On Friday, January 7, 1972, in Gurudev Siddha Peeth, Baba Muktananda inaugurated the daily recitation of Shri Guru Gita as a morning practice in the Ashram Daily Schedule. Each year Siddha Yogis honor this anniversary as an important day in the history of the Siddha Yoga path.
Shri Guru Gita—Sanskrit for “Song of the Guru”—is a scripture to be studied and a mantra to be repeated. In the introduction to The Nectar of Chanting, Baba describes the 182 verses of Shri Guru Gita as “one long mantra” and extols it as “the one indispensable text” of the Siddha Yoga path. Baba teaches that reciting Shri Guru Gita is a form of svadhyaya, study of the Self. The recitation of Shri Guru Gita is an immersion in sacred sounds and a form of mantra japa.
Shri Guru Gita is also a hymn, composed in traditional Sanskrit verse forms, that describes a dialogue between Lord Shiva, the primordial Guru, and Goddess Parvati, his consort and disciple. In this dialogue, Lord Shiva expounds on the nature of Shri Guru, the power of the Guru’s grace, the importance of devotion and service to the Guru, and the ways that the Guru leads the disciple to the knowledge of the Self.
In verses 52, 61, 107, and 133, Lord Shiva praises the greatness of this hymn by referring to it as “mantraraja,” literally “king of mantras,” a supreme mantra. In verse 133 the Lord says:
गुरुगीताक्षरैकं तु मन्त्रराजम् इमं जपेत् ।
gurugītākṣaraikaṁ tu mantrarājam imaṁ japet ।
Even one letter of Shri Guru Gita is a supreme mantra.
One should repeat it.
There are several versions of Shri Guru Gita found in different scriptures of India. One of the sources of this text is identified in the final lines of the version recited on the Siddha Yoga path:
Thus ends the Guru Gita, which occurs in the dialogue between
Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati in the latter portion of Shri Skanda Purana.
Shri Skanda Purana is one of India’s ancient texts, containing stories, philosophical teachings, hymns, and guidance on how to live a virtuous life. Verses in Shri Guru Gita have also been found in older scriptures, including certain Upanishads and Tantras. Historically, more than four hundred verses have been found among the various versions of Shri Guru Gita.
In 1951, while Baba was performing sadhana in Suki, in the Indian state of Maharashtra, he read the Guru Charitra, a sixteenth-century text on the life of Lord Dattatreya. This text includes a version of Shri Guru Gita attributed to ShriSkanda Purana. Baba was immediately drawn to the depth and beauty of this scripture and began reciting it. Baba subsequently included additional verses from this section of the Guru Charitra to create the version of Shri Guru Gita recited on the Siddha Yoga path.
On January 7, 1972, when Baba established the recitation of Shri Guru Gita as part of the Ashram Daily Schedule, he said:
Just today, we have started reciting Shri Guru Gita in the morning…. It bestows all powers and realizations…. The name of this Ashram is Shree Gurudev Ashram, it is dedicated to Gurudev, and we chant Shri Guru Gita … because the Guru is our supreme deity.
Gurumayi has taught Siddha Yogis how to deepen their understanding, practice, and experience of Shri Guru Gita. For over three decades Gurumayi has given teachings about this sacred text in satsangs and in Shaktipat Intensives and has guided scholars and Siddha Yoga meditation teachers in conducting workshops and courses on Shri Guru Gita. Gurumayi has instructed students in refining their pronunciation, posture, and breathing in order to strengthen their practice of svadhyaya. Gurumayi has also introduced musical refinements to the recitation of Shri Guru Gita to support students in sustaining their focus and singing with cohesive unity.
Gurumayi has recited Shri Guru Gita with Siddha Yogis and new seekers in many countries, awakening the love for this scripture in thousands of hearts. In Siddha Yoga Ashrams, Shri Guru Gita is established as a morning practice within the Ashram Daily Schedule; in Siddha Yoga meditation centers and in Siddha Yogis’ homes, it is recited at different times throughout the day and week. At this very moment, somewhere in the world, blessings are being invoked by the recitation of Shri Guru Gita.
