๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐๐๐๐ฐ๐๐ช๐พ๐ฆ๐๐๐พ ๐ธ๐๐ค๐๐ค๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐
Guru Paduka Stotram in Grantha ยท ๐๐๐ฐ๐จ๐๐ฅ
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Origin & Story
Composed by Adi Shankaracharya; preserved in the Advaita and stotra tradition ยท Adi Shankaracharya (8th century CE) ยท 8th century CE
By tradition, the young Shankara journeyed to the banks of the Narmada in search of a master and found the cave of Govinda Bhagavatpada, disciple of Gaudapada. Beholding the padukas (sandals) of his Guru, his heart overflowed and he poured out this hymn in their praise. Through nine cascading verses he glorifies the Guru's sandals as the boat across the endless ocean of samsara, the sun that scatters the darkness of sin, the Garuda that destroys the serpents of desire, and the giver of discrimination, dispassion, awakening and swift liberation โ making it the supreme hymn of Guru-bhakti in the Advaita tradition.
โฆ As told in scripture
The third verse declares the power of the Guru's grace in vivid terms โ that those who bow to the padukas, even the poorest, swiftly become lords of fortune, and the very mute attain the eloquence of Brihaspati. Devotees of the Shankara tradition relate that sincere surrender at the Guru's padukas has turned the dull-witted into illumined teachers, a living testimony to the hymn's promise that the Guru's sandals 'grant awakening and bestow liberation swiftly'.
Complete Text with Meaning
Tap any line โ or the โถ button โ to hear it recited
๐ ๐จ๐จ๐๐ค๐ธ๐๐ธ๐พ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฎ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฐ๐ค๐พ๐ฐ-๐จ๐๐๐พ๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ค๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ ๐๐๐ฐ๐๐ญ๐๐๐ค๐ฟ๐ฆ๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ฎ๐เฅค ๐ต๐๐ฐ๐พ๐๐๐ฏ๐ธ๐พ๐ฎ๐๐ฐ๐พ๐๐๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ช๐๐๐จ๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐๐๐๐ฐ๐๐ช๐พ๐ฆ๐๐๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ฎ๐เฅฅเฏงเฅฅ
Ananta-samsaara-samudra-taara-naukaayitaabhyaam Guru-bhakti-daabhyaam Vairaagya-saamraajyada-poojanaabhyaam Namo Namah Shree-guru-paadukaabhyaam (1)
Meaning:Salutations again and again to the holy sandals (padukas) of the Guru โ which serve as a boat to ferry us across the boundless ocean of worldly existence, which bestow devotion to the Guru, and the worship of which grants the very sovereignty of dispassion.
๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ค๐๐ต๐ต๐พ๐ฐ๐พ๐ถ๐ฟ๐จ๐ฟ๐ถ๐พ๐๐ฐ๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฐ๐๐ญ๐พ๐๐๐ฏ๐ฆ๐พ๐ต๐พ๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐๐ฆ๐ฎ๐พ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ฎ๐เฅค ๐ฆ๐๐ฐ๐๐๐๐ค๐พ๐จ๐ฎ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ฟ๐ช๐ค๐๐ค๐ฟ๐ค๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐๐๐๐ฐ๐๐ช๐พ๐ฆ๐๐๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ฎ๐เฅฅเฏจเฅฅ
Kavitva-vaaraashi-nishaakaraabhyaam Daurbhaagya-daavaambuda-maalikaabhyaam Dooreekrita-anamra-vipattitaabhyaam Namo Namah Shree-guru-paadukaabhyaam (2)
Meaning:Salutations to the Guru's sandals โ which are as the moon raising the tide in the ocean of poetic genius, which are as a bank of rain-clouds quenching the wildfire of misfortune, which drive far away the calamities of those who bow to them.
