Meaning & Translation
Sanskrit
जय गुरुदेव
Transliteration
jaya gurudeva
Pronunciation
jye GU-roo-dayv
Full Translation
A simple, repeated invocation — "Jai Gurudev," victory and glory to the divine teacher. In Krishna Das's "By Your Grace / Jai Gurudev," it becomes an offering of thanks to his guru, Neem Karoli Baba (Maharaj-ji), acknowledging that whatever good has come has come by the Guru's grace. It is often sung to close a kirtan, as everything is laid at the feet of the teacher.
Spiritual Significance
The chant embodies the bhakti attitude of gratitude and humility — recognizing that the path, the practice, and any awakening are gifts of grace rather than personal achievements. Repeating "Jai Gurudev" keeps the heart turned toward that source of grace.
Cultural Context & History
Krishna Das met his guru Neem Karoli Baba in India in the early 1970s, and the love of that relationship is the wellspring of his music. "Jai Gurudev" and the refrain "by your grace" recur throughout his kirtans as both a personal and a universal thanksgiving.
For Leaders
Chords and structure for leading this chant on harmonium or guitar — transcribed from the linked recording. New to leading? Read our guide to leading kirtan →
Original key
F
Tempo & feel
Warm mid-tempo swing (~100 bpm); relaxed and grateful, never rushed
Chord Chart
Strumming & rhythm (4/4)
D = downstrum, U = upstrum, · = let it ring. even, devoted classic strum; keep the ups soft so the name stays on top.
Call & response (identical)
Call & Response Structure
A classic three-chord thanksgiving: F home, Bb the warm answer, C the lift that sends each cycle back around. Call and response share the same melody; Dm slips in as a passing shade on some rounds. Later rounds sit longer on C–F as the chant gathers — a gratitude song that builds by feel, not by force.
Terms in the Glossary
Words from this page, explained in our A–Z reference.