1

ÚÚ¡º¾ÚÚ

%;Kºww|qº0$;Kºww†«»w¹Ú
%wÈ0$i¹c¹„1cºwº†È0$ixc†À|º§†«ÈÚÚÚÚ
1. I meditate constantly on Lord Ganesa who has an elephant’s face and a
single tusk, who is like the sun for the lotus that is the face of the Daughter
of the Mountain (Parvati) and who confers many boons on devotees.
¦iº»š¦†ºŒ‡„º¹¹0$ŒºGº‰†v‰†º†ÙÚ
%§†iºGº‰|‰xcº¹šxiÈ;À|Œ‡|Œº†ÙÚÚÚÚ
2. I bow down to the succession of Gurus starting with Lord Sadasiva and
leading up to my own Acharya, with Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada in the
middle.
¡ºÀ»c§†Ä»c|ÀŒºaºwº†º•‰¹0$aº•‰†ÙÚ
w†º»†„;šd|ºi¹0$Œ¹•ÌÈ0$¹0$Œ†ÙÚÚÚÚ
3. I prostrate before Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada, the repository of the
Srutis, Smritis and Puranas, the abode of compassion, who confers
blessings on the world.
¦iºd†v‰ºw»wŒc¹»š¤‰È…‰|Œº@نÀ8†ÙÚ
wÌÊ»†º§fºÈ¤À»w¥aºc¹Gxi“È8Œ„ºŒc¾†ÙÚÚÚÚ
4. I prostrate before Sri Chandrasekhara Bharati Mahaswami, ever
immersed in meditation on the Self, totally averse to objects of sense and
profoundly erudite in the scriptures.
»ššÈ»0$w¹†«º|“N¹uʉÌȏiº‰6†º»w»u†ÙÚ
¦iºØ»„wš|šc¹»šrºc¾g;À¹„KÈÚÚÚÚ
5. I worship my Guru Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswami, who is
endowed with discriminative knowledge and profound wisdom and who is
the repository of fortitude, magnanimity and forbearance.
»šrºŒb‰º»i‰ÌÈ;¾xi“º»u»¥Zc¹|¾Z†Àeº††ÙÚ
%•¹0À$šºa†uÀwº„ºŒc¾c¾g†º¡º‰ÈÚÚÚÚ
2

6. I take refuge in Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswami who now adorns the great
Sarada Peetham, presided over in the past by such illustrious Yogis as
Swami Vidyaranya.
3

§†ºŒ¹§†ºŒ¹K»w†Ä»c„‰¹Kºc»wšÈišÄ»eº
v‰º‰¹v‰º‰¹|À|»c†À†º0$ºxc†xc»w¤ba†ÙÚ
|º‰¹|º‰¹¦|»i|Œ†ºwxi|¾‰Â¤uºŒº¹
„‰ÌȄ‰ÌÈ»wK;À|iº‡„ÌÈK‰À<†¹w†º»†ÚÚÚÚ
§šºŒºL‰»¦»n
7. Detachment having arisen in me because of my pondering over the
frightful prospect of repeated births and deaths, meditating on Lord
Pasupati, the Consort of Uma, residing in my heart, drinking in the flowing
nectar of supreme bliss, I prostrate again and again before the pair of lotus-
feet of my Guru.

4

ÚÚ¡º¾;À…‰ÌÈw†ÚÚ
ÚÚ/ȹ¡º¾ºŒiºGi“†Ìʕ¾žšŒº…‰º¹w†ÚÚ
¡º¾†d|Œ†«¹¦|»Œš“ºK0$ºGº‰š‰|išº1‰|“†ºa
|ºŒºšºŒ|ºŒ¾a‰†»w‰†º¦w|“ºaº‰º†|“d‰º«ºŒ
uºŒaºv‰ºw¦†ºv‰¥Wº@Ù;‰ÌÈ;ºwÀ¥Zºw»w¥Zc|žG0“$
šc¾%wºr»š»HJxw¡º¾¹0$ŒºGº‰;À|Œ‡|Œº|“º}c
¤\Ùiw§gº|wºGº‰›‰º9‰ºw»¦¹«º¦wºu¾žšŒ¦0$•
»w;†º;†¦ºŒ«Äi‰¦º¹9‰fº‰|“»c|ºi0$šÊ»i0$†º;
|“šc0¦šcxfº§šcxfºº»iŒºKuºw¾»šrºw;Œ
†«ºŒºKuºw¾0$aºW0$»¦¹«º¦w|“»c¥Zº|wºGº‰
¡º¾†iٌºKº»uŒºK;À„†b\•ºGº‰+$ž‰Ä@Ò;
|ÀŒšŒºu¾žšŒcÀ@Ò;„i“ºc¾Œšº»¦¡º¾†»trº¹0$Œ
|ºi|qºŒºu0$¡º¾K;iÒ;À¡º¾†i»„wš»šrºc¾g
§šº»†;À0$Œ0$†•¦TKºc¡º¾K;iÒ;ÀÄ@Ò;Ȍ¾
¡º¾„ºŒc¾c¾g§šº»†|ºiºwº¹|ºi¦ŒÌȍ«§†Œa¹
»š†ÙÚ


