syllable 'ru' represents the destroyer of that disease; because he removes the disease of worldly existence, he is called Guru.

The syllable 'Gu' represents that which is beyond attributes, and the syllable 'Ru' represents that which is beyond form. Because he is devoid of attributes and form, he is called Guru.

The syllable 'Gu' is the first letter, which represents the illusion and its qualities; the syllable 'Ru' is the Supreme Brahman, which liberates one from the delusion of illusion.

Thus, the feet of the Guru are supreme and difficult to attain even for the gods; they are worshipped by the Garuda, the serpents, the Gandharvas, the Siddhas, and other celestial beings.

Know for certain that for those who seek liberation, there is no truth higher than the Guru; one should worship the Guru and offer one's own self to Him.

Seats, beds, clothing, vehicles, ornaments, and the like should be offered by the seeker to cause satisfaction to the Guru.

Always worship the Guru with actions, mind, and speech; prostrate fully before the Guru, casting aside all shame in his presence.

One should surrender one's body, senses, life-force, wealth, kinsmen, relatives, self, wife, and everything else to the true Guru.

The Guru alone is the entire universe, embodying Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. There is nothing greater than the Guru; therefore, one should worship the Guru.

Whose lotus feet are adorned with the crest-jewels of all the Vedas, and who is the expounder of the meaning of Vedanta; therefore, one should worship such a Guru.

By the mere remembrance of whom knowledge arises spontaneously, he is indeed all wealth; therefore, one should worship the Guru.

Know, O fair-faced one, that this body is infested with millions of worms, defiled by foul odors, impermanent, and a storehouse of suffering.

Those who have climbed the tree of worldly existence fall into the ocean of hell; I bow to that Shri Guru who rescues them all.

The Guru is Brahma, the Guru is Vishnu, the Guru is Lord Maheswara (Shiva); the Guru is indeed the Supreme Brahman. Salutations to that venerable Guru.

Salutations to that venerable Guru, who opened the eyes of one blinded by the darkness of ignorance with the collyrium stick of knowledge.

Salutations to that glorious Guru, by whom the indivisible, formless expanse that pervades all the moving and non-moving world is revealed.

Salutations to that Guru who revealed to me the Truth of the "Thou" (Tvam-pada), by whom all that is stationary and moving, and whatever exists in this universe, is pervaded.

Salutations to that Guru, who revealed to me the consciousness that pervades the entire universe, including all that is moving and non-moving, and who showed me that I am That.

I bow to that glorious Guru, by whose word one is liberated in a moment or half a moment, and beholds one's own Self as Shiva.

Salutations to that Sri Guru, who is Consciousness, eternal, peaceful, beyond the sky, untainted, and beyond the sound, the point, and the creative energy.

Salutations to that Shri Guru, who is attributeless, stainless, peaceful, moving and also stationary, and by whom the entire universe is pervaded.

He is my father, He is my mother, He is my kinsman, and He is my God. To that Shri Guru, who destroys the delusion of the world, I bow.

Salutations to that Shri Guru, by whose existence the world appears real, by whose light it shines, and by whose bliss all beings experience joy.

Salutations to that Guru, in whom all this exists, by whose light all this shines, and through whose love even things like a son become dear.

Salutations to that Guru by whom this Truth is revealed, along with the nature of the mind and its modifications, as well as the states of waking, dreaming, and deep sleep.

Salutations to that Guru, who is the embodiment of eternal oneness, by whose knowledge this entire universe is perceived not as separate or diverse.

He by whom It is known, knows It not; he who knows It not, knows It. Salutations to that Shri Guru, who leads one to the state of non-dual realization.

Salutations to that Shri Guru, who is the cause in the form of the effect, who shines as the effect, and who is the embodiment of both cause and effect.

This entire universe is of diverse forms, yet there is no difference from anything; salutations to that Shri Guru, who is the embodiment of both cause and effect.

Salutations to that Guru, who is adorned with the garland of truths mounted upon the power of knowledge, and who is the bestower of both worldly enjoyment and liberation.

Salutations to that Sri Guru, who by the wind of knowledge, burns away the bonds of karma accumulated over many births.

To the one whose foot-water dries up the ocean of worldly existence and kindles the wealth of divine virtues, to that glorious Guru, I bow.

There is no truth higher than the Guru, no penance greater than the Guru, and no knowledge superior to the Guru; salutations to that Shri Guru.

My Lord is the Lord of the world, my Guru is the Guru of the world; my Self is the Self of all beings; salutations to that glorious Guru.

The Guru is the beginning and the beginningless; the Guru is the supreme deity. There is no mantra equal to the Guru; salutations to that Shri Guru.

When a crisis arises, the Guru is the only supreme friend; He is the embodiment of all righteousness. Salutations to that revered Guru.

The universe resides within the Guru, and the Guru resides within the universe. The Guru is the universe, and there is nothing else besides Him; salutations to that Shri Guru.

Salutations to that Shri Guru, who reveals the path to one who has entered the forest of worldly existence and whose mind is deluded by a loss of direction.

To that Shri Guru, whose foot-water is the Ganga for those beings on earth who are scorched by the fire of the three-fold miseries and are devoid of peace, salutations.

Who is the physician for the living beings bitten by the serpent of ignorance, other than the true Guru who knows the great mantra of perfect knowledge?

Salutations to the Guru, who is the cause of the universe, the bridge for crossing the ocean of worldly existence, the source of all knowledge, and who is one with Lord Shiva.

The root of meditation is the form of the Guru; the root of worship is the feet of the Guru; the root of all mantras is the word of the Guru; the root of liberation is the grace of the Guru.

