Sri Guru Astakam composed by Sri Adi Shankara-Acharya

Śrī Guru Aṣṭakaṁ
Eight prayers in glorification of the spiritual master
composed by Śrī Adi Śańkarācārya
Translated by P. R. Ramachander

॥अथ श्री गुर्वष्टकं॥
॥atha śrī gurvaṣṭakaṁ॥

Text1
शरीरं सुरूपं तथा वा कलत्रं
यशश्चारु चित्रं धनं मेरुतुल्यम्‌।
मनश्चेन्न लग्नं गुरोरङ्घ्रिपद्मे
ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किम्‌॥ १॥

śarīraṁ surūpaṁ tathā vā kalatraṁ
yaśaścāru citraṁ dhanaṁ merutulyam ।
manaścenna lagnaṁ guroraṅghripadme
tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kim ॥ 1॥

Even if you have a pretty mien, a beautiful wife, Great fame and mountain like money, If your mind does not bow at the Teacher’s feet, What is the use? What is the use? And What is the use?

Text 2
कलत्रं धनं पुत्रपौत्रादि सर्वं
गृहं बान्धवाः सर्वमेतद्धि जातम्‌।
मनश्चेन्न लग्नं गुरोरङ्घ्रिपद्मे
ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किम्‌॥ २॥

kalatraṁ dhanaṁ putrapautrādi sarvaṁ
gṛhaṁ bāndhavāḥ sarvametaddhi jātam ।
manaścenna lagnaṁ guroraṅghripadme
tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kim ॥ 2॥

Even if you have a wife, wealth, children grand children. House , relations and are born in a great family, If your mind does not bow at the Teacher’s feet, What is the use? What is the use? And What is the use?

Text 3
षडङ्गादिवेदो मुखे शास्त्रविद्या
कवित्वादि गद्यं सुपद्यं करोति।
मनश्चेन्न लग्नं गुरोरङ्घ्रिपद्मे
ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किम्‌॥ ३॥

ṣaḍaṅgādivedo mukhe śāstravidyā
kavitvādi gadyaṁ supadyaṁ karoti ।
manaścenna lagnaṁ guroraṅghripadme
tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kim ॥ 3॥

Even if you are an expert in six angas and the four Vedas, And an expert in writing good prose and poems, If your mind does not bow at the Teacher’s feet, What is the use? What is the use? And What is the use?

Text4
विदेशेषु मान्यः स्वदेशेषु धन्यः
सदाचारवृत्तेषु मत्तो न चान्यः।
मनश्चेन्न लग्नं गुरोरङ्घ्रिपद्मे
ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किम्‌॥ ४॥

videśeṣu mānyaḥ svadeśeṣu dhanyaḥ
sadācāravṛtteṣu matto na cānyaḥ ।
manaścenna lagnaṁ guroraṅghripadme
tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kim ॥ 4॥

Even if you are considered great abroad, rich in your own place, And greatly regarded in virtues and life, If your mind does not bow at the Teacher’s feet, What is the use? What is the use? And What is the use?

Text 5
क्शमामण्डले भूपभूपालवृन्दैः
सदा सेवितं यस्य पादारविन्दम्‌।
मनश्चेन्न लग्नं गुरोरङ्घ्रिपद्मे
ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किम्‌॥ ५॥

kśamāmaṇḍale bhūpabhūpālavṛndaiḥ
sadā sevitaṁ yasya pādāravindam ।
manaścenna lagnaṁ guroraṅghripadme
tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kim ॥ 5॥

Even if you are a king of a great region, And is served by kings and great kings, If your mind does not bow at the Teacher’s feet, What is the use? What is the use? And What is the use?

Text 6
यशो मे गतं दिक्शु दानप्रतापात्-
जगद्वस्तु सर्वं करे यत्प्रसादात्‌।
मनश्चेन्न लग्नं गुरोरङ्घ्रिपद्मे
ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किम्‌॥ ६॥

yaśo me gataṁ dikśu dānapratāpāt-
jagadvastu sarvaṁ kare yatprasādāt ।
manaścenna lagnaṁ guroraṅghripadme
tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kim ॥ 6॥

Even if your fame has spread all over, And the entire world is with you because of charity and fame, If your mind does not bow at the Teacher’s feet, What is the use? What is the use? And What is the use?

Text 7
न भोगे न योगे न वा वाजिराजौ
न कान्तामुखे नैव वित्तेषु चित्तम्‌।
मनश्चेन्न लग्नं गुरोरङ्घ्रिपद्मे
ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किम्‌॥ ७॥

na bhoge na yoge na vā vājirājau
na kāntāmukhe naiva vitteṣu cittam ।
manaścenna lagnaṁ guroraṅghripadme
tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kim ॥ 7॥

Even if you do not concentrate your mind, On passion, Yoga, fire sacrifice, Or in the pleasure from the wife Or in the affairs of wealth, If your mind does not bow at the Teacher’s feet, What is the use? What is the use? And What is the use?

Text 8
अरण्ये न वा स्वस्य गेहे न कार्ये
न देहे मनो वर्तते मे त्वनर्घ्ये।
मनश्चेन्न लग्नं गुरोरङ्घ्रिपद्मे
ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किम्‌॥ ८॥

araṇye na vā svasya gehe na kārye
na dehe mano vartate me tvanarghye ।
manaścenna lagnaṁ guroraṅghripadme
tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kim ॥ 8॥

Even if you have priceless jewel collection, Even if you have an embracing passionate wife, If your mind does not bow at the Teacher’s feet, What is the use? What is the use? And What is the use?

(Another version of Sloka no.8 : Aranye na vaa swasya gehe na karye, Na dehe mano varthathemath vanarghye, – Even if your mind stays away in the forest, Or in the house, Or In duties or in great thoughts If your mind does not bow at the Teacher’s feet, What is the use? What is the use? And What is the use? )

Phala-śruti
Result of reading/ chanting this Stotra

गुरोरष्टकं यः पठेत्पुण्यदेही
यतिर्भूपतिर्ब्रह्मचारी च गेही।
लभेद्वाञ्छितार्थं पदं ब्रह्मसंज्ञं
गुरोरुक्तवाक्ये मनो यस्य लग्नम्‌॥

guroraṣṭakaṁ yaḥ paṭhetpuṇyadehī
yatirbhūpatirbrahmacārī ca gehī ।
labhedvāñchitārthaṁ padaṁ brahmasaṁjñaṁ
guroruktavākye mano yasya lagnam ॥

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.

॥ इति श्री गुर्वष्टकं॥
॥ iti śrī gurvaṣṭakaṁ॥

thus ends the 8-verse hymn called śrī gurvaṣṭakaṁ
composed by Śrī Adi Śańkarācārya

Text 5
manaścenna lagnaṁ guroraṅghripadme
tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kiṁ tataḥ kim

If your mind does not bow at the Teacher’s feet
than what is the use? what is the use? and what is the use?