Guru Gita

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Text of the Guru Gita in PDF format:

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The recitation of the Guru Gita is one of the central practices at the Hard Light Center of Awakening for this simple reason… as Mark Griffin says: “I am teaching you this about the Guru because I believe it’s your best chance for Awakening in this lifetime”.

The Guru Gita is the core section of 352 sutras in the latter portion of the ancient Indian text known as the Skanda Purana. Gita means song, and indeed these sutras are a song in praise of the Guru, and in recognition of the power of contemplating the Guru’s nature, especially through the vehicle of the repetition of these verses.

Mark Griffin, the founder of the Hard Light Center of Awakening, has selected 108 of these verses for the use of serious seekers – those who are sincerely interested in spiritual training. This fresh, original translation from the Sanskrit is specifically designed for the contemporary seeker. These 108 verses focus on the universal nature of the Guru. When the word Guru is used here, it is known to be more than an individual person. Rather, it is a universal principle, a catalyst for enlightenment like no other. It is referred to in the text as the Guru Tattva; tattva translating as principle.

Introduction by Mark Griffin

I’d like to talk about the text of the Guru Gita. When you go to India you see that there is an incredible tradition of spiritual training. We have very little of that tradition here in the West. Baba Muktananda’s mission to the West, which was conceived of by his Guru Bhagawan Nityananda, began a process of what I have referred to in the past as “Shaktipat on sight”. In the past, the contact and impact between Guru and disciple was very much shrouded in secrecy. You entered a very secret kind of life when you came under the grace of a Siddha Guru. I believe that out of necessity, the spiritual hierarchy realized that this entire project of human awakening needed to be carried to a more aggressive level.

It was Bhagawan Nityananda, a being of unsurpassed authority in the spiritual hierarchy, who I feel was the manager on this project and put the conditions in place for the thunderbolt of awakening to move out of the relative secrecy that enshrouded it in India. Bhagawan Nityananda gave rise to the permission blessing and empowered Muktananda to come to the West and give Shaktipat on sight.In other words, no background in spiritual training was required – all you had to do was meet him and want to be awakened. It’s unbelievable to say those words and know them to be true.

Muktananda was an extraordinarily powerful Siddha and a profound Master. He was a true Sadguru. There was also a side to him that was incredibly pragmatic. He realized that most of the people with whom he came into contact didn’t have even the slightest idea what they were getting involved in – just like you. Most of you don’t have the slightest idea what you’re involved in. I see that all the time. So, faced with the idea of striking anybody with the thunderbolt, even those who had no background, Muktananda hit upon the idea of the recitation of the Shri Guru Gita every morning. It is an unbelievably profound text and you simply recite it everyday.

If I were to define my sadhana, I could find no clearer description of the awakening process that I underwent, than the Guru Gita. Step by step, idea by idea, principle by principle, it is an incredibly profound document and it has the ability to make what is very difficult and mysterious, seem available and understandable.

In its essence, the Guru Gita is a diagram of the method by which the awakening process occurs. It describes the transmission of Shaktipat from the Guru to the disciple, which is the entire principle behind the Whispered Lineage. The Siddha Path is known as a Whisper Lineage or a Whisper Tradition. It is not written down and this very mysterious process of awakening of a human being emerges from the impact between the Guru and the disciple. The Guru Gita is essentially a mantra by and of the nature of the Guru. The mechanics of a mantra are such that the name of the mantra, the deity of the mantra, and the power of the mantra are a single thing. Therefore, the Guru Gita is a complete description of the nature of the Guru, how the Guru operates and the mysterious method by which any person can come into contact with the Guru and receive the force of the transmission.

Again, the principle is contact. The bringing together of the Guru and the disciple produces the effect of awakening. This Shaktipat transmission is authorized by Shiva himself, and so carries his full authority. Shiva is the Lord of the Guru Shakti. In this world system, at this particular time and place, he is the ruling force. The nature of Shiva is one of centrifugal dispersion, a very wrathful spinning away and decompression of all qualities into emptiness. That’s why they say that Shiva is the fast path.