Whatever fruit is obtained from bathing in all the holy waters up to the seven oceans, that fruit is not even a thousandth part of the fruit obtained from a single drop of water that has washed the Guru's feet.

If Shiva is displeased, the Guru is the protector; but if the Guru is displeased, there is no one else. Having attained a true Guru, one should seek refuge in the Guru alone.

Just as a bee, greedy for nectar, flies from flower to flower, so a disciple, greedy for knowledge, should go from teacher to teacher.

I bow to the pair of the Guru's lotus feet, which are beyond the reach of speech and mind, which are distinguished by white and red radiance, and which are the supreme embodiment of Shiva and Shakti.

The syllable 'Gu' signifies that which is beyond attributes, and the syllable 'Ru' signifies that which is devoid of form; one who bestows the knowledge of that which is beyond attributes and form is known as the Guru.

The Guru is verily Shiva without the three eyes, Vishnu without the two arms, and Brahma without the four faces; thus it is declared, O beloved.

I fold my hands in salutation for the attainment of the Ocean of Compassion, by whose grace a living being attains liberation from this variegated world.

The supreme form of the Guru is before the eyes of those with the vision of discernment; the unfortunate do not see it, just as the blind do not see the sunrise.

He is the savior of millions of families at that very instant; therefore, knowing Him to be the true Guru, one should offer salutations to Him at all three times of the day.

In whichever direction the lotus feet of the Guru reside, in that direction one should bow with devotion every day, O beloved.

One should serve the Guru daily by prostrating with eight limbs and offering praises; through such devotion, one attains stability and becomes absorbed in one's own true nature.

Prostration with the two hands, two feet, two knees, the chest, the head, the eyes, the mind, and the speech is called the eight-limbed obeisance.

Let salutations be offered eternally to that direction, adorned with fragrant flowers, where the Lord, the Emperor of Gurus, the eternal witness of the drama of the creation, sustenance, and dissolution of the universe, remains ever-awake.

What is the use of hundreds of difficult, painful, and unconquerable pranayamas, which are practiced for a long time and cause diseases? When the Guru arises, the powerful vital air (prana) vanishes by itself in that very instant; therefore, to attain that innate nature, one should constantly serve the one Guru.

Without knowledge, the state of liberation is attained through devotion to the Guru; for those who follow the path of the Guru, there is no other means than the grace of the Guru.

There is nothing higher than Him; the scriptures declare this by saying "not this, not this." One should worship the Guru with truth, through both mind and speech.

By the grace and favor of the Guru, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and others attained the power to perform the tasks of creation, preservation, and dissolution.

Even the gods, Kinnaras, Gandharvas, Pitris, Yakshas, Tumburu, and the sages do not know the method of serving the Guru.

O Beloved, logicians, Vedic scholars, astrologers, and those engrossed in rituals do not know the pure and undisturbed truth of the Guru.

Due to the pride of great ego and the power of ignorance, they wander repeatedly in this world like a water-wheel.

Even those who perform sacrifices are not liberated, nor are the yogis liberated, nor are the ascetics liberated, if they are averse to the truth of the Guru.

Neither the Gandharvas, nor the Pitris, Yakshas, Charanas, Rishis, Siddhas, Devas, or others are liberated if they are averse to the service of the Guru.

Thus ends the first chapter of the Sri Guru Gita, which is a dialogue between Uma and Maheswara, found in the Uttara Khanda of the Sri Skanda Purana.

Chapter Two

O Mahadevi, listen to the meditation that bestows all bliss, brings all happiness, and grants both worldly enjoyment and liberation.

I meditate upon the Guru, who is the glorious Supreme Brahman. I worship the Guru, who is the glorious Supreme Brahman. I speak of the Guru, who is the glorious Supreme Brahman. I bow to the Guru, who is the glorious Supreme Brahman.

I bow to that true Guru, who is the bliss of Brahman, the giver of supreme happiness, absolute, the embodiment of knowledge, beyond the pairs of opposites, vast like the sky, the goal of the 'Tat Tvam Asi' (Thou art That) and other such Mahavakyas; who is one, eternal, pure, immovable, the witness of all intellects, beyond all states of being, and devoid of the three Gunas.

One should meditate upon the Guru, whose divine form is seated upon a throne in the center of the pericarp of the heart-lotus, who shines like the digit of the moon, and who bestows the boons of existence, consciousness, bliss, and all desires.

Clad in white, adorned with white sandal paste and flowers, decorated with pearls, joyful, and two-eyed; with the divine energy seated on the left side of His lap, wearing a gentle smile, He is the reservoir of complete compassion.

I bow daily to the glorious Guru, who is the embodiment of knowledge, established in His own true nature, the essence of bliss and the bestower of bliss, ever-serene, the lord of yogis, the one worthy of praise, and the physician for the malady of worldly existence.

I bow to the lotus feet of the Gurus, who reveal the ocean of bliss of the Self, and whose teachings act as a medicinal pill to pacify the delusion caused by the deadly poison of worldly existence.

I worship that Guru in whom the fivefold activities of creation, preservation, destruction, concealment, and grace are eternally manifest.

At the lotus feet of the Guru, which are like a forest fire that consumes the entire cycle of worldly existence, and within the lotus situated at the Brahmarandhra, resides the orb of the moon.

In the thousand-petaled lotus, which is adorned with the three lines starting from 'a', 'ka', and 'tha', and within the triangle situated beside the Hamsa, one should meditate upon the Guru residing in its center.

I bow to the Guru, who is eternal, pure, devoid of appearance, formless, and stainless; who is eternal consciousness, bliss-consciousness, and Brahman itself.