I am delighted and grateful that the SYDA Foundation has published translations of Shri Guru Gita from Sanskrit into fifteen other languages. This has made it possible for people of many different nationalities to study and recite this sacred text. Stories abound of how people have received blessings from Shri Guru Gita and how this practice has deepened their sadhana. What is stated in Shri Guru Gita is most certainly true—through the recitation of this sacred text, one attains the four goals of life: dharma (righteousness), artha (wealth), kama (pleasure), and moksha (liberation).
From my own study, contemplation, and experience, and from what I have heard from other Siddha Yogis who recite Shri Guru Gita with regularity, this practice has countless benefits. Here are a few of the benefits that further one’s sadhana:
Invokes grace
Nurtures devotion
Quiets the mind
Strengthens and frees the breath
Purifies the intellect and emotions
Increases concentration
Grants protection
Relish the ambrosia of mantra japa and become immersed in the sacred sounds of Shri Guru Gita. Recognize its transforming power in your life.
Soon after my introduction to the Siddha Yoga path, I had the good fortune to visit Shree Muktananda Ashram. I arrived at the Ashram late in the evening and was informed that Shri Guru Gita would be chanted in just a few hours. Even though I didn’t think I would attend, as I imagined I would be asleep, I found myself fully awake thirty minutes before the recitation.
Even though I did not yet know what Shri Guru Gita was, I decided to go. Shortly after I arrived for the recitation, Gurumayi came in and took her seat just a few feet away from me.
I will always remember the experience of reciting this sacred text with the Guru. I felt as if time stood still. Nothing else seemed to matter as much as it had before, and I experienced a complete change in my demeanor. I now chant Shri Guru Gita almost every morning with the recording on the Siddha Yoga path website. For me, it’s the only way to start the day.
Birmingham, United Kingdom
I was so moved when I read in this exposition that “Lord Shiva praises the greatness of this hymn by referring to it as mantraraja, literally ‘king of mantras,’ a supreme mantra.”
Having regularly recited Shri Guru Gita over many years, I have experienced this greatness in the form of the sound, the rhythm, the wording, its strength, its purifying elements, and the tremendous love of my Guru. This feeling of its greatness overflows into the meditation that follows my recitations as, in complete silence, I experience my oneness with the supreme Self—my very own Self.
Nairobi, Kenya
So many sweet memories came flooding back as I read Swami Shantananda’s exposition. I remember how, over thirty-four years ago, I struggled with the text, with holding a chanting book, with trying to keep awake while seated on the floor at a time when it was still dark outside! And although it was a struggle, I kept at it—because something inside felt so right, like a lake of still water: “Why not dive in?”
And I do dive in regularly—and that something inside still feels just right.
Hampton Hill, United Kingdom
I feel that Shri Guru Gita is the most valuable gift I have ever received. When I recite this sacred text, I feel immediately connected with my beloved Guru. I am in the right place.
After my recitation, it seems that I can accomplish even difficult and unpleasant tasks with love and ease. I find that my decisions are coming from a deeper level of understanding and that I am more serene.
I am also grateful for the opportunity to dedicate Shri Guru Gita to someone as a way to offer help and support to them.
Even after reciting Shri Guru Gita for almost thirty years, the text continues to reveal new insights to me—and much love each time I recite it. It’s such a wonder!
Duisburg, Germany
This inspiring introduction to Shri Guru Gita reminded me of the myriad recitations that I have performed over the years. I think of how, so often, a recitation has given me a new perspective on my life and my purpose.
I am so grateful that we have such a powerful, enlightening practice available at any time. Reciting Shri Guru Gita feels to me to be the most beneficial, healing action I can take to uplift this world.
New York, United States
Some of my deepest experiences have occurred through the recitation of this most sacred text. I am so grateful for the ways this practice has the power to instill devotion to Shri Guru in my being and open me to perceive the world through the Guru’s light.
