Universal
Guru Brahma — salutation to the teacher
गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णुः गुरुर्देवो महेश्वरः । गुरुः साक्षात् परब्रह्म तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥
Gurur brahmā gurur viṣṇuḥ gurur devo maheśvaraḥ, guruḥ sākṣāt parabrahma tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ
Simple reading: Gu-rur brah-maa gu-rur vish-nuh, gu-rur de-vo ma-hesh-va-rah, gu-ruh saak-shaat pa-ra-brah-ma, tas-mai shree gu-ra-ve na-mah
About this mantra
The best-known salutation to the guru — the teacher honoured as creator, sustainer, dissolver, and the supreme itself made visible.
Meaning
The guru is Brahma, the guru is Vishnu, the guru is the god Maheshvara; the guru is the supreme absolute made visible — to that revered guru, salutations. The audacity is deliberate: creation, preservation, dissolution — the entire cosmic administration — located in the one person who explains things to you. Because for the student that is the truth: whatever the universe holds arrives through the door the teacher opens.
When to recite it
Recited before study with any teacher, on Guru Purnima above all days, and inwardly at the memory of those who taught us; satsangs and classes open with it.
Word by word
- गुरुर्ब्रह्माgurur brahmā
- the guru is Brahma, the creator
- गुरुर्विष्णुःgurur viṣṇuḥ
- the guru is Vishnu, the sustainer
- गुरुर्देवो महेश्वरःgurur devo maheśvaraḥ
- the guru is Maheshvara
- साक्षात् परब्रह्मsākṣāt parabrahma
- the supreme, made visible
- तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमःtasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ
- to that revered guru, salutations
Source: Guru Gītā (Skanda Purāṇa tradition)
Note: The Guru Gītā and the Guru Stotram read the third quarter as 'gurur eva paraṁ brahma'. The form sung in most homes and schools, 'guruḥ sākṣāt parabrahma', is used here.