The creator of all the worlds, the architect of the entire creation, the visionary of all the Vedas, and the sole creator of the ultimate truth. The supreme lord beyond all qualities, the one who perceives only the ultimate truth, the supreme lord of the qualities of existence, and the sole guide on the path to liberation.

May the divine vision of the Guru, which is the supporting pillar for the manifestation of the entire universe, the shower of the nectar of compassion, the aggregate of the garland of truths, the creator of all time, and the embodiment of existence, consciousness, and bliss, dwell in me forever.

There is nothing greater than the Guru, nothing greater than the Guru, nothing greater than the Guru, nothing greater than the Guru; this is the command of Shiva, the command of Shiva, the command of Shiva, the command of Shiva.

This alone is auspicious, this alone is auspicious, this alone is auspicious, this alone is auspicious; by the command of Hari, by the command of Hari, by the command of Hari, by the command of Hari.

Known, known, known, known; Solitary, solitary, solitary, solitary; By the command of the creator, by the command of the creator, By the command of the creator, by the command of the creator.

Having meditated upon the Guru in this manner, knowledge arises spontaneously; then, through the Guru’s instruction, one should realize, "I am liberated."

One should purify the mind by following the path instructed by the Guru, and discard everything that is perceived by the self as impermanent.

Everything that is perceived is the object of knowledge, and the mind is called knowledge. One should make knowledge and the object of knowledge one; there is no other path besides this.

What is the use of saying much more, even with hundreds of millions of scriptures? Peace of mind is difficult to attain without the supreme grace of the Guru.

He who, by the stroke of the sword of compassion, cuts the eight bonds of the disciple and bestows true bliss, is known as the Sadguru.

Having heard this, O Great Goddess, whoever engages in slandering the Guru, falls into terrible hells for as long as the sun and moon endure.

As long as the body lasts until the end of the kalpa, O Goddess, one should remember the Guru. One should never abandon the Guru, even if one has attained complete independence.

A wise disciple should never address the Guru with a "Hum" (a sound of arrogance or disrespect), and one should never speak an untruth to the supreme Guru.

He who addresses the Guru with "thou" or "hum," or speaks in the presence of the Guru, becomes a Brahma-rakshasa (a demon) in a waterless forest.

Always contemplate non-duality at all times and in all states; never, under any circumstances, should one practice duality in the presence of the Guru.

One should perform the worship of the Guru's feet until the world of objects is forgotten; only for such a person is liberation attained, and not for anyone else.

Even if one is a knower of the complete truth, if one abandons the Guru, then at the time of death, one will certainly experience intense agitation.

One should not transgress the Guru's instructions, nor perform any action without asking. One should not rise to leave without bowing to the Guru, who is adorned with the presence of the Divine.

When the Guru is present, one should never offer instruction to others; if one does so, one becomes a demon.

A disciple should not indulge in improper conduct or wander about aimlessly in the Guru's ashram. Without the Guru's explicit command, one should not perform initiations, give discourses, or exercise authority.

One should not sit in a relaxed posture, nor recline on a bed, nor stretch out one’s legs, nor indulge in bodily comforts, nor engage in any other trivial pastimes.

One should not transgress what has been said by the Guru, whether it be right or wrong; obeying his command, one should live with the Guru day and night like a servant.

One should never enjoy the property of the Guru without his permission; even when given, it should be accepted as if one were a beggar, for by this (attitude), even life itself is attained.

One should offer salutations to everything that is dear to the Guru, such as his sandals, seat, and bed, and one should never touch them with one's feet.

One should walk behind the Guru and should not step over the Guru’s shadow. One should not harbor intense hatred, nor should one wear ostentatious ornaments in the Guru's presence.

Upon seeing one who slanders the Guru, one should either chase them away or silence them; if unable to cut out their tongue, one should abandon that place.

One should not give the Guru's leftovers to anyone, nor should one disregard the Guru's command. Having taken all the leftovers, one should consume them oneself as if they were sacrificial offerings.

One should not speak untruths, nor unpleasant words, nor words of pride, nor excessive speech; one should not speak in a commanding tone, but should always contemplate the Guru's command.

O Lord, O Ruler of the divine lineage, O Master, O King, O Lord of the lineage—with such forms of address, one should approach the Guru with humility.

O Parvati, even if one is cursed by sages, serpents, or gods, or is in fear of death by time, the Guru protects him.

Even the gods and the sages are powerless to protect anyone who has been cursed by the Guru.

O Goddess, the two syllables "Guru" are the king of all mantras; there is no doubt that they are the essence of the Smritis, Vedas, and Puranas.

He who wears the ochre robe and carries the staff merely for the sake of honor, respect, and worship is not a true renunciate; one should not speak of him as a renunciate, for a true renunciate is devoted solely to knowledge.

Those who realize the Great Statement through the service of the Guru's feet are declared to be the true renunciates; all others are merely wearers of the garb.

He who realizes in this world the eternal, formless, attributeless Brahman, which is the essence of Truth and Consciousness, his greatness truly shines. (He who imparts the knowledge of the supreme, eternal, formless, and attributeless Brahman, illuminating the state of Brahman, is like one lamp lighting another.)

Through the grace of the Guru, by observing the Self within one's own self, and through the path of equanimity and liberation, the knowledge of the Self is attained.

I bow to the entire universe, which is the form of the Supreme Self, extending from the creator Brahma down to the smallest blade of grass, encompassing both the stationary and the moving.

I bow to the Guru of the world, who is Existence, Consciousness, and Bliss, who transcends all states of being, who is eternal, perfect, formless, attributeless, and established in His own Self.

