From the Guru Gita

One of our favourite chants that we usually indulge in when we have our Mrityunjaya sessions is the Guru Sotram - or Verses on the Guru.

You can find this with my translation here.

Some of hese verses actually from Sri Guru Gita, one of the many Gitas that accompanies the famous one, such as Ashtavakra Gita, Avadhoota Gita.

Sri Guru Gita is in itself quite delightful. Some of the verses of Guru Gita come from verses 67 to 76 (at least in the version I have!). What we know as the first vers (Akhanda mandala kharam) is verse 67.

The premise of Guru Gita is that Parvati has asked Siva, seated on mount Kailas: Tell me by which path a human being can become one with the Absolute. Shivas reply is: The Absolute is no different from the Guru.

Shiva then goes on to expound the glories of the guru. In verse 66, He says: I will now tell you the theme on which one should always contemplate. The next few verses contain several from Guru Stotram.

Some other verses are not oresent in Guru Stotram, but are just as beautiful. Here are a few:

83. Guroh kripaa prasaadena
        Brahma Vishnu Sdaashivaaha
      Samarthaah prabhvaadau cha
         kevalam Gurusevayaa 

Even Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva acquired their cosmic potencies by the Guru's Grace. They attained all power only through service to the Guru.

35. Tvam pitaa tvam cha me maataa
          tvam bandhustvam cha devataa
      Samsaara pratibodhaartham
          tasmai shree Gurave namaha 

You are my father, my mother, you are my family, you are my God. Salutations to the Guru, imparter of true knowledge.

43. Yadanghri kamala dvamdvam
           damdva taapa nivaarakam
      Taarakam sarvada apadabhyah
           Sree Gurum pranamaamyaham
Salutations to the Guru whose lotus feet eradicate the anguish of all dualities and help us to cross all misfortunes and calamities.

And os it goes on.

I've got these transaltions from a littel edition of Guru Gita that acquired some years ago from t'internet, transalted by Dr V. V. B. Rama Rao, and published by Richa Prakashan.

You can buy it here for a very small sum.