By comparison, the principle of God that is known as Vishnu is one of universal cohesion, with all qualities being brought together into an infinite compression. In previous times we’ve heard about human beings who lived incredible long life spans when the process of awakening quite literally took centuries. This was when the ruling force was Vishnu driven. Vishnu, who is said to be the true face of God, is now fourteen of sixteen parts Shiva, so it’s a Shiva dominating Vishnu principle that’s active right now in our world system.

Baba was a Siddha and a Shiva Guru. That’s always a code. If a Guru is described as a Siddha, it means they’re outside a tradition, and spontaneously arise as enlightenment. They are the manifestation of a Whisper Lineage or a Whisper Tradition, and engage in the direct transmission from the Guru to the disciple. If a Guru is described as a Shiva Guru, that means that the path is the shortest possible way, because all qualities are dispersed instantaneously. If a Guru is described as a Siddha AND a Shiva Guru, it is code for the swiftest way one can move through the process of awakening. All of those principles are present here in Hard Light and it is how Hard Light operates.

It is extremely auspicious that the Guru Gita has emerged and is now becoming a part of the margena, the pathway of awakening here in Hard Light. The practice around Baba was very simple. Do the mantra, love God, welcome people. Simple. The practice here in Hard Light is also very simple – we do pretty much the same. Awareness of the SoHam. Constant exposure to the Kundalini. Come and see the teacher as frequently as you can. And out of that process, the awakening emerges. But I also now want to add the daily recitation of the Guru Gita.

I think it’s important that the Guru Gita be recited in English, because that’s our main language and more than anything, it’s essential that the meaning be understood. Baba started operating inside America in 1974 and an English version of the Gita was present as a subtext, but it was principally recited in Sanskrit. In the Hard Light recitation we focus on the English translation, because the power emerges from clearly understanding the meaning.

There is something about the way we are as people, as human beings, that even the most important truths can be easily forgotten. We’re faced with so much every day and we get rubbed very thin sometimes by the intensity of the maya. As a student of Hard Light, you’re always being reminded to hold to your discipline and plunge inward. Now you can use the recitation of the Guru Gita as a supremely powerful tool that provides an opportunity for the Guru to speak directly to you. You can see and feel how powerful it is to align yourself with the Guru and the Guru Principle, the external Guru of cause and the internal Guru of action, within you and without. It gives you the ability to punch through the proliferating obscurations of kleisha-born afflictive emotion, which is always a very fierce opponent. There are also very specific applications for protection, empowerment, the clearing of obstacles, the renewal of the heart and the purification of body, mind and spirit.

In the recitation of the Guru Gita, you align with the Guru’s force in the deepest way, across the entire spectrum of the expressions of Pinda, Pada, Rupa and Rupatita, as mentioned in verses 74-76. Those words embody principles beyond understanding, and it’s why the Guru is the Guru. Your life is impacted with Pinda, the divine Kundalini Shaktipat; Pada, the SoHam, which is the coming together of the ocean of consciousness and the creation inside your own being; Rupa, the Blue Pearl, the true form of consciousness that is the recognition of the true Self; and Rupatita, emptiness beyond all qualities, the unfoldment of infinite consciousness as the individual and universal identities dissolve into each other and become forever one.

I wanted to introduce Shri Guru Gita on this celebration of Baba Muktananda’s 26th anniversary of his Mahasamadhi. And I want it to become a part of your daily sadhana. It takes just 30 minutes to recite, and you can read the text out loud or silently to yourself. It’s going to be recited everyday at the Hard Light retreat site, Fire Mountain in Nimboli, India.

The impact of the recitation of the Guru Gita acts as a powerful point of alignment with the Vajra Guru principle – that principle of mercy and awakening that is one and the same with God. It brings the full force of the Siddha Lineage into your life. You can be having the usual trials and tribulations and by just sitting down and reciting the Guru Gita, a wash of force will go through you that will bring you clear. This is available to you now through this daily recitation.

October 12, 2008

Lake Arrowhead, CA

Shri Guru Gita for English Recitation

Salutations to the Lord SadaShiva who is the divine source of these mantras.

The Guru, the Supreme Atman, is its deity.

Ham is its seed, Sa is its power and Krom is the anchor that holds the syllables of the mantras together.

I recite the Guru Gita now to draw the Guru’s grace.