One should constantly meditate upon That which is beyond the highest, which is the source of bliss, which resides in the center of the space of the heart, and which is pure like a crystal.

Just as a crystal reflects a crystal and a mirror reflects a mirror, so too is the blissful form of consciousness realized within the Self as "I am He."

Meditate in your heart upon the thumb-sized Being, who is pure consciousness; listen, for I shall tell you of the state that manifests there.

I am unborn, I am immortal, and I am without beginning or end. I am unchanging, pure consciousness and bliss, smaller than the smallest and greater than the greatest.

It is unprecedented, infinite, eternal, self-luminous, and free from all maladies; it is stainless, the supreme expanse, constant, blissful, and immutable.

O Parvati, know that which is beyond the reach of the senses, inaccessible to the mind, devoid of name and form, and silent by nature, to be Brahman.

Just as the nature of fragrance is inherent in camphor, flowers, and the like, so too is the nature of cold and heat eternally inherent in Brahman.

Just as ornaments like bracelets and armlets remain essentially gold by their own nature, so do I remain the eternal Brahman.

Having become like that oneself, one should remain wherever one may be; just as a worm, through meditation, becomes a bee, so one becomes that [which one meditates upon].

Having thus meditated upon the Guru, one becomes identified with Brahman; there is no doubt that such a person is liberated in the body, in the state, and in the form.

Shri Parvati said: O Mahadeva, what is the Pinda, and what is defined as the Pada? What is the formless, and what is the form? O Shankara, please explain this to me.

Shri Mahadeva said: The physical body is the Kundalini Shakti, the word 'Hamsa' is the state, the Bindu is to be known as the form, and that which is beyond form is the stainless (Niranjana).

Those who are liberated in the body, in the state, and in the form, O beautiful-faced one, are indeed liberated; but those who are liberated even beyond form, they are truly liberated, there is no doubt about this.

By constant meditation on the Guru, the embodied soul becomes one with Brahman; wherever he may be situated, he is liberated—of this there is no doubt.

Knowledge, self-realization, peace, detachment, eloquence, and fortitude—these six qualities of majesty constitute the Lord, the divine Guru, O beloved.

The Guru is Shiva, the Guru is the Divine, the Guru is the kinsman of all embodied beings. The Guru is the Self, the Guru is the life-force; there is nothing other than the Guru.

He who is solitary, free from desire, peaceful, devoid of anxiety and envy, and who shines with the innocence of a child, is called a knower of Brahman.

There is no happiness in the Vedas or Shastras, nor is there happiness in mantras or yantras. There is no happiness anywhere on this earth other than through the grace of the Guru.

There is no happiness in the doctrines of the Charvakas, the Vaishnavas, or the followers of Prabhakara, comparable to the happiness found at the feet of the Guru, which is affirmed by the Vedanta.

The happiness of the king of gods, nor the happiness of emperors, is equal to the happiness of the dispassionate sage who dwells in solitude.

He who is satisfied in the Supreme Self, having eternally drunk the nectar of Brahman, considers even Indra as insignificant; what then to speak of earthly kings?

Since supreme liberation is attained only through the path of the Guru, those who desire liberation must always practice devotion to the Guru.

I am one, without a second; this is confirmed by the Guru's word. By practicing this constantly, there is no need to resort to the forest.

By such practice, one attains Samadhi in a moment, and the sins accumulated over a lifetime are destroyed that very instant.

How can there be an invocation for the One who is unmanifest and all-pervading? How can there be a dismissal? How can there be worship for the formless, and how can there be meditation on the One who is beyond all attributes?

The Guru is Vishnu, who is of the nature of Sattva; He is the four-faced Brahma, who is of the nature of Rajas; and in the form of Rudra, who is of the nature of Tamas, He creates, sustains, and destroys.

Having become the embodiment of Brahman oneself, one should not perceive anything else as supreme; there is nothing higher than the Highest, which is all-pervading and free from all afflictions.

Having attained the vision of the Guru, one should remain alone, free from all attachments, desireless, and peaceful, by His grace.

Whether obtained or not obtained, be it little or much, one should enjoy it without desire, with a mind always content.

The state of omniscience is said to be that of the embodied soul who is one with all in this world; ever-blissful and ever-peaceful, he revels wherever he may be.

Wherever he resides, that place becomes a vessel of merit; O Goddess, the characteristics of the liberated one have been described by me to you.

O Goddess, this instruction, when followed through the path of the Guru, bestows liberation; therefore, supreme devotion to the Guru must be practiced by the wise.

I bow to that Guru, who is the Lord, who is eternally united with the Supreme, who is the source of all, the creator of the Vedas, the knower of all Vedas, and the bestower of the knowledge of the Self and others.

Even if one has studied the Vedas with their six limbs, the Agamas, and the scriptures on the Self and other subjects, O beloved, there is no true knowledge without the Guru.

Even if one is devoted to the worship of Shiva or Vishnu, if one is devoid of the knowledge of the Guru principle, all of that is indeed in vain.

If one performs the worship of Shiva without knowing the true nature of Shiva, O beloved, that worship is merely in name only, like a lamp painted in a picture.

All actions become fruitful through the power of the Guru's initiation. By attaining the Guru, everything is attained; without the Guru, one is but a fool.

One who is without a Guru is like an animal, a worm, or an insect; he is fit to be spoken of as such, because he does not himself know his own true nature, which is the form of Shiva.

Therefore, with all effort and having abandoned all attachments, one should cast aside the web of scriptures and take refuge in the Guru alone.

