Guru Mantra

Guru Brahma Guru Vishnu Guru Devo Maheshwaraha
Guru Saakshaat Para Brahma Tasmai Sri Gurave Namaha

Guru is the Creator (Brahma), Guru is the Preserver(Vishnu), Guru Deva is Destroyer(Maheshwara). Guru is the absolute (singular) Lord himself, Salutations to that Sri Guru

Translation word by word:

• Guru: Dispeller of Darkness; Gu=Darkness, Ru=Remover

• Brahma: Creator; Personification of Creating Quality of God

• Vishnu: Preserver; Personification of Preserving quality of God

• Deva: God

• Maheshwara: Destroyer; Personification of Destroying Quality of God

• Saakshaat: Self/ Himself

• ParaBrahma: He who is the highest Lord; Consciousness

• Tasmai: To him/ To such

• Sri: Holy, splendorous

• Namaha: Salutations

Here is my favorite rendition of this mantra being chanted by Bhagavan Das.