Guru Paduka Stotram
गुरु पादुक स्तोत्रम्
Guru Pāduka Stotram
All 9 verses
Verse 1
अनन्तसंसारसमुद्रतार- नौकायिताभ्यां गुरुभक्तिदाभ्याम् । वैराग्यसाम्राज्यदपूजनाभ्यां नमो नमः श्रीगुरुपादुकाभ्याम् ॥१॥
Study note
Editorial Advaita reflection
Study note
Editorial Advaita reflection
Word breakdown
- अनन्तसंसारसमुद्रतार-
- As a boat across the endless ocean of samsara,
- नौकायिताभ्यां गुरुभक्तिदाभ्याम् ।
- and as givers of devotion to the Guru.
- वैराग्यसाम्राज्यदपूजनाभ्यां
- As bestowers of worship of the empire of dispassion,
- नमो नमः श्रीगुरुपादुकाभ्याम् ॥१॥
- salutations, salutations to the blessed sandals of the Guru.
The Guru's sandals as boat across samsara are the teaching that carries the disciple when self-effort alone cannot swim the sea. Devotion and dispassion received at the feet of the teacher unite in the one path to the Self.
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Verse 2
कवित्ववाराशिनिशाकराभ्यां दौर्भाग्यदावाम्बुदमालिकाभ्याम् । दूरीकृतानम्रविपत्तिताभ्यां नमो नमः श्रीगुरुपादुकाभ्याम् ॥२॥
Study note
Editorial Advaita reflection
Study note
Editorial Advaita reflection
Word breakdown
- कवित्ववाराशिनिशाकराभ्यां
- Moon to the ocean of poetry,
- दौर्भाग्यदावाम्बुदमालिकाभ्याम् ।
- garland of rainclouds to the desert-fire of misfortune,
- दूरीकृतानम्रविपत्तिताभ्यां
- removers of the humiliation of calamity,
- नमो नमः श्रीगुरुपादुकाभ्याम् ॥२॥
- salutations, salutations to the blessed sandals of the Guru.
Poetry and fortune are secondary gifts; the deeper boon is release from the burning sense of personal disaster. The sandals that cool misfortune's fire point to the Guru as the one who reveals that suffering rests on a mistaken identity.
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Verse 3
नता ययोः श्रीपतितां समीयुः कदाचिदप्याशु दरिद्रवर्याः । मूकाश्च वाचस्पतितां हि ताभ्यां नमो नमः श्रीगुरुपादुकाभ्याम् ॥३॥
Study note
Editorial Advaita reflection
Study note
Editorial Advaita reflection
Word breakdown
- नता ययोः श्रीपतितां समीयुः
- Those who bow to whom quickly attain the fortune of Sri's lord,
- कदाचिदप्याशु दरिद्रवर्याः ।
- even the poorest of the poor, at some time.
- मूकाश्च वाचस्पतितां हि ताभ्यां
- And the mute too gain the eloquence of Brihaspati through them.
- नमो नमः श्रीगुरुपादुकाभ्याम् ॥३॥
- Salutations, salutations to the blessed sandals of the Guru.
Bow to the Guru's feet and even the destitute and mute may find wealth and speech, for the true wealth is knowledge of the Self. Outer gifts mirror the inner awakening that turns silence into the word of wisdom.
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Verse 4
नालीकनीकाशपदाहृताभ्यां नानाविमोहादिनिवारिकाभ्याम् । नमज्जनाभीष्टततिप्रदाभ्यां नमो नमः श्रीगुरुपादुकाभ्याम् ॥४॥
Study note
Editorial Advaita reflection
Study note
Editorial Advaita reflection
Word breakdown
- नालीकनीकाशपदाहृताभ्यां
- Lotus-like, whose feet are held in reverence,
- नानाविमोहादिनिवारिकाभ्याम् ।
- warding off various delusions and the like,
- नमज्जनाभीष्टततिप्रदाभ्यां
- granting abundantly the desires of people who bow,
- नमो नमः श्रीगुरुपादुकाभ्याम् ॥४॥
- salutations, salutations to the blessed sandals of the Guru.
Lotus feet that remove delusion fulfil true desire by showing what is worth wanting. The disciple who bows learns that the highest gift is freedom from confusion about the real and the unreal.
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Verse 5
नृपालिमौलिव्रजरत्नकान्ति- सरिद्विराजज्झषकन्यकाभ्याम् । नृपत्वदाभ्यां नतलोकपङ्क्तेः नमो नमः श्रीगुरुपादुकाभ्याम् ॥५॥
Study note
Editorial Advaita reflection
Study note
Editorial Advaita reflection
Word breakdown
- नृपालिमौलिव्रजरत्नकान्ति-
- Shining like a river-fish maiden lit by the jewel-splendour of hosts of royal crowns,
- सरिद्विराजज्झषकन्यकाभ्याम् ।
- like fish-maids radiant on the river.
