Gurvashtakam

Gurvashtakam is a celebrated eight-verse hymn attributed to Sri Adi Shankaracharya. Its refrain, tatah kim ("what then?"), rings through every stanza: beauty, wealth, learning, fame, power, and pleasure are repeatedly weighed against one question. Is the mind anchored at the lotus feet of the Guru?

The poem is direct Advaita bhakti. It does not reject the world with contempt, but exposes what happens when the ultimate refuge is misplaced. The Guru here is not merely a personality; he is the visible sign of grace through whom the disciple learns to turn inward toward the Self.

Tradition places this hymn among the core guru-stotras recited on Guru Purnima and during guru-puja. The eighth verse is often read as phala shruti, promising Brahman to one whose mind rests on the Guru's words. This edition follows the standard eight-verse recension with curated editorial focus notes for each verse.