1) Knowing that Lord Shiva held the secret of Guru Yoga, the Goddess Parvati bowed to him with reverence on the summit of Mount Kailas and said:

2) O Great Lord, O Ruler of all the worlds, I long to know the path that will lead me to Awakening. Please have compassion on me. Show me the way, O Supreme Teacher of the Universe. I bow to your feet My Lord.

3) Lord Ishvara said: O Beloved, you are my very Self. Your love and devotion draw from me this secret knowledge, inspired by your longing, which is so rare.

4) Here is the secret knowledge that is difficult to attain in the three worlds. Listen to it carefully as I reveal it to you now. The Absolute is the same as the Guru. This is the truth, O beautiful One, this is the truth.

5) The Guru is the same as the Self, the same as Consciousness itself. This is the truth. This is the absolute truth. Those who seek wisdom should make every effort to find their Guru.

6) Let me explain to you how an embodied soul becomes Enlightened. By offering seva at the feet of the Guru and drawing his grace, all obscurations are purified.

7) I shall describe to you a form of meditation that grants boons, generates happiness, and bestows Bhukti, which is worldly fulfillment, and Mukti, which is spiritual awakening. O great Goddess, listen to this teaching with one-pointed concentration.

8) Think of the Guru with every action you perform. If you sprinkle water on your head while remembering the lotus feet of Shri Guru, you obtain the same benefits as bathing in all the places of pilgrimage.

9) Always meditate on the Guru’s form. Sip from the Guru’s water and eat from the food that he has left. Constantly repeat the mantra he has given you.

10)The Guru is the gateway to liberation, like Varanasi, like the Ganges, and the holy banyan tree Akshaya. The Guru is himself Vishveshvara – the Shiva of Varanasi, with the Ganges at his feet. He is the Prayag, the confluence of the three holy rivers at the pilgrimage center of Gaya. Pranam to the Guru again and again.

11) Continually remember the Guru’s form. Repeat his name and follow his command – think of nothing but the Guru.

12) Letting go of all attachment to your social status, your reputation and your comforts – think of nothing but the Guru.

13) If you think of nothing else but Me, you will easily reach the highest state of Realization. Thus, focus one-pointedly on merging with the Guru.

14) The word Guru is composed of two sacred syllables. Gu, which represents the darkness and Ru, which represents light. Gu is maya and Ru is the destruction of maya. Gu is the state which is beyond the three gunas, and Ru is emptiness. The Guru is he who gives the experience of darkness melting into light, maya dissolving into clarity and formation revealing wisdom.

15) O Devi, the supreme mantra is indeed the word ‘Guru’, and its two letters gu and ru. The essence of the Smritis and Vedas decree that the Guru is the personification of the Highest Reality.

16) This pure king of mantras is a fire blazing in the mind – burning day and night, it removes the illusion that you are this body, thus freeing you from death itself.

17) There is no truth higher than the Guru Tattva, the Guru principle. Even gods and other celestial beings cannot attain this highest of states. A sadhaka should offer the Guru a seat, a bed, clothing and other things that will please him.

18) Pranam fully to the Guru with complete abandon and let your every action, thought and word be offered to the Guru. Serve the Guru in every way and dedicate your life to him.

19) The Guru knows you inside and out. O Beautiful One, withhold no part of yourself from him, neither that which you think of as pure nor that which you think of as dark and foul – including the germs and worms of your body, and the blood, skin and flesh, all of which are finally reduced to ashes.

20) The most powerful yoga, O Noble One, is not the pranayama with its windy breathing exercises, nor hatha yoga with its challenging and difficult positions – rather, it is the Guru Yoga, the supreme yoga, which grants the spontaneous state, whereby the powerful prana becomes still of its own accord, without effort.

21) I bow to my Guru who rescued those who were sinking in the mire of samsara, the ocean of hell, and were striving for liberation by seeking to climb the tree of life.

22) I bow to the Guru who is Brahma, who is Vishnu, who is Lord Shiva and who is indeed Parabrahman – the Ocean of Consciousness.

23) I bow to my Guru who is Shiva, the prime tattva, the only bridge across the ocean of samsara. As the master of all knowledge, he knows that by which all else is known.