๐จ๐ค๐พ ๐ฏ๐ฏ๐๐ ๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐๐ช๐ค๐ฟ๐ค๐พ๐ ๐ธ๐ฎ๐๐ฏ๐๐ ๐๐ฆ๐พ๐๐ฟ๐ฆ๐ช๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ถ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฆ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ฐ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐เฅค ๐ฎ๐๐๐พ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ต๐พ๐๐ธ๐๐ช๐ค๐ฟ๐ค๐พ๐ ๐น๐ฟ ๐ค๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐๐๐๐ฐ๐๐ช๐พ๐ฆ๐๐๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ฎ๐เฅฅเฏฉเฅฅ
Nataa Yayoh Shree-patitaam Sameeyuh Kadaachid-apy-aashu Daridra-varyaah Mookaash-cha Vaachaspatitaam Hi Taabhyaam Namo Namah Shree-guru-paadukaabhyaam (3)
Meaning:Salutations to the sandals โ bowing to which, even the poorest of the poor swiftly attain the state of lords of fortune, and even the mute attain the eloquence of Brihaspati, the lord of speech.
๐จ๐พ๐ฒ๐๐๐จ๐๐๐พ๐ถ๐ช๐ฆ๐พ๐น๐๐ค๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ ๐จ๐พ๐จ๐พ๐ต๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐น๐พ๐ฆ๐ฟ๐จ๐ฟ๐ต๐พ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ฎ๐เฅค ๐จ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐จ๐พ๐ญ๐๐ท๐๐๐ค๐ค๐ฟ๐ช๐๐ฐ๐ฆ๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐๐๐๐ฐ๐๐ช๐พ๐ฆ๐๐๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ฎ๐เฅฅเฏชเฅฅ
Naaleeka-neekaasha-pada-aahritaabhyaam Naanaa-vimoha-aadi-nivaarikaabhyaam Namaj-jana-abheeshta-tati-pradaabhyaam Namo Namah Shree-guru-paadukaabhyaam (4)
Meaning:Salutations to the sandals โ which are charming as lotuses and so draw the heart, which ward off the manifold delusions, and which fulfil all the desires of those who bow before them.
๐จ๐๐ช๐พ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ต๐๐ฐ๐๐ฐ๐ค๐๐จ๐๐พ๐จ๐๐ค๐ฟ-๐ธ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฆ๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ฐ๐พ๐๐๐๐๐ท๐๐จ๐๐ฏ๐๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ฎ๐เฅค ๐จ๐๐ช๐ค๐๐ต๐ฆ๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ ๐จ๐ค๐ฒ๐๐๐ช๐๐๐๐๐ค๐๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐๐๐๐ฐ๐๐ช๐พ๐ฆ๐๐๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ฎ๐เฅฅเฏซเฅฅ
Nripaali-mauli-vraja-ratna-kaanti-sarid-viraajaj-jhasha-kanyakaabhyaam Nripatva-daabhyaam Nata-loka-pankteh Namo Namah Shree-guru-paadukaabhyaam (5)
Meaning:Salutations to the sandals โ which shine like the radiant maiden of the river, lit by the lustre of the gem-studded crowns of the rows of bowing kings, and which confer kingship upon the rows of devotees who bow down.
๐ช๐พ๐ช๐พ๐จ๐๐ง๐๐พ๐ฐ๐พ๐ฐ๐๐๐ช๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ช๐ฐ๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ ๐ค๐พ๐ช๐ค๐๐ฐ๐ฏ๐พ๐น๐๐จ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฐ๐๐๐๐ถ๐๐ต๐ฐ๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ฎ๐เฅค ๐๐พ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ฟ๐ธ๐๐ถ๐๐ท๐ฃ๐ต๐พ๐ก๐ต๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐๐๐๐ฐ๐๐ช๐พ๐ฆ๐๐๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ฎ๐เฅฅเฏฌเฅฅ
Paapaandhakaara-arka-paramparaabhyaam Taapa-traya-aaheendra-khageshvaraabhyaam Jaadya-abdhi-samshoshana-vaadavaabhyaam Namo Namah Shree-guru-paadukaabhyaam (6)
Meaning:Salutations to the sandals โ which are like a succession of suns dispelling the darkness of sin, which are as Garuda to the serpent-king of the three afflictions, and which are as the submarine fire that dries up the ocean of dullness and ignorance.
