Guru Purnima

[S.N. Iyer]

The Guru in the Hindu tradition is looked upon as an embodiment of God
himself. For, it is through his grace and guidance that one reaches
the highest state of wisdom and bliss. "My salutations to the Guru who
is Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara. The Guru is Parabrahma incarnate"

Gururbrahmaa gururvishnuh gururdevo Maheswarah |
Guruh-saakshaat parabrahma tasmai shrigurave namah ||

Hindus attach paramount importance to spiritual gurus. Gurus are often
equated with God and always regarded as a link between the individual
and the Immortal. Just as the moon shines by reflecting the light of
the sun, and glorifies it, all disciples can dazzle like the moon by
gaining from their Gurus.

What is Guru Purnima?

The full moon day in the Hindu month of Ashad (July-August) is
observed as the auspicious day of Guru Purnima, a day sacred to the
memory of the great sage Vyasa. All Hindus are indebted to this
ancient saint who edited the four Vedas, wrote the 18 Puranas, the
Mahabharata and the Srimad Bhagavata. Vyasa even taught Dattatreya,
who is regarded as the Guru of Gurus.

Significance of Guru Purnima

On this day, all spiritual aspirants and devotees worship Vyasa in
honor of his divine personage and all disciples perform a 'puja' of
their respective spiritual preceptor or 'Gurudevs'.

This day is of deep significance to the farmers, for it heralds the
setting in of the much-needed rains, as the advent of cool showers
usher in fresh life in the fields. It is a good time to begin your
spiritual lessons. Traditionally, spiritual seekers commence to
intensify their spiritual 'sadhana' from this day.

The period 'Chaturmas' ("four months") begins from this day. In the
past, wandering spiritual masters and their disciples used to settle
down at a place to study and discourse on the Brahma Sutras composed
by Vyasa, and engage themselves in Vedantic discussions.

The Role of the Guru

Swami Sivananda asks: "Do you realize now the sacred significance and
the supreme importance of the Guru's role in the evolution of man? It
was not without reason that the India of the past carefully tended and
kept alive the lamp of Guru-Tattva. It is therefore not without reason
that India, year after year, age after age, commemorates anew this
ancient concept of the Guru, adores it and pays homage to it again and
again, and thereby re-affirms its belief and allegiance to it. For,
the true Indian knows that the Guru is the only guarantee for the
individual to transcend the bondage of sorrow and death, and
experience the Consciousness of the Reality."