Guru Purnima, also called Vyasa Purnima, celebrates the birth anniversary of Veda Vyasa, the legendary author of the Mahabharata. The full moon day in the month of June-July witnesses the celebration of Guru Purnima. As part of our culture, Hindus honor Veda Vyasa on this day, and disciples express their love, gratitude, and devotion to their teachers.
In terms of the oldest Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva is denoted as the first Guru, and he had two disciples: Sani and Parashurama. He introduced civilization and religion on Earth. That is the story behind the names “Adideva” and “Adiguru” for Lord Shiva. He provided knowledge to seven people through Sani and Parashurama, and they became known as the “sapta rishis,” distributing Shiva’s wisdom to the entire world.
The Guru Purnima ritual begins by waking up early in the morning and taking a bath. Wearing white or yellow clothes is necessary. After that, devotees pray to Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva, Guru Brihaspati, Saint Veda Vyasa, and their own Guru. Students worship the pictures of these deities placed on a white cloth. Flowers, lamps, naivedya (offering), and sandalwood are used to honor the Guru. Washing the Guru’s feet while chanting mantras and offering flowers is a sign of respect.
Guru Purnima is considered auspicious for those who aspire to become saints and dedicate their lives to the Guru. They can join an ashram. The traditional perspective of Guru Purnima differs significantly from the modern view. According to traditional Hindu mythology, disciples worship their Guru through rituals and customs. However, today, students celebrate Guru Purnima as Teachers’ Day, expressing gratitude to their teachers. Devotees also remember Saint Veda Vy!sa, who authored the Mahabharata and Bhagavad Gita. Vyasa is represented as the guru of Dattatreya. Yet, he was known as the guru of all gurus.
Going beyond religious practices, Guru Purnima has become a cultural tradition. It has become an event to honor knowledge itself as well as the one who shares it – the guru who is also known as the “dispeller of darkness” – someone who removes the darkness of ignorance from our world. Gurus are offered gratitude and Sishyas seek blessings from them on this auspicious day. It is also an important day in Indian academia as it commemorates past teachers and scholars. In fields where the guru-sishya parampara is still alive, like Indian classical music and dance, Guru Purnima is enthusiastically celebrated among the teachers and students.
Knowledge and its sharing is one of the most sacred things in the whole world, and this festival celebrates the people who make that process possible for all of us. All our gurus, especially the ones we choose, are crucial in directing us to a life path that is right for us, and this is to acknowledge the role they play in helping us achieve happiness and success.
For all those gurus that we have and choose in our life, Guru Purnima is the celebration to show respect to all of them – whether they be spiritual or academic. These gurus can be anyone who has wisdom and has been sharing it, without expecting anything in return. Guru Purnima will be celebrated on 21st July ’24. Yoga Vidya Gurukulam bows down to our revered Guru Swami Ananda Saraswati and wishes everyone a blessed Guru Purnima.