New Jersey, United States
In 1997 I made a commitment to recite Shri Guru Gita every Sunday at the local Siddha Yoga meditation center, and I have been doing so ever since, with rare exception. It is my touchstone. My life is very rich with the Guru’s presence and grace.
New Mexico, United States
I have been eagerly waiting for the celebration of the auspicious day on which Baba Muktananda gave us this amazing gift.
I have been reciting Shri Guru Gita every day for several years, and I have received innumerable blessings from this practice: love, nurturance, protection, strength, prosperity, and faith in my Guru and the Siddha Yoga path.
I pray that I may have the good fortune to recite Shri Guru Gita every day of my life. To me, Shri Guru Gita is a world in itself. I love Shri Guru Gita with all my heart.
Madrid, Spain
When I first recited Shri Guru Gita sixteen years ago, it felt familiar to me, as if I had recited it many times before. The syllables were somehow deeply ingrained in my being.
Over time I have come to understand that I was singing the praises of my Sadguru’s infinite grace, love, and glory, and that I was also singing to my own Self within. As I have continued to practice the recitation of Shri Guru Gita, I have experienced that Shri Guru and my own Self are one.
For me, Shri Guru Gita is the ocean of the Guru’s love and grace—a place of refuge and celebration. It gives me access to the place within that I had been searching for my entire life.
New Jersey, United States
Reciting Shri Guru Gita has been my foundational practice since 1975. I recite the full text every morning. Although I almost always sing aloud, if time is short or if we have guests whose sleep I don’t want to disturb, I sing silently to myself. I sit in a relaxed, upright posture, holding my book comfortably, and focus on the text and the translation as I breathe in rhythm with the verses.
As I do this, bliss arises from deep within, filling my body and making my heart sing with joy. After the recitation, I sit for a few minutes and quietly luxuriate in the ecstasy that Shri Guru Gita invariably evokes.
Shri Guru Gita is the heart of my day.
Missouri, United States
I am grateful for these beautiful words about Shri Guru Gita. They evoked memories going back thirty years—including the golden glow in my heart as I recited Shri Guru Gita with Gurumayi and Siddha Yogis in early morning halls throughout the United States and in Gurudev Siddha Peeth.
I relish my memory of watching the sun come up in Shree Muktananda Ashram and hearing the birds’ chorus as we reached the close of the recitation.
North Carolina, United States
What beautiful gifts I have received from Gurumayi through the recitation of Shri Guru Gita! For over thirty-five years, I have been reciting Shri Guru Gita, and I now realize how this has strengthened my devotion to Shri Guru and also helped me in my sadhana and day-to-day life.
As a daily practice, after reciting Shri Guru Gita, I focus on one verse and reflect and write about its meaning. Then, I relate it to my life and practice it throughout the day. In this way, I am able to go deeper in the understanding of Shri Guru Gita. Surprisingly, over the years, my understanding of every verse has deepened and new layers of meaning have arisen.
The recitation of Shri Guru Gita has nurtured me, protected me, and helped me stay connected with Gurumayi at all times and in all situations.
Lucknow, India
To me, reciting Shri Guru Gita is like being with a living teacher, reflecting my inner state, helping me explore answers to my questions, centering me, and providing soothing relief in times of difficulty.
What a blessing the recitation of Shri Guru Gita is!
Florida, United States
Recently I was remembering that the very first time I recited Shri Guru Gita was when I met Gurumayi in Mexico City in 1993. We all went on a pilgrimage with Gurumayi to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The priest who welcomed us was so happy to see Gurumayi! We all sat in the church and recited Shri Guru Gita.
Although Shri Guru Gita was quite new to me, I recognized its beauty and power—and also understood that it could take years of practice to be able to recite it all comfortably. Now it’s more than two decades later, and my recitations of ShriGuru Gita help me to clearly see a “before” and “after” in my spiritual growth.