I worship the Guru, who is the Lord, who has dispelled all doubts, and who reveals the secret truth by unifying the vision.

A guru who is devoid of knowledge, a liar, and a pretender should be abandoned. If he does not know how to rest in his own Self, how can he bestow peace upon others?

What superior knowledge can a stone possess to ferry others across a collection of stones? If it does not know how to cross itself, how can it help others to cross?

Those who cause confusion by their mere sight are not worthy of salutation; one should keep such gurus at a distance and seek refuge only in the wise.

Those who are hypocritical, addicted to sin, atheistic, divisive in their thinking, lustful after women, wicked in conduct, ungrateful, and deceitful like cranes.

Those who have fallen from their duties, those who have lost their capacity for forgiveness, those who argue with censurable logic, those who are lustful, those who are wrathful, as well as those who are violent, cruel, and deceitful.

O beloved, one should not engage with those who are devoid of knowledge, nor with those who are great sinners. Having reflected well, one should serve the Guru, who is distinct from them, with single-minded devotion.

O Goddess of the gods, do not speak of this to anyone other than a disciple; for in the attainment of the fruit by human beings, devotion alone is the cause.

The Guru is declared to be of five kinds: the hidden, the firm, the affectionate, the one well-composed in silence, and the one who acts according to desire even if only once.

Everything obtained from the mouth of the Guru becomes fruitful and destroys all sins; therefore, one should not withhold any object that is beneficial to one's own soul.

O virtuous one, whatever is offered to the Guru is pleasing to me. One should keep the Guru’s sandals, the mudra, and the root mantra secret.

O Lord, I bow to Your lotus feet with my intellect, senses, vital breaths, mind, and speech; those feet which are contemplated upon by seekers of liberation in their hearts, joined with the Self, for the pacification of all karmic tendencies.

I shall tell you, O beloved, what is to be done with this; it should be for the benefit of the world, O Goddess, and worldly motives should be abandoned.

The ignorant person, following merely worldly duties, drifts in the ocean of worldly existence; but when knowledge dawns, all actions cease and find peace.

Whoever reads this with devotion, or even listens to it, and whoever writes it and gives it to others, attains the entire fruit thereof by His grace.

O Goddess, contemplate this Guru Gita in your heart daily; one should always recite it with joy to be freed from the sorrows caused by great diseases.

O beloved, every single syllable of the Guru Gita is a king among mantras; all other various mantras are not worth even a sixteenth part of it.

By chanting the Guru Gita, one attains infinite fruits; it is the destroyer of all sins and the eradicator of all poverty, O Goddess.

She is the destroyer of untimely death and the remover of all calamities; She is the slayer of Yakshas, Rakshasas, ghosts, thieves, and tigers.

It removes all calamities, leprosy, and other evil afflictions; the fruit that is obtained from the proximity of the Guru is obtained by the recitation of this (Gita).

It removes great diseases and bestows the attainment of all prosperity; or, one should always chant it oneself for the purpose of enchantment or subjugation.

O Goddess, sitting on a seat of kusha grass, durva grass, or a white woolen blanket, one should then perform japa with a focused mind.

O Beloved, a white seat is prescribed for all purposes, a red seat for subjugation; one should always perform japa on a lotus seat, for it is supreme in bestowing peace and the power of attraction.

Sitting on cloth leads to poverty, on stone to the onset of disease, on the earth to sorrow, and on wood to fruitlessness.

Knowledge is attained on a black antelope skin, liberation is attained on a tiger skin, knowledge is attained on a kusha-grass seat, and all attainments are achieved on a woolen blanket.

In the southeast is attraction, in the northwest is the destruction of enemies, in the southwest is vision, and in the northeast is knowledge.

Facing north for the chanting of peace, facing east for subjugation, facing south for destruction, and facing west for the acquisition of wealth.

It is the enchantress of all beings, the supreme bestower of bondage and liberation, the beloved of the kings of gods, and it brings kings under one's control.

It causes the silencing of the mouth, increases the virtues, destroys evil deeds, and grants success in righteous actions.

It accomplishes unfulfilled tasks, removes the fear of the nine planets, destroys bad dreams, and bestows the fruits of good dreams.

This Gita scripture, O Shiva, is the destroyer of delusion, the bestower of ultimate liberation from bondage, and the abode of the knowledge of one's true Self.

Whatever desire one contemplates, one attains it without a doubt; this is eternally auspicious, meritorious, and destroys the three types of suffering.

It bestows eternal peace, grants noble sons to the childless, ensures the longevity of husbands for women, and ever increases their good fortune.

Longevity, health, prosperity, and the growth of children and grandchildren are attained; one who chants without desire, even a widow, shall attain liberation.

She who has desires attains a state of non-widowhood in her next birth; it destroys all obstacles filled with sorrow and removes all afflictions.

It destroys all sins and grants righteousness, worldly desires, prosperity, and liberation; whatever desire one contemplates, one surely attains it.

She is the wish-fulfilling cow for all desires, the wish-granting tree for all aspirations, the wish-fulfilling gem for all thoughts, and the bestower of all auspiciousness.

He who writes this and worships it shall attain the wealth of liberation, and devotion to the Guru shall always arise especially in his heart.

The Shaktas, Sauras, Ganapatyas, Vaishnavas, Shaivas, and Pashupatas all chant this; this is the truth, the truth, there is no doubt.

Thus ends the second chapter of the Sri Guru Gita, which occurs in the dialogue between Uma and Maheswara in the Uttara Khanda of the Sri Skanda Purana.

Chapter Three

Now, O beautiful-faced one, I shall describe the places for performing japa with specific desires: at the seashore, on the banks of a river, at a holy pilgrimage site, or in a temple of Vishnu or Shiva.