5

ÚÚ¡º¾;À;¾cºÚÚ
( From Skanda Purana, Brahma Samhita)

;À“²º;À»š¥aÀ;ÀiȏšÌȆ«ÈžšŒÚ
;À§¦º6ºcÙ|Œ¹“²c§†Ê¡º¾;ÀŒšÈw†ÚÚÚÚ
1.The Guru is Brahma, the Guru is Vishnu, the Guru is the Lord
Mahesvara; the Guru is the Supreme Brahman Himself. Prostrations to the
Guru.
%Nºw»c»†Œºxu§‰NºwºTKw•º0$‰ºÚ
G6Àx†¾»•c¹‰Èwc§†Ê¡º¾;ÀŒšÈw†ÚÚÚÚ
2.Prostrations to the Guru by whom the eye blinded by the darkness of
ignorance has been opened with the collyrium of knowledge.
%8b\†b\•º0$ºŒ¹›‰º}c¹‰ÈwGŒºGŒ†ÙÚ
cd|i¹i»c¹‰Èwc§†Ê¡º¾;ÀŒšÈw†ÚÚÚÚ
3.Prostrations to the Guru who reveals the true nature of ‘That’ (Brahman),
which is infinite and indivisible, and which pervades all creation, both
moving and non-moving.
6

§gºšŒ¹K¹;†¹›‰º}c¹‰»d0$¹»Gd¦GŒºGŒ†ÙÚ
dš¹|i¹i»c¹‰Èwc§†Ê¡º¾;ÀŒšÈw†ÚÚÚÚ
4.Prostrations to the Guru who reveals the true nature of ‘Thou' (Jivatma)
which dwells in all creation, both moving and non-moving.
»Gx†‰›‰º»|c¹¦š¹fºÊ•ÌÈ1‰¹¦GŒºGŒ†ÙÚ
%»¦dš¹i»c¹‰Èwc§†Ê¡º¾;ÀŒšÈw†ÚÚÚÚ
5. Prostrations to the Guru by whom is indicated the meaning of the term
‘Asi’ (the identity of ‘That’ and ‘Thou’), which shows that all the three
worlds, consisting of both moving and stationary creatures are pervaded by
Pure Consciousness (Brahman).
»w»†¤ºuºu|ºiºtº‰tº1‰ºtÊ»š•ÌÈ1‰cÈÚ
§šºd†ºw¹»§gŒ†ºueÌÈc§†Ê¡º¾;ÀŒšÈw†ÚÚÚ
6. Prostrations to the Guru by whose words, even in half a moment or a
half or quarter thereof, the firm realisation of one’s Self is attained.
‰§‰iȚÈ|Œº„»1c‰gºiȚÈcgº;ÀŒÌÊÚ
c§‰ÊcÈ0$»gcº«‹gº|“0$ºxcȆ«ºd†wÚÚÚÚ
7

7. Only to that great soul who has supreme

devotion to God and equal devotion to his Guru will the scriptures reveal
their real import.
dš¹»|cºdš¹G†È†ºcºdš¹xuÀ§dš¹GiȚcºÚ
¦¹¦ºŒ„¾»c„¹;º‰c§†Ê¡º¾;ÀŒšÈw†ÚÚÚÚ
8. You (Guru) are my father, you are my mother, you are my well-wisher
and you are my God. I prostrate to the Guru for the eradication of the fear
of Samsara.
;À0$ºŒžGºxu0$ºŒ§cÀ0$ºŒ§c»xwŒÌÈu0Ä$cÙÚ
%xu0$ºŒ»šwº»dšºiÒ;À»Œd‰»„u¾‰cÈÚÚÚÚ
9. The letter ‘gu’ stands for darkness, the letter ‘ru’ stands for its removal.
The Guru is so called because he removes the darkness (of ignorance).
0$†aº†w¦ºšºGº¦šiºØ،ºu‰ÈiÒ;À†ÙÚ
i¾>ib\¹w†§0Ä$d‰»w•LKÌÈ;À¦»xwuÌÊÚÚÚÚ
10. One should always worship the Guru by deed, thought and word. One
should prostrate before the Guru without any inhibition.
8

