Guru Paduka Stotram is a profound hymn of devotion composed by Sri Adi Shankaracharya.
In many Eastern traditions, the sandals (padukas) of the Guru are revered as a sacred symbol. They represent not just the physical presence and love of the teacher, but the auspicious path of surrender—inviting us to lay down the ego-identity and receive the grace of the divine.
The word Guru means “one who dispels darkness.” In these nine luminous verses, Shankaracharya extols the Guru’s sandals as vessels of divine power and compassion—bestowing their blessings on all sincere seekers of Truth.
Lyrics in Sanskrit with Translation
1
anantasaṃsāra samudratāra naukāyitābhyāṃ gurubhaktidābhyām ।
vairāgyasāmrājyadapūjanābhyāṃ namo namaḥ śrīgurupādukābhyām
Salutations to the sandals of my Guru,
Which are a boat that carries me across the endless ocean of samsara,
Which endow me with pure devotion to my Guru,
And by worship of which, I attain the refuge of renunciation.
2
kavitvavārāśiniśākarābhyāṃ daurbhāgyadāvāṃ budamālikābhyām ।
dūrikṛtānamra vipattatibhyāṃ namo namaḥ śrīgurupādukābhyām
Salutations to the sandals of my Guru,
Which are the ocean of knowledge, beautiful as the full moon,
Which are the water that puts out the fire of misfortune,
And which remove the distress of those who prostrate before them.
3
natā yayoḥ śrīpatitāṃ samīyuḥ kadācidapyāśu daridravaryāḥ ।
mūkāśrca vācaspatitāṃ hi tābhyāṃ namo namaḥ śrīgurupādukābhyām
Salutations to the sandals of my Guru,
Which make those who prostrate before them
Possessors of true wealth, even if humble in means,
And which transform even the voiceless into great orators.
4
nālīkanīkāśa padāhṛtābhyāṃ nānāvimohādi nivārikābhyām ।
namajjanābhīṣṭatatipradābhyāṃ namo namaḥ śrīgurupādukābhyām
Salutations to the sandals of my Guru,
Which draw us to the lotus feet of our Guru,
Which cure us of all unwanted desires,
And which help fulfill the desire for Truth of those who surrender to them.
5
nṛpāli maulivrajaratnakānti saridvirājat jhaṣakanyakābhyām ।
nṛpatvadābhyāṃ natalokapaṅkate: namo namaḥ śrīgurupādukābhyām
Salutations to the sandals of my Guru,
Which shine like gems on the crown of a king,
Which shine like a pure maiden crossing over a river of darkness,
And which grant humble devotees the exaltation of a king.
6
pāpāndhakārārka paramparābhyāṃ tāpatrayāhīndra khageśrvarābhyām ।
jāḍyābdhi saṃśoṣaṇa vāḍavābhyāṃ namo namaḥ śrīgurupādukābhyām
Salutations to the sandals of my Guru,
Which are like the effulgent sun driving away the darkness of ego,
Which are like the king of eagles who drives away the cobra of misery,
And which are like a blazing fire burning up the ocean of ignorance.
7
śamādiṣaṭka pradavaibhavābhyāṃ samādhidāna vratadīkṣitābhyām ।
ramādhavāndhristhirabhaktidābhyāṃ namo namaḥ śrīgurupādukābhyām
Salutations to the sandals of my Guru,
Which endow us with the glorious six qualities, including tranquility,
Which give students the capacity to abide in samadhi,
And which help attain eternal devotion for the feet of the Lord.
8
svārcāparāṇām akhileṣṭadābhyāṃ svāhāsahāyākṣadhurandharābhyām ।
svāntācchabhāvapradapūjanābhyāṃ namo namaḥ śrīgurupādukābhyām
Salutations to the sandals of my Guru,
Which fulfill every prayer of the earnest disciples
Who are ever engaged in service to the Truth,
And which help sincere seekers attain the realisation of the Self.