24) I bow to my Guru who opened my eyes, that were blinded by the darkness of ignorance, and revealed to me the light of knowledge.

25) In order to cross over the abyss of samsara, I recognize you as my father, my mother, my brother and my God. I bow to you, my beloved Sadguru.

26) The source of meditation is the Guru’s form.The source of devotion is the Guru’s feet.The source of mantra is the Guru’s word. The source of awakening is the Guru’s grace.

27) I fold my hands and bow to you my Guru, the Ocean of Benevolence, for it is only by your grace that I can be freed from the wheel of cyclic existence.

28) Through the Reality of the Guru there is truth, from the Light of the Guru there is luminosity, through the Bliss of the Guru there is joy. I bow to you, O Sadguru.

29) I bow to my Guru, who exists to reveal the truth, who ceaselessly shines like the sun to light our way, and who opens our hearts to love all those who are dear to us.

30) It is the Guru who illuminates the mind, not the mind that illuminates the Guru. I bow to my Guru who is the supreme witness of waking, dreaming and deep sleep states.

31) One whose mind is filled with thought, knows not; one whose mind is silent, knows everything. I bow to the Guru, who is one with the Absolute.

32) Goddess Parvati, only the Guru can remove the fear of aging and the dread of death. The Guru offers protection to his disciples, even if they are cursed by the sages, demons or gods.

33) If Shiva is angry, the Guru protects you. If Vishnu is angry, the Guru saves you. But if the Guru is angry, there’s nowhere to hide. Therefore strive to the utmost to take refuge in the Guru’s grace.

34) O Beloved, those who know say the Guru is Shiva, the witness of all, but without his three eyes; he is Vishnu, but without his four arms; he is Brahma, but without his four faces.

35) There is no difference between the contemplation of your own Guru and the contemplation of infinite Lord Shiva. Indeed, chanting the name of your own Guru is as powerful as chanting the mantra of infinite Lord Shiva.

36) The absolute form of the Guru is like nectar to those who can truly see. To those who cannot see through the veil of illusion, the true form of the Guru is shrouded, like the sunrise is to a blind man.

37) Realizing that the Guru, the Supreme Being, encompasses the entire universe, whether sentient or insentient, from a blade of grass to Lord Brahma – I honor everything, by remembering my Guru.

38) I bow to my Guru, who knows there is no second reality – only one unified field arising everywhere simultaneously. This is the truth. To see otherwise is to be fooled by the illusion of cause and effect.

39) I bow to my Guru’s two lotus feet, which destroy the painful delusion of duality and always protect me from misfortune.

40) The stream of Shakti from the Guru’s lotus feet removes all obstacles, lights the flame of knowledge and takes one across the ocean of samsara, the endless cycle of birth, decay, death and rebirth.

41) Bow to the Guru’s feet and imbibe his essence. Thus you will attain knowledge and detachment. The karmas, which are at the root of your ignorance, will be destroyed and the cycle of rebirth will be brought to an end.

42) O Beloved, pranam with love to the Guru’s feet every day, making an offering of prayers and devotion to him wherever he may be. He is always fully awake and at one with Pure Consciousness, witnessing the drama of myriad world systems arising and dissolving.

43) I bow to the two lotus feet of my Guru, one white, embodying Shiva; one red, embodying Shakti. My speech and mind focus on the contemplation of this divine mystery.

44) Even a few particles of dust from my Guru’s feet are enough to build a bridge for me to cross over the vast ocean of samsara. Even one–thousandth part of a single drop of water that has touched the Guru’s feet equals the boon of bathing in all of the holy waters across the seven seas. To the Guru I bow.

45) Luminous with the wisdom of Vedanta, like the sun continually radiating its light, the Guru’s lotus feet emanate the great Truths, the crest jewels of the four Vedas:

Tat Tvam Asi – I Am That,

Prajñanam Brahman – Consciousness is Brahman,

Aham Brahmaasmi – I Am Brahman, Ayam Atma Brahman – The Self is Brahman.

46) The Guru’s lotus feet are in the mandala of the moon in Brahmarandhra, in the thousand petal chakra at the crown of the head. The cooling essence of the moon extinguishes the raging fires of worldly existence.