¦º¥Wº@Ù;|“»a|ºcÈwccÌÈ»wd‰¹;À¹„KÈcÙÚ
„Kwºd§gʉ†º}wÌÈ»c§š§šŒÂ|†‰ÌÈ„šÈcÙÚÚÚÚ
11.The Guru should be worshipped every day by prostration with eight
limbs. Thereby one will attain firmness of mind and realisation of one’s real
nature (as the Self).
iÌȅ‰º|p‹º¹GKºwÀ…‰º†ÀŒ¦º»Œ¦ºjºÚ
†w¦ºšG¦ºGÈ»c|“aº†ÌÈØ¥Wº@Ù;)H‰cÈÚÚÚÚ
12. The eight limbs of prostration (sashtanga namaskara) are the hands,
legs, knees, chest, head, eyes, mind and speech.
‰d¦ddšÈwK;d¦d‰¹‰d|“0$ºÈw„º»c‰cÙÚ
‰iºwxiÈwwxi»xcc§†Ê¡º¾;ÀŒšÈw†ÚÚÚÚ
13. Prostration to the Guru (who is Brahman Himself), because of whose
existence (as the substratum) the world appears real, because of whose
effulgence all the creatures in the world are seen as existing and because
of whose Bliss the creatures in the world enjoy happiness. (In this and the
next verse the nature of Brahman, that It is Existence-Consciousness-Bliss,
is attributed to the Guru also, to point out that the Guru and Brahman are to
be looked upon as one and that the Guru should not be considered to be
just the human form).
‰ÈwGÈc‰cº«¾i¹»Geº¹GÈc‰cÈwŒÚ
Kº;“d§š}w¦À¤À}d‰º»ic§†Ê¡º¾;ÀŒšÈw†ÚÚÚÚ
14. Prostrations to the Guru (Brahman), because of whose Consciousness
the mind of man (all beings) has consciousness in the states of waking,
dream and deep sleep.
Nºw»1c¦†ºŒÂ_cddš†º•º»š„»¤aÈÚ
„À»1c†À»1c|“iºfºÈGc§†Ê¡º¾;ÀŒšÈw†ÚÚÚÚ
15. Prostrations to the Guru, mounted on the power of knowledge and
adorned with the garland of Reality, who confers prosperity as well as
liberation.
%wÈ0$Kx†¦‡|“º}c0$†xu»šiº»«wÈÚ
Nºwºw•|“„ºšÈwc§†Ê¡º¾;ÀŒšÈw†ÚÚÚÚ
9

16. Prostrations to the Guru who burns by the power of the fire of
knowledge the bondage of karma accumulated over innumerable lives.
ÌȤa¹„š»¦xuÌȞGi¾|w¹6Œ¦‡|iº†ÙÚ
;ÀŒÌÈ|ºiÌÈi0$¹‰§‰c§†Ê¡º¾;ÀŒšÈw†ÚÚÚÚ
17. The water with which the feet of the Guru have been washed dries up
the ocean of trans-migration and burns (negates) all that is transient (as
unreal). Prostrations to the Guru.

w;ÀŒÌȌ»u0¹cddš¹w;ÀŒÌȌ»u0$¹c|Ú
w;ÀŒÌȌ»u0$¹Nºw¹c§†Ê¡º¾;ÀŒšÈw†ÚÚÚÚ
18. There is no greater Reality than the Guru, there is no greater austerity
than (the worship of) the Guru, there is no knowledge greater than the Guru
(who is Knowledge or Brahman Itself).
†xwºg¡º¾K;xwºg†iÒ;À¡º¾K;iÒ;ÀÚ
††ºd†º¦š„Âcºd†ºc§†Ê¡º¾;ÀŒšÈw†ÚÚÚÚ
19.My Lord is the Lord of the universe, my Guru is the Guru of the universe
(God), my Self is the
Self in all beings. Prostrations to the Guru.
;ÀŒº»iŒwº»ižG;À|Œ†iʚc†ÙÚ
;À†xfº¦†ÌÈwº»§cc§†Ê¡º¾;ÀŒšÈw†ÚÚÚÚ
20. The Guru is the Cause, but has himself no cause or beginning. (This
statement is made by identifying the Guru with Brahman, which is the
Cause of the universe, but Itself has no cause. It is a fundamental principle
in our tradition that the Guru should not be looked upon as a mere human
being, but should be considered as Brahman or God Himself. The real
import of many of the verses here can be properly understood only if this
principle is kept in mind). The Guru is the supreme God. There is no
mantra equal to the mantra of the Guru.
.0$.š|ŒÌȁxuÀ»ššÈ0È$¦†À|»§gcÈÚ
;À¦0$•u†ºd†ºc§†Ê¡º¾;ÀŒšÈw†ÚÚÚÚ
21. When proper discrimination arises, it will be realised that the Guru
alone is the supreme well-wisher. The Guru is the essence of all Dharma.
Prostrations to the Guru.
10

