Gurvashtakam - Sanskrit and English text with English translation

Gurvashtakam

Hi!!!   I'm Bhargav.S.S presently doing B.Tech from NITK(National Institute of Technology , Karnataka), Surathkal.  I'm sharing with you, one of my favourite shlokas with meanings in English.

Gurvashtakam = Guru+ Ashtakam
   Guru = teacher ; Ashtakam - Hymn with 8 verses
This is composed by Shri Adi Shankaracharya in praise of the guru.
I have translated the shlokas word by word into English , with whatever little knowledge of Sanskrit I have. Hope you'll like it !

शरीरं सुरूपं तथा वा कलत्रं यशश्र्चारु चित्रं धनं मेरुतुल्यं
मनश्र्चेन लग्नं गुरोरङ्घ्रिपद्मे ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ||1||

Shareeram suroopam tatha va kalatram
Yashas charu chitram dhanam meru thulyam
Manaschet na lagnam guroranghripadme
Tatah kim tatah kim tatah kim tatah kim

Shareeram = body

Suroopam = beautiful/handsome

tatha = Likewise

Kalatram = wife

Yashas = fame

Charu = esteemed 

Chitram = bright and distinguished ( in this context , chitram means picture usually                                                                           but here it's different)

Dhanam = money

Meru = Mount Meru(considered to be the center of all the physical, metphysical and spiritual universes)

Thulyam = comparable

(This part repeats in every Shloka ,hence will not be given again further)

Manaschet = Manaha + Chet

Manaha = mind

Chet = if

na = no/not

Lagnam = adhering to 

Guroranghripadme  = Guru's lotus feet

Tatah = then

Kim = what ?

You may have a handsome body,  a beautiful wife, a renowned reputation and riches as high as Mount Meru...

   But, if your mind is not attached to the lotus feet of your Guru, what is the 

use? What is the use? What is the use? What is the use?

कलत्रं धनं पुत्रपौत्रादि सर्वं गृहं बान्धवाः सर्वमेतद्धि जातम्
मनश्र्चेन लग्नं गुरोरङ्घ्रिपद्मे ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ||2||

Kalatram dhanam putra pautraadi sarvam
Gruham baandhavah sarvametaddhi jaatam
Manaschet na lagnam guroranghri padme
Tatah kim tatah kim tatah kim tatah kim

Kalatram = wife

Dhanam = money

Putrapautraadi = sons, grandsons, etc 

Sarvam = everything

Gruham = home

Baandhavah = relatives 

Sarvametaddhi jaatam = all born in great family

You may have wife, wealth, children, grandchildren , house , relatives and are born in great family...

   But, if your mind is not attached to the lotus feet of your Guru, what is the 

use? What is the use? What is the use? What is the use?

षडङ्गादिवेदो मुखे शास्त्रविद्या कवित्वादि गद्यं सुपद्यं करोति
मनश्र्चेन लग्नं गुरोरङ्घ्रिपद्मे ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ||3||

Shadangaadi vedo mukhe shaastra vidya
Kavitvaadi gadyam supadyam karothi
Manaschet na lagnam guroranghri padme
Tatah kim tatah kim tatah kim tatah kim

Shadangaadi = six limbs 
Vedo = in Vedas
Mukhe = mouth(refers to face but in this context mouth is the most appropriate meaning)
Shaastra = sciences
Vidya = Knowledge
Kavitvaadi = literary
Gadyam = Prose
Supadyam = good poetry
Karothi = do/compose  

The Vedas with their six limbs and the knowledge of all sciences may be on your lips; you may have great literary command and can compose fine prose and poetry...
    But, if your mind is not attached to the lotus feet of your Guru, what is the 

use? What is the use? What is the use? What is the use?

विदेशेषु मान्यः स्वदेशेषु धन्यः सदाचारवृत्तेषु मत्तो न चान्यः
मनश्र्चेन लग्नं गुरोरङ्घ्रिपद्मे ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ||4||
Videsheshu maanyah swadesheshu dhanyah
Sadaachaara vritteshu matto na cha anyah
Manaschet na lagnam guroranghri padme
Tatah kim tatah kim tatah kim tatah kim

Videsheshu = In other countries
Maanyah = honor 
Swadesheshu = In homeland
Dhanyah = prosperous
Sadaachaara = righteous conduct
Vritteshu = in circles (here it means in whole globe)
Matto = after me
Na = no
Cha = and
Anyah = anyone else 

You may be honored in foreign lands, prosperous in your homeland ; there might not be anyone else in this world who surpasses you in good conduct...
      But, if your mind is not attached to the lotus feet of your Guru, what is the 

use? What is the use? What is the use? What is the use?