47) Residing in the center of the thousand petals is a divine triangle formed by the Sanskrit alphabet, with the letters A, Ka and Tha at each point. One should meditate on the Guru’s two lotus feet, which are Ham and Sa, in the center of this sacred triangle.

48) In the early morning, call on the Guru and meditate on the peace within his two eyes. See him seated in the white lotus of the sahasrar, with two arms granting boons and fearlessness.

49) In the heart is a cave the size of a thumb, which is the seat of the causal body. Listen, and I shall speak to you of the meditation on this form of consciousness.

50) Seated upon a throne in the center of the heart lotus is the Guru, effulgent and luminous like the crescent of the moon. In one hand he holds the book of knowledge, while his other hand showers boons. One should meditate upon the Guru’s divine form.

51) The seat of the Guru resides in the center of the heart space, shining like a perfect crystal. Meditate on the Guru who eternally bestows bliss and is higher than the highest.

52) The Guru is beyond any description whatsoever. No imputed terms can describe him. Thus, the Vedas say “neti neti” – he is not this, he is not that. Contemplate this great mystery, and continually worship him with both mind and speech.

53) Whether it moves or is stationary, whether it is sentient or insentient, it is all part of the great mandala of the Ocean of Consciousness. I bow to you my Guru, who expresses the state of Samadhi that spontaneously knows this truth.

54) Thus the Guru reveals: “I am unborn, I am ageless, beginningless and deathless. I am smaller than the smallest and larger than the largest. I move and move not. I am far as well as near. I am inside everything and outside everything all at once. I am beyond cause and effect. I am the supreme Akasha. I am consciousness and bliss, never–ending, self–luminous, imperishable and pure.“

55) I bow to my Guru, who is Absolute Consciousness, who is eternal, who is peace personified, who is completely pure, and who transcends the limits of space. He is beyond the primordial sound of Nada. He is beyond the Blue Pearl, Bindu. He is beyond the concentrated bliss of Kala.

56) I bow to my Guru, who is the embodiment of the jñana-shakti, the power of knowledge. The thirty-six tattvas are his garland. He bestows Bhukti – worldly happiness, and Mukti – spiritual awakening.

57) I bow to my Guru, who bestows atma-jñana, the knowledge of the Self. He burns away all the karmas carried forward from countless lifetimes.

58) I bow to my Guru, who embodies the great Guru Tattva, the universal principle of the Guru, the highest truth and the greatest austerity. There is nothing worth knowing that is more important than this.

59) My Guru is the Lord of the Universe. My Guru is the Guru of the Three Worlds. My Self is the Universal Atman. To my Guru, I bow.

60) The Guru, the first impulse of creation, is eternal and without end. He is without question the supreme of all deities. Nothing exists which is greater than he. To my Sadguru, I bow.

61) Merely recalling my Guru, knowledge arises spontaneously. Remembering him brings all attainments automatically. By meditating on the Guru in this way, the prasad of my Guru’s grace delivers me to Realization.

62) I bow to my Guru who is the infinite Ocean of Consciousness, beyond perception, beyond duality, beyond the three gunas and all formation. He is the embodiment of the bliss of Brahman and the bestower of ultimate happiness. He is ekam – one; he is nityam – eternal; he is vimalam – free from impurities; he is achalam – steadfast. He is the abode of knowledge and bliss, and is forever omniscient, omnipresent and vast like the sky. He is the witness. To realize the great Vedantic mahavakya “Tat Tvam Asi”, “Thou Art That”, is to become one with the Guru.

63) Just as a crystal reflected in a mirror, replicates its shining image, in the same way, when the infinite Ocean of Consciousness is seen in the Atman, the bliss of realization dawns and the awareness of SoHam arises – “I Am That”.

64) By following the Guru margena, the path of the Guru, and meditating upon him, one obtains jñana – knowledge, as well as vijñana – insight. There is nothing greater than the Guru.

65) By following the Guru’s path, one’s mind becomes purified. Thus one is then able to detach from the transitory objects of the world, and be free from the binding influence of false identification.

66) By following the Guru margena, one attains the highest goal – the realization of the bliss of Atman. This is generated through prasad, the gift of the Guru’s grace.

