Guru Ashtakam - Adi Shankacharya. With explanations.

Guru Ashtakam was written by Adi Shankaracharya. It explains us the need for Sad Guru and that we need to attach our mind to the Guru's Lotus Feet. Complete surrender to Guru is the path to spiritual gain, that's the message this ashtakam (Octet) tells all. Explanations to each shloka is also given.

Guru Ashtakam can be understood as an introspection by a person who has achieved all that he can achieve of worldly matters and has reached the understanding that the absence of devotion to the lotus feet of Guru makes all else worthless. To such a sincere seeker, the Guru appears, in the final shloka, with reassuring calm and serenity, with benedictions promised for earnest effort.

Garuda story and Guru-Shishya bonding.

During a discussion on spiritual life with a wise man, he told me a beautiful story from Ramayana and later connected the same to Guru Shishya relation.

When Lord Rama was in war with Ravana, Indrajeet attacked them with Sarpa baan. Snakes entangled them and both Lord Rama and his brother Lakshmana fell unconscious. Garuda was called upon to save the two brothers. After saving them, on his way back to Vaikuntha, Garuda had some questions in mind about Lord Rama. “Is he really Lord Vishnu as being proclaimed, then how come he could not save himself and had to take my help?”