Be indebted to your Guru for now and forever
Guru Purnima celebrated on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Aashaadha, which this year falls on Thursday (July 10), holds tremendous significance in today's context as it emphasises the value of teachers and mentors in guiding individuals towards knowledge, enlightenment and personal growth.
It is a day to express gratitude and respect for those who illuminate our path, whether they are academic teachers, spiritual guides or even parents.
In essence, Guru Purnima is not just a religious or cultural festival; it is a timeless reminder of the profound impact of teachers and mentors in shaping individuals and society fostering a culture of learning, gratitude and spiritual growth.
This is the time of the year when the Adi Yogi's attention fell upon his first seven disciples—the now celebrated Saptarishis.
In the yogic tradition Bhagwan Shiva is not worshipped as God, but is considered the Adi Yogi—the first Yogi and Adi Guru, the first guru from when the yogic science originated. So, this month is considered as the best and most auspicious time to receive the grace of the Guru and make one receptive to the process.
The Saptarishis had done some simple preparatory steps for 84 years, without a moment of attention from Him, the Adi Yogi. During the shift of the southern Sun which is called Dakshinayan, Adi Yogi noticed these seven people with undivided attention.
Then on the first Solstice, He decided to teach them and become a Guru. He could not ignore the efforts of the Saptarishis and became compassionate, loosened up himself and became a teacher, which He never intended. The Saptarishis were competent enough to grasp whatever was offered and the Guru shared everything that he wanted to pass on.
Guru Purnima is also known as Vyasa Purnima, which is celebrated to honour the birth anniversary of Maharishi Veda Vyasa, the sage who compiled the Vedas and authored The Mahabharata, a major epic in Hindu literature, which includes 'The Bhagavad Gita' revered by every Indian and people from all over the world. He is considered the Adi Guru or the first Guru in the Hindu tradition.
He is revered for organising the vast body of Vedic knowledge into four parts-Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajurveda and the Atharva Veda. He is also the author of eighteen Puranas and the Brahma Sutras.
The term 'Guru' itself signifies one who dispels darkness and ignorance, leading disciples towards enlightenment, a role that Vyasa embodied through his teachings.
He is considered as one of the immortals, the 'Chiranjeevi' who would be alive in the current age the 'Kali Yuga'. Siddhartha Gautama attained Enlightenment on this day and became the Buddha, which involved understanding the true nature of reality and transcending suffering and escaping the cycle of rebirth. He is the preacher of 'Ahimsa Paramo Dharma' to the world. He is honoured on the Buddha Purnima Day commemorating his first sermon at Sarnath.
It is for all such reverential reasons that this month is deemed as the best time to receive the grace of the Guru and a good time to earn the Grace of Adi Guru and every other guru.
Grace is like mantra for growth that a human being can catapult himself to another dimension of existence, capability and possibility. If as a human being you are ready to strive, every door in the existence (universe) is open.
On Guru Purnima there is a certain alliance between the moon and the planets, which creates receptivity in people to the very dimension that we refer to
as the Guru.
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