Guru Purnima 2023

The word Guru is made up of two words - ‘Gur’ meaning darkness and ‘Ru’ which is the opposite of darkness. So, the word Guru refers to someone who extricates us from the darkness of ignorance and enlightens us with knowledge and awareness. The importance of Guru Purnima lies in the very meaning of this word.

This year Guru Purnima will be observed on Monday, July 3.

A teacher or a guru is a beacon of light in a child’s life and therefore, gurus play myriad roles while nurturing their disciples. They help to build a child’s mental strength by encouraging them in all their endeavors. A teacher also helps in developing an optimistic outlook toward life in children. A child can grow into a happy and healthy individual when guided rightly by their guru. A word of encouragement, motivation, and appreciation from the gurus can mold a child into a better individual. That said, when a guru is there to lead his disciple or Shishya on the correct path, they’re likely to evolve both mentally and spiritually.

Guru Purnima is a festival that celebrates this guru-shishya relationship. It is a day wherein people find different ways to show gratitude, appreciation, and love for their gurus. This festival is celebrated in India, Nepal, and Bhutan by Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists. On this day people pay homage to their revered spiritual teachers or mentors.
‘Purnima’ is the full moon day and according to the Hindu calendar, Guru Purnima is celebrated every year on this day in the month of ‘Ashadha’. It is a national festival and people express their respect and gratitude towards their gurus.

On this day, disciples worship or pay respect to their guru. In addition to its religious importance this festival is equally vital for Indian academics and scholars. Indian students than their present teachers as well as those who mentored them in the past as well.

History and significance of Guru Purnima:

The festival holds a deeper meaning and fascinating history. Gautam Buddha, the founder of the Buddhist faith, is believed to have given his first sermon on this day. After five weeks of achieving enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, Buddha went from Bodhgaya to Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh. There he gave a sermon on the full moon day.

This is why Gautam Buddha's followers celebrate this day as Guru Purnima to worship him and the Ashadha Purnima Tithi is significant for Buddhists. Guru Purnima is also the day that marks the birth anniversary of Maharishi Ved Vyasa, the author of the great Indian epic, Mahabharata. This day is also known as Vyasa Purnima.

Guru Purnima marks the relationship between students and teachers. In today’s time, it has been said that teachers play the most important role in the lives of students. Apart from imparting education and teaching other co-curricular and non-curricular skills, teachers also familiarise students with values and life skills that help them deal with the outside world once they become adults.

Guru Purnima also holds a lot of importance in Jainism as Lord Mahavira became the celebrated guru to his first disciple Gautam Swami on this day. So, Lord Mahavira is kept in prayers by the entire community of Jainism.

This day is vital for the farmers as well as they worship the almighty for good rainfall for their harvest season.

A lot of festivities take place in Maharashtra’s Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust of Shirdi as well.

Who is the Guru:

1. Guru can be the one, who teaches Life's lessons, that can be your father, mother, and even your elder siblings.
2. The one who shows the right path and the one, who contributes to making you a good human being.
3. The one, who teaches you about humanity.
4. The person, who enlightens your life with the deepest knowledge of spirituality.
5. The person, who teaches you the way of leading a good life.

According to the Hindu Scriptures, the famous sage Veda Vyas was born on this day, he was the son of Sage Parashar. Sage Veda Vyas was a divine child as he was aware of all kaal's, Bhoot kaal, Vartamaan Kaal, and Bhavishya kaal (past, present and future).

He knew that in the future people will become religiously inactive and will believe less in God and people cannot easily go through the entire Vedas so he edited the Vedas into four parts so that people with less understanding and memory, would also be able to utilize this knowledge.

These are the names of four Vedas:

• Rigveda
• Yajurveda
• Samaveda
• Atharvaveda

He gave the names of these four Vedas and that is why he is known as Veda Vyas. Veda Vyas is also known as Maharishi Vyas. He is considered as the ancient Guru. Guru Purnima is also called Vyas Purnima.

Guru Purnima Rituals:

Guru Purnima is celebrated in India and other countries like Nepal, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia. To observe Guru Purnima, various rituals are prevalent in Hindus and Buddhists. Here is a glimpse of it.

• On Guru Purnima, devotees take a bath and put on new clothes before they offer their prayers and tribute to their Gurus. They also offer “Deeksha” to their mentors and teachers. They recite Guru Shloka while remembering their teachers.

“|| Gurur Brahma, Gurur Vishnu, Guru Devo Maheshwara

Guru Saakshaat Parabrahma, Tasmai Shri Gurave Namah ||”

• On this day, devotees worship Maharishi Vyas and also pay offerings to Sri Madhvacharya, Adi Shankara, and Sri Ramanuja Acharya, revered as Maha Gurus in Hindu culture. People perform “Vyas Puja” and recite Mantras and hymns. Guru Gita, a holy text is also read in the memory of Maha Guru.

• If one’s Guru is not alive, his picture or portrait is worshiped as per the rituals. The recital of Mantras is also done as per norms in the Guru’s remembrance.

• Guru Purnima Puja and Yajna are performed at temples and homes to seek the blessings of Gurus. Some people also observe fast and perform Yogic Sadhana and meditation on the day of Guru Purnima.

• On this day, Buddhists honor Lord Buddha and pay homage by visiting his shrines. They conduct a ritual called “Uposatha” and listen to the eight teachings of Buddha. Many monks consider this auspicious day to start their journey of meditation and ascetic practices.

• Flowers, incense, candles, Prasad, Milk, Earthen clay or Diyas, and Holy water are offered to idols of Lord Buddha by priests, monks, and nuns. Devotees dress up in white clothes and prepare “Kheer” to serve as Prasad.

Doha by Sant Kabirdas:

Guru Gobind Dau Khade
Kake Lagu Paye
Balihaari Guru Aapne
Govind Diyo Bataye

This means, 'If God and Teacher stand together before you, whose feet will you touch first? The Guru showed us the way to meet God; if it was not for the teacher; I would have never met God. So, touch his feet first.'