67) I remember my Shri Guru, who is the supreme Brahman.

I speak of my Shri Guru, who is the supreme Brahman.

I bow to my Shri Guru, who is the supreme Brahman.

I worship my Shri Guru, who is the supreme Brahman.

68) To the eternal Shri Guru I bow. He is bliss incarnate, exuding joy. His countenance radiates ecstasy. He is awake with knowledge of his own Self. The yogis worship him as their Lord. With the precision of a surgeon, he extricates us from the wheel of cyclic existence.

69) I bow to the Guru, who embodies Lord Bhairava, constantly revealing the five functions of creation, maintenance, dissolution, concealment and the bestowal of grace.

70) O great Goddess, one’s behavior with the Guru is of utmost importance. One should never behave egotistically before the Guru. Never tell a lie to the Guru or speak discourteously to him. Never speak ill of the Guru or forsake him, even if you don’t understand his actions. Remember the Guru for all eternity. If you ignore this teaching, in spite of hearing it, you will risk a most dreadful fate, which will last as long as the sun and moon both shine.

71) It is not the knowledge of ancient scriptures, such as the Vedas and Smritis, nor is the wearing of the clothing of a monk, that makes a true seeker. A genuine sadhu is a servant and disciple of his Guru.

72) Through the mystery of Shaktipat, the light of the Guru kindles the light within his disciple, just as one candle is used to light another candle.

The descent of grace opens the way for the disciple to realize that everything is the Ocean of Consciousness, which is beyond the perception of the senses, omnipresent, eternal, beyond imputed terms and without form.

73) A disciple becomes one with Brahman by meditating on the Guru. In this way, the stages of Samadhi undoubtedly unfold – pinda, pada and rupa.

74) Parvati asked:O Lord Shankara, please explain these terms to me – What are pinda, pada and rupa? And is there more beyond them?

75) Lord Shiva answered:Kundalini Shakti is pinda, the attainment of Shaktipat. Hamsa is pada, when the awareness of SoHam becomes unbroken. Bindu is rupa, the enduring vision of the Blue Pearl. And there is also rupatita, beyond rupa, known as niranjanam – merging with pure Being.

76) O my beautiful one, pinda, pada and rupa are each a specific landmark on the path of liberation, but the highest liberation is found in rupatitam, that transcendental awareness of Pure Consciousness.

77) Goddess Parvati, know Brahman, the Supreme Reality, the Great Void. It is without quality, without form, without name, without sound and beyond perception and understanding.

78) Merge into unity with Pure Consciousness and attain oneness with all. As you find everything arising simultaneously within you, you realize only this supreme principle alone exists.

79) The way the individual soul merges into universal consciousness is like the water of many rivers merging into the ocean, or like the space inside and outside a clay pot finally being perceived as the same space.

80) This is the state of realization, when the individual embodied soul merges into the supreme Self. Having established unity consciousness, he celebrates this oneness day and night, always blissful, always tranquil, wherever he may be.

81) After attaining this solitary and tranquil state, through the grace of the Guru, all your attachments and desires dissolve into nothing.

82) He who attains the realization of Brahman, the highest knowledge, indeed becomes the Guru. Then, without a doubt, wherever he goes, he experiences the divine.

83) Then the life of a fully liberated person of wisdom becomes filled with devotion. He focuses his every effort on service to God.

84) He is free from worries, and Bhukti and Mukti are his to enjoy – worldly fulfillment and liberation.

O Parvati, his tongue is graced with Saraswati, the Goddess of speech, learning and knowledge.

85) The supreme purity and taintless quality of the Guru draw all that is holy to him – so the place where he lives naturally becomes sanctified and filled with a multitude of deities.In these ways, O Goddess, I have described the nature of a liberated person to you.

86) O Devi, by following the path of the Guru, I have clearly shown you how to achieve this liberation through devotion to the Guru and through meditation on the Guru.

87) O Wise One, much can be accomplished through these spiritual practices. Focus your attention on service and working for the welfare of people, instead of using your accrued Shakti for self–centered worldly gain.

88) Without knowledge of Brahman, all your actions are worldly and continue to spool on more and more karma, sinking you further into the ocean of samsara. A knower of truth has unspooled all his karma, and all his subsequent actions are no longer binding and collect no further karma.

