Guru Pournima is a celebration of the spiritual and academic Gurus or teachers. Guru is a Sanskrit word that refers to the remover of darkness or ignorance, and Pournima is a full moon day. People in India, Bhutan, and Nepal celebrate Guru Pournima. Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism give great prominence to Guru Pournima. On this auspicious occasion, disciples conduct pujas to attain the blessings of their Gurus.
We celebrate Guru Pournima in the Hindu month of Ashadha, which is either in June or July. Guru Pournima is also commonly known as Vyasa Pournima. It is because it is on that day Veda Vyasa was born. As per Karma Yoga, Guru Pournima is a day of worshipping our Gurus for sharing their knowledge and wisdom.
Guru Pournima, a cherished tradition, stems from various stories found in different spiritual stories. According to one story, Lord Shiva shared his wisdom with people on this day, making him the first teacher. Another tale tells of Ved Vyas’s birth, who on Guru Pournima, shared the teachings of the Vedas with his four students. In Buddhism, it is said that Buddha gave his first sermon to his followers in Sarnath on this day. Similarly, Jains celebrate Guru Pournima as the day Mahavira, a revered figure, gained his first follower.
There are different ways to celebrate Guru Pournima. On the day of Guru Pournima, you can hold on to a fast. Along with that, you can organize special pujas and rituals to receive blessings from your spiritual Gurus. You can also visit temples and offer your prayers to the divine entities. Several schools and colleges conduct programs to celebrate Guru Pournima and pay homage to the Gurus. We can organize Bhajans and also chant hymns on this auspicious occasion.
Guru Pournima is a festival of immense importance in Hinduism. On that day, the Guru principle is around 1000 times more than others. On the day of Guru Pournima, you can express the gratitude you possess to your teachers. We can see that Indian classical dancing and music classes continue to follow the Guru Shishya Parampara. This further increases the need for practicing Guru Pournima.
Guru Pournima, thus, is a festival of immense importance in India and Hinduism. It plays a pivotal role in Buddhism and Jainism, as well. At Guru Pournima, we can focus on moving beyond the boundaries of our lives and liberating ourselves. Most importantly, we show our respect to our Gurus, who have removed darkness and ignorance from our lives.