In a temple of the Goddess, in a cowshed, in all sacred temples, or at the root of a banyan or gooseberry tree, or in a monastery, or in a sacred grove of Tulsi.

In a pure and clean place, or while performing one's daily rituals, one should commence this japa with detachment and silence.

By japa (repetition of the mantra), one attains victory and the fruit of perfection in japa; one should abandon all base actions and also places that are condemned.

Success is attained in a cremation ground, at the root of a Bilva tree, at the root of a Banyan tree, at the root of a Dhatura (Kanaka) tree, or in the vicinity of a Mango tree.

Yellow is for enchantment, black for malevolent acts, white is known for pacification, and red is declared for subjugation.

Performing japa while seated on an improper seat yields no fruit; one should recite the Guru Gita while traveling, in battle, or when in danger from enemies.

By chanting it, one attains victory, and at the time of death, it bestows liberation. All actions are accomplished for the disciple of the Guru; there is no doubt about this.

For one who has the Guru's mantra on their lips, everything succeeds, and not otherwise; through initiation, all actions reach fruition for the child of the Guru.

To destroy the root of worldly existence and to be liberated from the eight fetters, the knower of truth always bathes in the waters of the Guru Gita.

He is indeed the true Guru, the direct manifestation of the Supreme, the knower of both the manifest and the unmanifest Brahman; there is no doubt that all places associated with him are sacred.

Wherever that pure and holy one resides by nature, there all the hosts of gods roam about in that sacred place.

Whether sitting, lying down, walking, or standing, whether riding a horse or an elephant, whether in deep sleep or awake.

Those who, being pure and wise, chant the Guru Gita, attain divine knowledge through the mere sight of and contact with them. (By such sight and contact, there is no rebirth.)

Just as water in the ocean, milk in milk, and water in water (or clarified butter in clarified butter) become one, and as the space within a broken pot becomes one with the infinite space, so does the individual soul become one with the Supreme Soul.

In the same way, the wise one, having realized the identity of the individual soul with the Supreme Self, always dwells in that oneness, wherever they may be, day and night.

Thus, the one who is endowed with this great union always exists everywhere; therefore, one should practice devotion to the Guru in every way.

O Parvati, by the mere satisfaction of the Guru, one becomes liberated; by his grace, O Devi, one attains the enjoyment of the siddhis such as anima (the power to become infinitely small).

The wise one delights in equanimity, whether by day or by night. Such a great silent sage attains equality with the three worlds.

All worldly beings, by chanting the Guru Gita, shall attain all their desires; this is my truth, thrice spoken.

Truth, truth, and again truth; I have spoken the essence of Dharma. There is no hymn equal to the Guru Gita, and there is no truth higher than the Guru.

The Guru is God, the Guru is righteousness, and devotion to the Guru is the highest penance. There is nothing greater than the Guru; I tell you this three times.

Blessed is the mother, blessed is the father, blessed is the lineage, and blessed is the family of one's birth; blessed is the earth, O Goddess, where there is devotion to the Guru.

O Goddess, the merits of millions of lifetimes of sacrifices, vows, and penances all become fruitful solely by the satisfaction of the Guru.

The body, the senses, the life-force, wealth, relatives, and friends, the maternal family, and the paternal family—the Guru is indeed all of these, there is no doubt.

Those who are unfortunate and incapable, who do not approve of serving the Guru, and who are averse to such service, suffer in foul hells.

Knowledge, wealth, and strength are all meaningless; those who lack the grace of the Guru, O Parvati, fall to a lower state.

Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra, the gods, the ancestors, the Kinnaras, the Siddhas, the Charanas, the Yakshas, and other sages and beings.

The state of devotion to the Guru is the supreme pilgrimage, all other pilgrimages are meaningless; the lotus feet of the holy Guru, O Devi, contain all places of pilgrimage.

Those who are addicted to the enjoyment of other women and turn away from their own wives are dull-witted; O Goddess, beyond this, nothing else has been said by Me, for they are not dear to Me.

O beautiful-faced one, this secret, which is not clearly understood, should be spoken of; it must be kept very secret, yet I tell it to you for the sake of my own pleasure, O virtuous one.

O Parvati, O Mahamaya, do not speak of this to the leaders of the hosts, the Vaishnavas, and others; instead, touch my feet.

The Guru Gita should never be spoken of, even in the mind, to those who are devoid of devotion, deceitful, wicked, hypocritical, or atheistic.

There are many gurus who plunder the wealth of their disciples, but I consider that one rare who removes the afflictions of the disciple's heart.

He who is wise, discerning, knowledgeable in spiritual wisdom, and pure, whose mind is untainted—only his position as a Guru shines.

Gurus are pure, peaceful, virtuous, and measured in speech; they are free from lust and anger, possess righteous conduct, and have conquered their senses.

Gurus are known to be of many kinds, such as the indicator and others. A wise person, having thoroughly examined them for oneself, should serve the one who is established in the Truth.

That which consists of a web of letters, and the external scriptures which are worldly; he by whom these are practiced, O Goddess, is known as the instructive Guru.

Know that the Guru is the one who imparts knowledge appropriate to one's station and stage of life, and who establishes the distinction between righteousness and unrighteousness; one who merely recites the scriptures is only a speaker, O Parvati.

O Parvati, he who imparts the five-syllable and other mantras is the Guru; he is the one who awakens knowledge, and he is the best of both.

Those who display petty mantras for delusion, destruction, or subjugation are called forbidden gurus by the wise who perceive the truth.