- नृपत्वदाभ्यां नतलोकपङ्क्तेः
- Bestowing kingship on the ranks of those who bow.
- नमो नमः श्रीगुरुपादुकाभ्याम् ॥५॥
- Salutations, salutations to the blessed sandals of the Guru.
Kingship conferred by the sandals is the sovereignty of the Self over the mind, greater than any earthly throne. Radiance borrowed from every crown points to the one light that makes all glory possible.
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Verse 6
पापान्धकारार्कपरम्पराभ्यां तापत्रयाहीन्द्रखगेश्वराभ्याम् । जाड्याब्धिसंशोषणवाडवाभ्याम् नमो नमः श्रीगुरुपादुकाभ्याम् ॥६॥
Study note
Editorial Advaita reflection
Study note
Editorial Advaita reflection
Word breakdown
- पापान्धकारार्कपरम्पराभ्यां
- Sun-series dispelling the darkness of sin,
- तापत्रयाहीन्द्रखगेश्वराभ्याम् ।
- Garuda-lord to the threefold afflictions,
- जाड्याब्धिसंशोषणवाडवाभ्याम्
- fire drying the ocean of dullness,
- नमो नमः श्रीगुरुपादुकाभ्याम् ॥६॥
- salutations, salutations to the blessed sandals of the Guru.
Sin's darkness, the three afflictions, and spiritual sloth are obstacles to knowing the Self; the Guru's feet act as sun, Garuda, and fire. Each image names a power of teaching that burns through ignorance until clarity remains.
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Verse 7
शमादिषट्कप्रदवैभवाभ्यां समाधिदानव्रतदीक्षिताभ्याम् । रमाधवाङ्घ्रिस्थिरभक्तिदाभ्यां नमो नमः श्रीगुरुपादुकाभ्याम् ॥७॥
Study note
Editorial Advaita reflection
Study note
Editorial Advaita reflection
Word breakdown
- शमादिषट्कप्रदवैभवाभ्यां
- Whose glory bestows the six virtues beginning with shama,
- समाधिदानव्रतदीक्षिताभ्याम् ।
- initiated in the vow of granting samadhi,
- रमाधवाङ्घ्रिस्थिरभक्तिदाभ्यां
- givers of steady devotion to the feet of Rama's lord.
- नमो नमः श्रीगुरुपादुकाभ्याम् ॥७॥
- Salutations, salutations to the blessed sandals of the Guru.
The sixfold discipline and samadhi flow from the Guru who steadies devotion to the Lord. In Advaita, steady bhakti at Vishnu's feet and the ripeness for knowledge are one path seen from two sides.
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Verse 8
स्वार्चापराणामखिलेष्टदाभ्यां स्वाहासहायाक्षधुरन्धराभ्याम् । स्वान्ताच्छभावप्रदपूजनाभ्याम् नमो नमः श्रीगुरुपादुकाभ्याम् ॥८॥
Study note
Editorial Advaita reflection
Study note
Editorial Advaita reflection
Word breakdown
- स्वार्चापराणामखिलेष्टदाभ्यां
- Granting all desires to those devoted to their own worship,
- स्वाहासहायाक्षधुरन्धराभ्याम् ।
- bearing the burden of the sacrificial call on behalf of Svaha,
- स्वान्ताच्छभावप्रदपूजनाभ्याम्
- whose worship bestows purity of heart.
- नमो नमः श्रीगुरुपादुकाभ्याम् ॥८॥
- Salutations, salutations to the blessed sandals of the Guru.
Worship that purifies the heart fulfils every true desire by aligning the seeker with the Self. The Guru who upholds the sacred offering teaches that outer ritual gains power only when the inner shrine is clean.
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Verse 9
कामादिसर्पव्रजगारुडाभ्यां विवेकवैराग्यनिधिप्रदाभ्याम् । बोधप्रदाभ्यां दृतमोक्षदाभ्यां नमो नमः श्रीगुरुपादुकाभ्याम् ॥९॥
Study note
Editorial Advaita reflection
Study note
Editorial Advaita reflection
Word breakdown
- कामादिसर्पव्रजगारुडाभ्यां
- Garuda to the host of serpents beginning with desire,
- विवेकवैराग्यनिधिप्रदाभ्याम् ।
- bestowers of the treasure of discrimination and dispassion,
- बोधप्रदाभ्यां दृतमोक्षदाभ्यां
- givers of awakening and swift liberation,
- नमो नमः श्रीगुरुपादुकाभ्याम् ॥९॥
- salutations, salutations to the blessed sandals of the Guru.
Desire's serpents are overcome by the Garuda of the Guru's grace, which grants discrimination, knowledge, and moksha. The final verse gathers the hymn's aim: not worldly gain but the swift awakening that reveals the Self.
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