89) O Devi, this truth which I have revealed to you takes the form of the Guru Gita. Repeat it often to remove the binding influence of the wheel of cyclic existence.

90) Contemplate this Guru Gita with devotion – read it, listen to the Guru recite it, journal about it. This will yield the fruit of liberation.

91) Recite the Guru Gita. Each and every letter is an empowered mantra. Other mantras do not have the merit of even one-sixteenth part of it.

92) Bountiful rewards are obtained by repeating the Guru Gita. The recitation removes all obstacles and ends all suffering and hardship.

93) It removes the fear of time and death, and is the destroyer of all adversity, while protecting one from the influence of wild spirits, demons, ghosts and thieves.

94) It removes the disease of worldly existence. It bestows riches and siddhis, as well as the ability to influence others. Always repeat the Guru Gita.

95) Through this repetition, one becomes free from bondage, gains the favor of all the Gods and attains Lordship of the deities of Consciousness.

96) The Guru Gita brings one into direct contact with the pillar of the Siddha lineage. It brings the refined, spiritual qualities of sattva guna to the forefront. It increases good karma and dissolves bad karma.

97) Repeating the Guru Gita aligns one’s life with the Guru. It brings good dreams to fruition and curtails bad dreams. Fear of the astrological influence of the nine planets is diminished; and unfinished tasks become easy to complete.

98) It removes all obstacles and quickens the fulfillment of desires. It accomplishes the four-fold goals of life:

Dharma – righteous duty;

Artha – wealth;

Kama – pleasure;

Moksha – liberation.

99) If one’s goal is liberation, the Guru Gita should be recited regularly. The glory of liberation will be attained, as well as the fruition of worldly desire.

100) Repeat the Guru Gita and bathe in the cleansing waters of the ocean of truth, thus washing away the impurities of the world and the binding trap of samsara, the cycle of birth and death.

101) Having established inner silence of the mind, repeat the Guru Gita with detachment, in a clean and sacred place. Now I shall speak of the places that are beneficial for this spiritual practice:

At the seashore, along a river, in all holy temples and shrines such as those to Shiva, Shakti or Vishnu, in a cowshed, by sacred trees, such as the dhatri or mango, thorn–apple or banyan, in a grove of tulsi plants, or in an ashram. O Beautiful One, it is also fruitful to repeat the Guru Gita in a cemetery or in frightening desolate places.

102) O Devi, prepare your seat well, with the proper asana. Use a white woolen blanket placed over kusha or durva grass, to reap the highest attainments. Or use a tiger skin or black deer skin, which give rise to liberation and knowledge. Other seats are not as favorable for your practice, such as cloth, wood or sitting directly on the ground.

103) How you position your seat is also important. To influence others, sit on a red seat facing east. To defeat demons, sit on a black seat facing south. To gain wealth, sit on a yellow seat facing west. But the highest outcome is achieved when you recite the Guru Gita facing north on a white seat, and realize peace.

104) Satyam. Satyam. The Guru Gita is the truth. There is nothing else like it, O Beautiful One. I have revealed this truth to you in answer to your longing.

This is the truth. This is the truth.

105) O Goddess, the dedication of one’s life to the Guru is extraordinary. Everything is affected by this devotion – the devotee’s mother, father, family and ancestry are all blessed. Even the earth itself rejoices.

106) Complete immersion in the Guru – Gurubhava – is the most holy pilgrimage. Going to any other place of pilgrimage is hollow and futile. O Parvati, why go somewhere else to worship, when the big toe of the Guru’s foot is the ultimate abode of all that is sacred.

107) Beyond the Guru there is nothing.

Beyond the Guru there is nothing.

This is the word of Shiva.

108) Indeed, the Guru Gita is Shiva.

The Guru Gita is Shiva.

The Guru Gita is indeed Shiva.

This is my supreme command.

And so ends the Guru Gita – the discourse given by Lord Shiva to his consort, the Goddess Parvati, and recorded in the text of the Shri Skanda Purana.I offer this Guru Gita at the revered lotus feet of my Guru.

This is the word of Shiva.