O Beloved, he who points out the path of detachment by declaring this world to be a storehouse of misery and impermanent, is known as the Guru.

O Parvati, the one who instructs on the meaning of the great aphorisms such as "That Thou Art" (Tat Tvam Asi) is known as the Causal Guru, the remover of the disease of worldly existence.

He who is adept at uprooting the entire multitude of doubts and who destroys the fear of birth and death, such a one is considered the supreme Guru.

It is through the merit accumulated over many lifetimes that such a great Guru is attained. Having attained him, the disciple does not again fall into the bondage of worldly existence.

Thus, O Parvati, there are many kinds of gurus in this world; among them, one should serve the Supreme Guru with all one's effort.

He who rejects his Guru, being corrupted by evil intentions, does not attain liberation even until the dissolution of the universe.

Having thus heard the words of the Great God, the Great Goddess, with a mind extremely overwhelmed, inquired of Shankara.

Parvati said: Salutations to you, O God of gods; there is something I wish to hear. Having heard your words, my mind is now deeply overwhelmed.

Those who are themselves deluded, afraid of death, and have turned away from virtuous deeds, if they are led by a forbidden guru due to their destiny, then what will be their fate?

Lord Mahadeva said: Listen to this truth, O Goddess; when a person becomes detached, then he is declared by the crest-jewels of the Vedas (the Upanishads) to be qualified (for the knowledge of the Self).

He who has revealed within oneself the indivisible, singular essence of Brahman, which is eternally free and devoid of all affliction, is the true Guru.

Just as the ocean is the king of all waters, O Parvati, so among all gurus, this supreme Guru is the king.

Free from delusion and the like, peaceful, eternally content, and dependent on none; the one who considers the glory of Brahma and Vishnu as mere straw is the Supreme Guru.

He who is free, steady, and blissful at all times and in all places, and who is satisfied by the taste of the one indivisible essence, is indeed the Supreme Guru.

Free from duality and non-duality, radiant with the light of self-realization, the destroyer of the dense darkness of ignorance, the all-knowing one is the supreme Guru.

He by whose mere sight the mind attains serenity, and in whom patience and peace naturally abide, he is the supreme Guru.

He who, having beheld the various powers of yogis and mantra-practitioners, remains with a mind indifferent to them, is the supreme Guru.

He who views his own body as a corpse and his own self as non-dual, and who has destroyed the delusion of women and gold, he is the supreme Guru.

O Parvati, listen, the knower of Truth is divided into two types: the silent one and the eloquent one. O beloved, no benefit is gained in this world from the one who is merely silent.

He is eloquent and capable of ferrying one across the vast ocean of worldly existence, for he is the one who cuts through all doubts by means of scriptural reasoning and direct experience.

O Goddess, by chanting the name of the Guru, sins accumulated over many births are dissolved; there is not even an atom of doubt about this.

There is no deity equal to the Guru, no father equal to the Guru; there is no action equal to meditation on the Guru, nowhere on this earth.

Family, wealth, strength, scriptures, relatives, and siblings—none of these are of any use at the time of death; the Guru alone is the savior.

The entire lineage is purified and truth is attained by the service of one's own Guru; all the gods, beginning with Brahma, are satisfied by the propitiation of the Guru.

The Guru alone knows the true, imperishable divine nature; that knowledge is attained only through His grace, and not otherwise, even by millions of scriptures.

For one devoid of the knowledge of the Self, even what is done is as if undone; O Goddess, all austerities, recitations, and the like are merely like the prattling of a child.

Some call Him Shiva, some Vishnu, some Brahma, and others call Him Shakti; thus, ignorant people argue in vain, not knowing that He is the one Divine.

Those who are averse to the initiation of the Guru do not know the supreme truth; they are deluded, like animals, and devoid of self-knowledge.

Therefore, for the sake of attaining liberation, one should worship the Guru alone, O Beloved; without the Guru, the deluded do not know that Supreme State.

The knot of the heart is untied, all doubts are severed, and all karmas are exhausted, O Parvati, through the grace of the Guru.

By practicing devotion to the Guru in accordance with the Vedas and Shastras, one is liberated from terrible sins, especially the one who is devoted to the Guru.

Abandoning bad company and renouncing sinful deeds, one whose mind bears these marks is fit to receive initiation.

He who is engaged in the renunciation of the mind, devoid of anger and pride, and who has abandoned the sense of duality—for him, initiation is prescribed.

The initiation is to be granted to one whose life is pure, who is endowed with these characteristics, and who is devoted to the welfare of all beings.

Previously, the network of initiations associated with ritual actions has been described; now, the initiation into the mantra, complete in all its parts and limbs, as spoken by Shiva, is explained.

Without the initiation of the Guru, which bestows union with the Guru and is devoid of mere ritualistic action, who can truly be a follower of the Guru's path?

Whether one is capable or incapable, by taking refuge in the feet of the Guru, one's birth becomes fruitful, bestowing the fruits of both worldly enjoyment and liberation.

O Goddess, this should always be imparted only to one whose mind is thoroughly matured and who is endowed with faith and devotion, for my own satisfaction.

O Shiva, this Gita scripture is the secret of all scriptures; it should be imparted only after careful examination to a seeker who is devoted to me.

The Guru Gita should be imparted with effort only to that wise seeker whose mind has been purified through the fruition of virtuous deeds.

This should never be spoken to an atheist, an ungrateful person, a hypocrite, a deceitful person, one who is devoid of devotion, or one who is divided in mind.

The Guru Gita should not be imparted to one who is lustful, foolish, whose mind is obsessed with desires, or who is a slanderer.