;À†v‰È»§gc¹»šžš¹»šžš†v‰È»§gcÌÈ;ÀÚ
;À»šžš¹w†§cÈاcÀc§†Ê¡º¾;ÀŒšÈw†ÚÚÚÚ
22. The universe exists in the Guru and the Guru is in the universe. The
Guru is himself the universe. Prostrations to the Guru.
„šºŒb‰|“»š¥W§‰»i@҆ÌÈ«„“º»xcGÈc¦Ú
‰Èw¦xi»c|xgºc§†Ê¡º¾;ÀŒšÈw†ÚÚÚÚ
23. Prostrations to the Guru who shows the way of liberation for those who
have got caught in the forest of Samsara (transmigration) and are
bewildered by delusion.
cº|fº‰º»<wc}cºwº¹%ºxc|“º»awº¹)†ÈÚ
;ÀŒÈš|Œº;@Ò;ºc§†Ê¡º¾;ÀŒšÈw†ÚÚÚÚ
24. O Uma, for the creatures who are agitated in mind and tormented by
the fire of the three kinds of affliction (those of the body, those from other
creatures and those caused by divine forces), the Guru is like the great
Ganga river. Prostrations to the Guru.
%NºwÈwº»«wº;“§cº|“º»aw§cºwÙ»G»0$d¦0$Ú
»šrº§šŒÂ|ÌÈ„;šºwÙc§†Ê¡º¾;ÀŒšÈw†ÚÚÚÚ
25. All living beings have been bitten by the snake of ignorance. The Lord
in the form of knowledge (Guru) is the only physician for them. Prostrations
to the Guru.
«ÈcšÈK;cº†Èš¹¦¹¦ºŒºaš¦ÈcšÈÚ
|“„šÈ¦š»šrºwº¹‡„šÈ;ÀŒšÈw†ÚÚÚÚ
26. Prostrations to the Guru who is Lord Siva Himself, who is the cause of
the universe, who is the bridge for crossing the ocean of Samsara and who
is the lord of all knowledge.
v‰ºw†Â•¹;ÀŒÌȆÂ»c|ÂKº†Â•¹;ÀŒÌÈ|i†ÙÚ
†xfº†Â•¹;ÀŒÌȚº1‰¹†À»1c†Â•¹;ÀŒÌÈ0Ä$|ºÚÚÚÚ
27. The form of the Guru is the object of meditation, the feet of the guru are
the object of worship, the words of the Guru are the mantra and the grace
of the Guru is the means of liberation.

11

j¥WºxcÌÈwʚj¥W»§fº„ÀšwKZŒÈ¦iÒ;ÀŒÌÈNºwiºcÀ
§|žGÈeºfº0$—}‰§¦w‰»c‰i«Ìȧšacº†ž†¦ºŒ†ÙÚ
w§|dš¹cgº»|»¡ºcGŒa‰À;ȦiÒ;À§š¾‰»¥‰È
§š¾‰¹¦º‡‰¹»šueÌÈ„š»c»w|†§cÈwšºØ•ÌÊ»0$0$ÌÈØ»|ÚÚ
cž•ÌÈ0$¾
There is nothing in all the three worlds that can be considered as
comparable to the Sadguru who imparts Self-knowledge (Atmajnana). It
may perhaps be thought that the legendary philosopher’s stone would be a
fit comparison, because it turns base metal into gold, just as the Guru turns
an ordinary disciple into a realised soul. But even this comparison is not apt
because, the philosopher’s stone does not make the base metal turned into
gold also a philosopher’s stone like itself, whereas the Guru makes the
disciple another Guru like himself. The Guru is therefore incomparable and
most wonderful (transcending all the worlds).



12

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13

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14

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15

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16

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