The Guru Purnima (The Guru Poornima) Festival

About Guru Purnima Festival:

The day of full moon, Purnima, in the month of Ashadh of the Hindu calendar is traditionally celebrated as Guru Purnima by Hindus. On this day, devotees offer puja (worship) to their Guru. This was the day when Krishna-dwaipayana Vyasa – author of the Mahabharata – was born. Veda Vyasa, did yeoman service to the cause of Vedic studies by gathering all the Vedic hymns extant during his times, dividing them into four parts based on their use in the sacrificial rites, and teaching them to his four chief disciples – Paila, Vaisampayana, Jaimini and Sumantu. It was this dividing and editing that earned him the honorific “Vyasa” “He divided the Veda into four, namely Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva. The histories and the Puranas are said to be the fifth Veda.” The spiritual Gurus are revered on this day by remembering their life and teachings. Seekers try to get as much opportunity to do Satseva of the Guru as possible during this period. As the Guru principle is 1000 times more active during this period, when compared to any other day during this year, the satseva done on Guru Poornima fetches substantial grace of the Guru for their spiritual progress. The relationship between the Guru and the Disciple is considered very sacred. This relationship is purely spiritual in nature and is independent of age of the two. It is based on maturity of Gyan (Spiritual Knowledge) and Sadhna (Spiritual Practice). The only awareness that a Disciple should foster is, ‘I should be uplifted spiritually’. The Guru too harbours only one thought, ‘May this Disciple be uplifted’. Relationships other than Guru-Disciple are bound by worldly restrictions wherein the ego constantly manifests itself while Gyan and other Sadhna have no value. Since these worldly relationships presuppose ego for their sustenance, such relationships are albeit false on the spiritual level.

Detail Information Of The Guru Purnima Festival:

Gururbrahmaa gururvishnuh gururdevo Maheswarah |

Guruh-saakshaat parambrahma tasmai shrigurave namah ||

“Guru is creator Brahma; Guru is preserver Vishnu; Guru is also the destroyer Siva and he is the source of the Absolute. I offer all my salutations to the Guru”.

Introduction Of The Guru Purnima Festival:

The full moon day in the month of Ashadh (July) of the Hindu calendar is celebrated as Guru Purnima by all Hindus all over. This day is celebrated as a mark of respect to the “Guru” i.e. a teacher or a preacher.This day is celebrated in the sacred memory of the great sage Vyasa, the ancient saint who compiled the four Vedas, wrote 18 Puranas, the Mahabharata and the Srimad Bhagavata.The day, also known as “Vyasa Purnima” is observed by devotees who offer pujas (worship) to their beloved Gurus. Sage Vyasa is known to be the Adi (original) Guru of the Hindu religion. The auspicious day of Vyaasa Poornima has a great significance as everybody knows that the role of a Guru in real life is very much important.

Celebration Of The Guru Purnima Festival:

Hindus show much respect to their gurus. Gurus are often regarded as God. The Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6/23) tells :

“Yasya deve para bhaktir yatha deve tatha gurau

Tasyaite kathitaa hi arthaaha prakashante mahatmanaha”

This means, Guru to be worshipped in the same manner as the deity – God, to attain all there is to attain on the path of God-realization. When this Self is within you where is the need to search for someone to teach you!On this day several programs and cultural performances are organized by spiritual organizations. Divine discourse and bhajan samarohas are also organized to make the day more special.In India, Guru Purnima is celebrated at various ashrams, especially with much grandeur at Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh. The day is celebrated here on a grand scale with devotees coming from various parts of the country. The same is also celebrated at ashram of Satya Sai Baba at Puttaparthy, Ashram in Amritapuri and few other places of spiritual importance. Guru Purnima is also celebrated few places outside India.This is a day for spiritual seekers who remain extremely open to their gurus to receive divine power, and for this reason holy people choose this day to shower everyone with their most auspicious divine blessings.

Significance Of The Guru Purnima Festival:

The day of Guru Purnima has great significance for spiritual sadhaks and farmers. All spiritual aspirants and devotees worship Vyasa in honor of his divine personage and all disciples perform ‘puja’ of their respective spiritual preceptor or ‘Gurudevas’. They offer flowers and sweets to their spiritual gurus. It is also good time to begin spiritual lessons from a guru. Traditionally, spiritual seekers commence to intensify their spiritual ‘sadhana’ from this day.The day also finds a great importance for farmers. The period ‘Chaturmas’ (“four months”) begins from this day. The water, drawn up and stored as clouds in the hot summer, now manifests in plentiful showers that brings fresh life everywhere.