This scripture of the Gita, O Devi, is the destroyer of all sins, the averter of all calamities, and the remover of birth and death, O Shiva.

O Goddess, this is the essence of the Vedas, briefly stated to you. O Shiva, there is no other path for the salvation of human beings except the feet of the Guru.

The meaning of this does not appeal to those who have accumulated karma over many births; for the cessation of the bondage of birth, one should always serve the Guru alone.

I am indeed the entire universe, and I am indeed the supreme state; I bow to that Guru from whom this knowledge is attained.

Enough of doubts; I alone am the Absolute, and this entire moving and unmoving universe rests within me. He who has revealed this secret to me, that Guru alone is worthy of my salutations.

He who has no end, no beginning, and no middle; who has no hands, feet, name, lineage, or sacred thread; who has no caste, no color, and who is neither man, nor neuter, nor woman.

I bow to that True Guru, who is without form, without change, without birth or death, who is neither merit nor sin, who is neither non-truth nor truth, who is the One Reality, and who is the essence of natural equanimity.

Salutations always to the Guru, who is the crest-jewel, who is eternal, the embodiment of truth, the essence of consciousness, ever-new, the auspicious one, supreme beyond the highest, pure, enlightened, and untainted.

Salutations to the glorious Guru, who is the embodiment of Existence, Consciousness, and Bliss, who is all-pervading, the Supreme Self, and the personification of the light of knowledge.

Salutations to the Guru, who is the embodiment of truth and bliss, the sole bestower of the happiness of knowledge, who is known through the Vedanta, and who is the witness of the intellect.

Salutations to you, O Lord, O Bhagavan, who manifests as the Guru, O Shiva. You have assumed various forms for the sake of the perfect manifestation of knowledge.

Salutations to the One who is ever-new, who assumes new forms, who is the embodiment of the ultimate truth, who is the sun that dispels the darkness of all ignorance, and who is the embodiment of pure consciousness.

To the independent One, who assumes a form out of compassion, who is the very essence of Shiva; to the One who is dependent upon His devotees, and who is the embodiment of auspiciousness for those who are destined for liberation.

For the discrimination of the discriminating, for the deliberation of the deliberating, for the illumination of the illuminating, and for the knowledge of the knowers, He is the very form of knowledge.

Bow down before me, to my sides, behind me, above and below; always establish your seat in the form of my consciousness.

The Guru is indeed Shiva, the Guru is indeed Vishnu, the Guru is indeed Brahma, and the Guru is verily the Supreme Brahman; salutations to that Guru.

I bow to the Guru, who is supreme bliss and the embodiment of joy, by whose mere presence the mind attains the state of pure consciousness and bliss.

Salutations to you, O Guru, who are the embodiment of innate bliss, whose nectar-like words destroy the poison known as the worldly existence.

By means of various appropriate teachings, the lineage of disciples is delivered; having realized the essence of that [teaching], one attains the immutable state of the Guru's consciousness.

Salutations to You, O Guru, who are the imperishable Supreme Self, who are independent of all systems, and who are the embodiment of consciousness and bliss.

Salutations to the imperishable Guru, who is the embodiment of both knowledge and ignorance, who is skilled in guiding the disciple on the right path, and who is an ocean of the nectar of compassion.

Salutations to the Guru, who is the imperishable one, the bridge for the disciple to cross the ocean of worldly existence, the lion who acts solely for the sake of the devotee, and the embodiment of consciousness and bliss.

There is no deity equal to the name of the Guru, nor father, nor kinsmen. There is no master equal to the name of the Guru, and there is no higher state than this.

He who does not acknowledge the Guru who imparts even a single syllable, is born as a dog for a hundred lifetimes and thereafter among the outcasts.

Abandoning the Guru leads to death, and abandoning the mantra leads to poverty. One who abandons both the Guru and the mantra falls into the Raurava hell.

If Shiva is angry, the Guru can protect you, but if the Guru is angry, even Shiva cannot protect you. Therefore, with every effort, one should never transgress the command of the Guru.

I bow to the mantra of the King of Gurus, which is the sole mantra for crossing the ocean of worldly existence, the perfected mantra worshipped by gods like Brahma and the sages, the mantra that destroys poverty, sorrow, and the disease of rebirth, and the mantra that removes all great fears.

There are seven crores of great mantras that cause confusion of the mind; the only great mantra is the two-syllable word "Guru."

Having spoken thus, Mahadeva said again to Parvati, "Listen, O Goddess, to this supreme truth which bestows happiness."

O Goddess, this truth of the Guru has been told to you briefly; this secret is unmanifest, do not reveal it to anyone.

O Goddess, who is the embodiment of truth, these words of mine shall never be false; there is no hymn on the face of the earth equal to the Guru Gita, truly there is none.

O Goddess, this Guru Gita, which destroys the sorrows of worldly existence, should never be recited in the presence of one who has not received initiation from a Guru.

This is the most secret of secrets, O Maheshvari, and it is not attained by the sinful. Only through the ripening of merits accumulated over many lifetimes does a human being attain the truth of the Guru.

By whose grace I realize that I am indeed everything, and that everything is imagined within me, and thus I always know my own true nature—to those lotus feet, I bow eternally.

O Lord, bestow Your grace upon me, who am blinded by the darkness of ignorance and whose mind is obsessed with worldly objects, by granting me the radiance of knowledge.

Thus ends the third chapter of the Sri Guru Gita.

Thus ends the Guru Gita, which occurs in the dialogue between Ishvara and Parvati in the Uttara Khanda of the Shri Skanda Purana.

May this be offered unto Sri Guru Dattatreya.