क्षमामण्डले भूपभूपालवृन्दैः सदासेवितं यस्य पादारविन्दं
मनश्र्चेन लग्नं गुरोरङ्घ्रिपद्मे ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ||5||
Kshama mandale bhoopa bhoopala vrindaih
Sadaa sevitam yasya paadaaravindam
Manaschet na lagnam guror angri padme
Tatah kim tatah kim tatah kim tatah kim

Kshama  mandale = In the land of forgiveness i.e., earth 
Bhoopa bhoopala vrindaih = by groups of kings and emperors 
Sadaa = always
Sevitam = served 
Yasya = whose 
Paadaaravindam = feet 

Kings and emperors of the whole earth might always attend and serve at your feet...
      But, if your mind is not attached to the lotus feet of your Guru, what is the 
use? What is the use? What is the use? What is the use?


यशो मे गतं दिक्षु दानप्रतापा जगद्वस्तु सर्वं करे यत्प्रसादात्मनश्र्चेन लग्नं गुरोरङ्घ्रिपद्मे ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ||6|| 
Yasho me gatham dikshu daana prataapaath
Jagat vasthu sarvam kare yad prasaadaath
Manaschet na lagnam guroranghri padme
Tatah kim tatah kim tatah kim tatah kim

Yasho = fame
Me = my
Gatham = spread
Dikshu = in all directions
Daana = charity/generosity
Prataapaath = by heroism 
Jagat = world
Vasthu = things
Sarvam = everything
Kare = in hands
Yad = which
Prasaadaath = by rewards for deeds

You may think ," My fame has spread in all directions because of my generosity; I possess all the things of this world in my hands as rewards for my good deeds..."
    But, if your mind is not attached to the lotus feet of your Guru, what is the 
use? What is the use? What is the use? What is the use?


न भोगे न योगे न वा वाजिराजौ न कान्तामुखे नैव वित्तेषु चित्तंमनश्र्चेन लग्नं गुरोरङ्घ्रिपद्मे ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ||7|| 
Na bhoge na yoge na vaa vaajiraajau
Na kaantha mukhe naiva vittheshu chittam
Manaschet na lagnam guroranghri padme
Tatah kim tatah kim tatah kim tatah kim

Na bhoge = Not in worldly pleasures
Na yoge = not in deep concentration(in this context)
vaa = or
Na vaajiraajau = not in sense objects
Na Kaantha mukhe = not in the face of the beloved 
Naiva(Na+Eva) Vitteshu = not in wealth certainly 
Chittam = mind

Your mind may not be attached to wordly pleasures, deep concentration(yogic practices) , sense objects, your beloved's face , or certainly not even in wealth(i.e., you may have developed renunciation)... 
    But, if your mind is not attached to the lotus feet of your Guru, what is the 
use? What is the use? What is the use? What is the use?

अरण्ये न वा स्वस्य गेहे न कार्ये न देहे मनो वर्तते मे त्वनर्घ्ये
मनश्र्चेन लग्नं गुरोरङ्घ्रिपद्मे ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ||8||

Aranye na va svasya gehe na kaarye
Na dehe mano varthathe me tvanarghye
Manaschet na lagnam guroranghri padme
Tatah kim tatah kim tatah kim tatah kim

Na aranye = not in forest
va = or
na svasya gehe = not in own house
na kaarye = not in actions(achievements/accomplishments)
na dehe = not in body
mano = mind
varthathe = stays/dwells 
me = my
na tvanarghye = not in invaluable objects

You may think," My mind doesn't dwell in the forest , or in my house, or in my achievements or accomplishments, nor in my body or in any other invaluable object...  "
     But, if your mind is still not attached to the lotus feet of your Guru, what is the use? What is the use? What is the use? What is the use?


PHALASTUTHI (Benefits of reciting this shloka )

गुरोरष्टकं यः पठेत्पुण्यदेही यतिर्भूपतिर्ब्रह्मचारी च गेही
लभेद्धाञ्छितार्थं पदं ब्रह्मसंज्ञं गुरोरुक्तवाक्ये मनो यस्य लग्नं ||
Gurorastakam yah pateth punyadehi
Yathirbhoopathir brahmachaari cha gehi
Labheth vaanchitaartham padam brahmasamjnam 

Guroruktavaakyam mano yasya lagnam

 Whoever reads, studies and recites this collection of eight verses on Guru and remains devoted and attentive to the sayings of the Guru, he, no matter if he is a holy person, ascetic, king, neophyte, or householder, attains his coveted object, namely the supreme abode of Brahman, the unassailable seat of immortality.