๐ถ๐ฎ๐พ๐ฆ๐ฟ๐ท๐๐๐๐ช๐๐ฐ๐ฆ๐ต๐๐ญ๐ต๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ ๐ธ๐ฎ๐พ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฆ๐พ๐จ๐ต๐๐ฐ๐ค๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ท๐ฟ๐ค๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ฎ๐เฅค ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐พ๐ง๐ต๐พ๐๐๐๐๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ธ๐๐ฅ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ญ๐๐๐ค๐ฟ๐ฆ๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐๐๐๐ฐ๐๐ช๐พ๐ฆ๐๐๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ฎ๐เฅฅเฏญเฅฅ
Shamaadi-shatka-prada-vaibhavaabhyaam Samaadhi-daana-vrata-deekshitaabhyaam Ramaadhava-anghri-sthira-bhakti-daabhyaam Namo Namah Shree-guru-paadukaabhyaam (7)
Meaning:Salutations to the sandals โ whose glory bestows the six virtues beginning with inner calm, which are consecrated to the vow of granting samadhi, and which give unwavering devotion to the feet of Lord Vishnu.
๐ธ๐๐ต๐พ๐ฐ๐๐๐พ๐ช๐ฐ๐พ๐ฃ๐พ๐ฎ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ท๐๐๐ฆ๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ ๐ธ๐๐ต๐พ๐น๐พ๐ธ๐น๐พ๐ฏ๐พ๐๐๐ท๐ง๐๐ฐ๐จ๐๐ง๐ฐ๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ฎ๐เฅค ๐ธ๐๐ต๐พ๐จ๐๐ค๐พ๐๐๐๐ญ๐พ๐ต๐ช๐๐ฐ๐ฆ๐ช๐๐๐จ๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐๐๐๐ฐ๐๐ช๐พ๐ฆ๐๐๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ฎ๐เฅฅเฏฎเฅฅ
Svaarchaa-paraanaam Akhila-ishta-daabhyaam Svaahaa-sahaaya-aksha-dhurandharaabhyaam Svaanta-achchha-bhaava-prada-poojanaabhyaam Namo Namah Shree-guru-paadukaabhyaam (8)
Meaning:Salutations to the sandals โ which grant all desired blessings to those devoted to their worship, which uphold the burden (of the world) with the help of sacred offering, and the worship of which bestows a pure and serene heart.
๐๐พ๐ฎ๐พ๐ฆ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ฐ๐๐ช๐ต๐๐ฐ๐๐๐พ๐ฐ๐๐ก๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ ๐ต๐ฟ๐ต๐๐๐ต๐๐ฐ๐พ๐๐๐ฏ๐จ๐ฟ๐ง๐ฟ๐ช๐๐ฐ๐ฆ๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ฎ๐เฅค ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ช๐๐ฐ๐ฆ๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ค๐ฎ๐๐๐๐ท๐ฆ๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐๐๐๐ฐ๐๐ช๐พ๐ฆ๐๐๐พ๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐พ๐ฎ๐เฅฅเฏฏเฅฅ
Kaamaadi-sarpa-vraja-gaarudaabhyaam Viveka-vairaagya-nidhi-pradaabhyaam Bodha-pradaabhyaam Drita-moksha-daabhyaam Namo Namah Shree-guru-paadukaabhyaam (9)
Meaning:Salutations to the sandals โ which are as Garuda to the host of serpents of desire and the rest, which grant the treasure of discrimination and dispassion, which bestow spiritual awakening and grant liberation swiftly.
Word-by-Word Meaning
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Benefits of Chanting Guru Paduka Stotram
Deepens Guru-bhakti โ devotion and surrender to the spiritual master
Carries the devotee across the ocean of samsara toward liberation (moksha)
Destroys misfortune, the three afflictions (tapa-traya) and the darkness of sin
Bestows discrimination (viveka), dispassion (vairagya) and the sixfold virtues
Said to grant eloquence to the mute and prosperity to the poor (as in verse 3)
Kindles spiritual awakening (bodha) and steadfast devotion to the Lord
Especially auspicious on Guru Purnima and Thursdays, the day of the Guru
How to Chant Guru Paduka Stotram
Sit facing east or before the image or padukas (sandals) of your Guru. After a bath, light a lamp and offer flowers at the Guru's feet or padukas. Recite the nine verses with heartfelt devotion, dwelling on the meaning of each, and sound the refrain 'Namo Namah Shri Guru Padukabhyam' at the close of every verse. Daily recitation, and especially on Guru Purnima and Thursdays, deepens the bond with the Guru and the flow of grace.
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