Gurvaṣṭakam — Ādi Śaṅkara's eight verses on devotion to the Guru: whatever one may possess, if the mind is not fixed at the Guru's feet, what use is it?
Worshipped through hundreds of births with loving reverence by the faithful, in the Vedic manner, the Lord himself, well pleased, takes visible form as the holy Guru; coming graciously within sight, he awakens the disciple to the truth and ferries them across the ocean of worldly sorrow.
A handsome body, a lovely wife, fame bright and wondrous, wealth like Mount Meru — yet if the mind is not fixed at the Guru's lotus feet, what of it, what of it, what of it, what of it?
Wife, wealth, sons and grandsons and all, home and kinsmen — all this indeed comes to be; yet if the mind is not fixed at the Guru's lotus feet, what of it, what of it, what of it, what of it?
The six-limbed Veda upon the tongue, mastery of the śāstras, the gift of composing fine prose and verse — yet if the mind is not fixed at the Guru's lotus feet, what of it, what of it, what of it, what of it?
Honoured in foreign lands, blessed in one's own, none surpassing me in righteous conduct — yet if the mind is not fixed at the Guru's lotus feet, what of it, what of it, what of it, what of it?
Whose lotus feet are ever served by throngs of kings and emperors across the earth — yet if the mind is not fixed at the Guru's lotus feet, what of it, what of it, what of it, what of it?
Verse 8 — yaśo me gataṃ dikṣu dānapratāpājjagadvastu…
yaśo me gataṃ dikṣu dānapratāpājjagadvastu sarvaṃ kare yatprasādāt | manaścenna lagnaṃ guroraṅghripadme tataḥ kiṃ tataḥ kiṃ tataḥ kiṃ tataḥ kim ||
My fame has spread in every direction by the glory of my charity, and by whose grace all the world's goods lie within my hand — yet if the mind is not fixed at the Guru's lotus feet, what of it, what of it, what of it, what of it?
Verse 9 — na bhoge na yoge na vā vājirājau na kāntāmukhe…
na bhoge na yoge na vā vājirājau na kāntāmukhe naiva vitteṣu cittam | manaścenna lagnaṃ guroraṅghripadme tataḥ kiṃ tataḥ kiṃ tataḥ kiṃ tataḥ kim ||
My mind rests not on enjoyment, nor on yoga, nor on horses and kingship, nor on a fair face, nor on riches — yet if it is not fixed at the Guru's lotus feet, what of it, what of it, what of it, what of it?
Verse 10 — araṇye na vā svasya gehe na kārye na dehe mano…
araṇye na vā svasya gehe na kārye na dehe mano vartate me tvanarghye | manaścenna lagnaṃ guroraṅghripadme tataḥ kiṃ tataḥ kiṃ tataḥ kiṃ tataḥ kim ||
Neither in the forest nor in one's own home, neither in action nor in the body does my mind dwell upon the priceless Self — yet if it is not fixed at the Guru's lotus feet, what of it, what of it, what of it, what of it?
phalaśrutiḥ
phalaśrutiḥ
Phalaśruti — the fruit of reciting the Gurvaṣṭaka.
Verse 11 — guroraṣṭakaṃ yaḥ paṭhetpuṇyadehī…
guroraṣṭakaṃ yaḥ paṭhetpuṇyadehī yatirbhūpatirbrahmacārī ca gehī | labhedvāñchitārthaṃ padaṃ brahmasaṃjñaṃ guroruktavākye mano yasya lagnam ||
Whoever recites this Aṣṭaka of the Guru — ascetic, king, celibate student or householder — and whose mind is fixed upon the Guru's word, attains the longed-for goal, the state named Brahman.
About Gurvaṣṭakam
Gurvaṣṭakam is a Sanskrit stotra, composed by Ādi Śaṅkarācārya, addressed to Guru — a Ashtakam. It is presented here in Devanagari, Roman (IAST), Kannada, each verse with its English meaning. Source text: sanskritdocuments.org.
Also known as: Shariram Surupam, Guru Ashtakam.
The preeminent Advaita Vedānta ācārya and a prolific composer of devotional stotras revered across the Hindu traditions.
Gurvaṣṭakam is a Sanskrit stotra (devotional hymn), composed by Ādi Śaṅkarācārya, addressed to Guru, of 10 verses. On Avabodhak every verse is shown with its English meaning, so you can understand the text line by line as you read.
How do I pronounce Gurvaṣṭakam correctly?
Avabodhak presents Gurvaṣṭakam in Devanagari, Roman (IAST), Kannada alongside IAST Roman transliteration that marks every long vowel (ā, ī, ū) and conjunct consonant. Reading the Devanagari text with the IAST line lets you follow the exact pronunciation syllable by syllable, and the guided practice mode replays it line by line.
What is the word-by-word meaning of Gurvaṣṭakam?
Avabodhak pairs each verse of Gurvaṣṭakam with its English meaning, and the practice view breaks lines into individual words — so you learn what each word means, not just the overall sense.
Who composed Gurvaṣṭakam?
Gurvaṣṭakam is attributed to Ādi Śaṅkarācārya.
In which scripts can I read Gurvaṣṭakam?
Gurvaṣṭakam is available in Devanagari, Roman (IAST), Kannada on Avabodhak, each with English meaning and IAST transliteration.
Can I chant or practice Gurvaṣṭakam online?
Yes — Avabodhak offers a free reading view plus guided practice and word-puzzle modes to help you chant and memorise Gurvaṣṭakam.