Now, whenever I recite Shri Guru Gita, I remember all those blessed moments and I’m filled with gratitude for the Siddha Yoga path and the guidance and protection of our Guru.
New York, United States
Reciting Shri Guru Gita is pure delight for my heart and strong medicine for my mind. Today after reciting it, I sat for meditation. Even after my timer rang, I remained in meditation! As I sat quietly, the eyes of Lord Ganesh appeared, and then I saw Bade Baba and then Baba within. This experience filled me with love and gratitude.
Missouri, United States
As I read Swami ji’s exposition on the greatness and benefits of this sacred text, I was reminded of my own experience. After I met Gurumayi twenty years ago, I began the practice of daily recitation of Shri Guru Gita. I loved it from the start and felt great waves of love and connection with both Gurumayi and Baba Muktananda. The feeling of bliss grew daily. After six months of this daily practice, I was blessed by a feeling of Baba’s presence that stayed with me for years and really cemented my connection with the Guru and helped me to establish my sadhana.
London, United Kingdom
I have been practicing the recitation of Shri Guru Gita for sixteen years, and it has become my favorite part of my life. If one day I don’t recite it or at least listen to it, I find my state is at a different level, in which I am more easily bothered by my emotions and unnecessary thoughts. Each time after I recite it in the morning, my inner state is uplifted and purified. I am rejuvenated. I feel I have much creative energy, and I am refreshed to face the new day with a peaceful state.
China
I have recited Shri Guru Gita every morning since September of 1975. It is the central practice of my sadhana. I began reciting Shri Guru Gita for the purpose of becoming wealthy. That didn’t happen. Instead, I have come to live a life filled with the grace of the Guru, in big and small, obvious and subtle ways. I cannot express my gratitude for the divine power and joy that pervade every moment of my life. Every time I recite Shri Guru Gita, I learn fresh lessons about my relationship to the divine grace of the Guru. Eternal bliss wells up and fills me with joy. My heart overflows with gratitude every day.
Missouri, United States
Since 1989, I have regularly recited Shri Guru Gita. The pocket edition of Shri Guru Gita is always with me in my purse. I often play the recording of it in my car. It reminds me that God is ever-present.
At one point in my life, I realized that I no longer felt the need to tell others my worries and seek their consolation. I was no longer so fearful and angry. What had happened? Why was this so? The repeated recitation of Shri Guru Gita was the answer that came to my mind.
New York, United States
I recite Shri Guru Gita every morning in order to remember that all is transient besides the Self, to lose myself in the grace of the Guru within and without, and to offer supreme devotion to my beloved Sadguru, Gurumayi Chidvilasananda.
This morning once again, tears of joy, love, and gratitude streamed down my face as I experienced an abundance of love and grace from the Guru overflowing from my heart. Gurumayi has given everything to me.
I am renewed and reborn in Gurumayi’s love and grace every time I recite Shri Guru Gita.
New Jersey, United States
I feel that every time I recite the verses of Shri Guru Gita, I am connecting to the Guru. Shri Guru Gita is truly a blessing that shows the Guru’s love for the disciple. I feel very grateful for it and for all the benefits it bestows.
Madrid, Spain
Shri Guru Gita has provided me protection many times over the years when I’ve needed it most. I recited Shri Guru Gita every day when a loved one was going through a serious illness and facing death. I felt that I was enveloped by grace. It was an amazing feeling that everything is perfect and that I was being cared for by God. Even though I was about to lose my closest friend, I felt that I was not alone. I felt protected by the Guru’s love.
I am grateful that Gurumayi, Baba, and Bade Baba showed me how their loving presence is with me at all times.
Hawaii, United States
Swami Shantananda’s exposition speaks to me of love—the profound love with which Baba and Gurumayi take care of their disciples by creating a daily practice of reciting Shri Guru Gita and continually honing our practice through refinements. What else other than love could motivate the Guru to put so much time and attention and focus on helping us attain all that Shri Guru Gita has to offer? When I recite Shri Guru Gita, I experience that love.