9
kāmādisarpa vrajagāruḍābhyāṃ vivekavairāgya nidhipradābhyām ।
bodhapradābhyāṃ dṛtamokṣadābhyāṃ namo namaḥ śrīgurupādukābhyām
Salutations to the sandals of my Guru,
Which are like the king of eagles who drives away the serpent of desire,
Which bless us with the treasure of wisdom and renunciation,
Which bless us with non-dual Self-knowledge,
And which bless all seekers of Truth with immanent salvation.
1
anantasaṃsāra samudratāra naukāyitābhyāṃ gurubhaktidābhyām ।
vairāgyasāmrājyadapūjanābhyāṃ namo namaḥ śrīgurupādukābhyām
Salutations to the sandals of my Guru,
Which are a boat that carries me across the endless ocean of samsara,
Which endow me with pure devotion to my Guru,
And by worship of which, I attain the refuge of renunciation.
2
kavitvavārāśiniśākarābhyāṃ daurbhāgyadāvāṃ budamālikābhyām ।
dūrikṛtānamra vipattatibhyāṃ namo namaḥ śrīgurupādukābhyām
Salutations to the sandals of my Guru,
Which are the ocean of knowledge, beautiful as the full moon,
Which are the water that puts out the fire of misfortune,
And which remove the distress of those who prostrate before them.
3
natā yayoḥ śrīpatitāṃ samīyuḥ kadācidapyāśu daridravaryāḥ ।
mūkāśrca vācaspatitāṃ hi tābhyāṃ namo namaḥ śrīgurupādukābhyām
Salutations to the sandals of my Guru,
Which make those who prostrate before them
Possessors of true wealth, even if humble in means,
And which transform even the voiceless into great orators.
4
nālīkanīkāśa padāhṛtābhyāṃ nānāvimohādi nivārikābhyām ।
namajjanābhīṣṭatatipradābhyāṃ namo namaḥ śrīgurupādukābhyām
Salutations to the sandals of my Guru,
Which draw us to the lotus feet of our Guru,
Which cure us of all unwanted desires,
And which help fulfill the desire for Truth of those who surrender to them.
5
nṛpāli maulivrajaratnakānti saridvirājat jhaṣakanyakābhyām ।
nṛpatvadābhyāṃ natalokapaṅkate: namo namaḥ śrīgurupādukābhyām
Salutations to the sandals of my Guru,
Which shine like gems on the crown of a king,
Which shine like a pure maiden crossing over a river of darkness,
And which grant humble devotees the exaltation of a king.
6
pāpāndhakārārka paramparābhyāṃ tāpatrayāhīndra khageśrvarābhyām ।
jāḍyābdhi saṃśoṣaṇa vāḍavābhyāṃ namo namaḥ śrīgurupādukābhyām
Salutations to the sandals of my Guru,
Which are like the effulgent sun driving away the darkness of ego,
Which are like the king of eagles who drives away the cobra of misery,
And which are like a blazing fire burning up the ocean of ignorance.
7
śamādiṣaṭka pradavaibhavābhyāṃ samādhidāna vratadīkṣitābhyām ।
ramādhavāndhristhirabhaktidābhyāṃ namo namaḥ śrīgurupādukābhyām
Salutations to the sandals of my Guru,
Which endow us with the glorious six qualities, including tranquility,
Which give students the capacity to abide in samadhi,
And which help attain eternal devotion for the feet of the Lord.
8
svārcāparāṇām akhileṣṭadābhyāṃ svāhāsahāyākṣadhurandharābhyām ।
svāntācchabhāvapradapūjanābhyāṃ namo namaḥ śrīgurupādukābhyām
Salutations to the sandals of my Guru,
Which fulfill every prayer of the earnest disciples
Who are ever engaged in service to the Truth,
And which help sincere seekers attain the realisation of the Self.
9
kāmādisarpa vrajagāruḍābhyāṃ vivekavairāgya nidhipradābhyām ।
bodhapradābhyāṃ dṛtamokṣadābhyāṃ namo namaḥ śrīgurupādukābhyām
Salutations to the sandals of my Guru,
Which are like the king of eagles who drives away the serpent of desire,
Which bless us with the treasure of wisdom and renunciation,
Which bless us with non-dual Self-knowledge,
And which bless all seekers of Truth with immanent salvation.