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| Guru Purnima |
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Guru Purnima is a festival traditionally celebrated by Hindus and Buddhists.On this day, disciples offer puja (worship) or pay respect to their Guru (Spiritual Guide). It falls on the day of full moon, Purnima, in the month of Ashadh (June–July) of the Shaka Samvat, Indian national calendar and Hindu calendar. Traditionally the festival is celebrated by Buddhists in the honor the lord Buddha who gave His first sermon on this day at Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh, India. While Hindus celebrate it in the honour of the great sage Vyasa, who is seen one of the greatest gurus in ancient Hindu traditions, and a symbol of Guru-shishya parampara, the Guru disciple tradition. Vyasa was not only believed to be been born on this day, but that is not true and also started writing the Brahma Sutras on ashadha sudha padyami and ends on this day, hence their recitations as a dedication to him, are organised on this day, which is also known as Vyasa Purnima.
The festival is common to all spiritual traditions in Hinduism, where it is dedicated to the expression of gratitude towards the teacher by his/her disciple.Hindu ascetics and wandering monks (sanyasis), observe this day by offering puja to the Guru, during the Chaturmas , a four month period during the rainy season, when they choose seclusion, and halt at one selected place; some also give discourses to the local public.Students of the Indian classical music, which also follows the Guru shishya parampara, celebrate this festival, around the world. |
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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.
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To celebrate in a small way this year's Guru Purnima , (happening this Friday 18 July 2008) here is a charming story from the Mahabharata, from the translation by Kisari Mohan Ganguli (published between 1883 and 1896)
Santi Parva, Section CCCXXVIII
Vyasa the son of Parsara, after the arrival of his puissant son, continued to dwell there on the Himavat (Himalayas) engaged in teaching his disciples and his son. One day, as he was seated, his disciples, all well skilled in the Vedas, having their senses under control, and endued with tranquil souls, sat themselves around him. All of them had thoroughly mastered the Vedas with their branches. All of them were observant of penances. With joined hands they addressed their preceptor in the following words.
The disciples said:
"We have through thy grace, been endued with great energy. Our fame also has spread. There is one favour that we humbly solicit thee to grant us."
Hearing these words of theirs, the regenerate Rishi answered them, saying:
"Ye sons, tell me what that boon is which ye wish I should grant you!"
Hearing this answer of their preceptor, the disciples became filled with joy. Once more bowing their heads low unto their preceptor and joining their hands, all of them in one voice said these excellent words:
"If our preceptor has been pleased with us, then, O best of sages, we are sure to be crowned with success! We all solicit thee, O great Rishi, to grant us a boon. Be thou inclined to be graceful to us. Let no sixth disciple (besides us five) succeed in attaining to fame! We are four. Our preceptor’s son forms the fifth. Let the Vedas shine in only us five! Even this is the boon that we solicit."
Hearing these words of his disciples, Vyasa, the son of Parsara, possessed of great intelligence, well conversant with the meaning of the Vedas, endued with a righteous soul, and always engaged in thinking of objects that confer benefits on a man in the world hereafter, said unto his disciples these righteous words fraught with great benefit:
"The Vedas should always be given unto him who is a Brahmana, or unto him who is desirous of listening to Vedic instructions, by him who eagerly wishes to attain a residence in the region of Brahman! Do ye multiply. Let the Vedas spread (through your exertions). The Vedas should never be imparted unto him that has not formally become a disciple. Nor should they be given unto one who is not observant of good vows. Nor should they be given for dwelling in one that is of uncleansed soul. These should be known as the proper qualifications of men that can be accepted as disciples (for the communication of Vedic knowledge)." |
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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. (Ref : Sanatan Prabhat)
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 Shrada (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 Shrada have no value. Since these worldly relationships presuppose ego for their sustenance, at the spiritual level they are rendered false. (Ref : Sanatan Prabhat) |
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