There is a popular saying that goes, ‘Mata Pita Guru Deivam’. Mata or Mother is the one who shows us who our father(Pita) is. Pita takes you to the Guru you desire for education. Guru leads you to God.
It is not possible to reach God without a Guru. This saying underscores the importance of the Guru. It is why Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains celebrate Guru Purnima with great fervor. The festival occurs on the full moon (Purnima) day in Ashada month (July-August). In 2022, it is on July 13.
People associate Guru Purnima with various events. For instance, Hindus regard it as the birthday of the great sage, Veda Vyasa, who compiled all the Vedic hymns and classified them into the 4 Vedas. He is also the author of the Mahabharata epic, 18 Puranas, and the Srimad Bhagavata. Vyasa was known as Krishna Dwaipayana originally, and he was the son of sage Parasara and Matsyagandhi. Vyasa classified the Vedas into four based on their use in sacrificial rites. He also taught them to his four chief disciples. Vyas actually means ‘to edit, to divide’. Vyasa also taught Dattatreya, who is the Guru of Gurus.
Lord Shiva, as Adi Yogi, taught Yoga to the Saptarishis (7 sages) on this day.
The Buddha supposedly gave his first sermon to disciples on this day. This happened five weeks after he got enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. It was after this event that the first Buddhist ‘Sangha’ was formed.
In Jainism, on this day, Lord Mahavira became the ‘Guru’ to his first disciple Gautam Swami.
Guru Purnima is the day we pay respects to our Guru for removing the darkness of ignorance from our lives. Spiritual or secular, Gurus are very important in a person’s life. Without a Guru’s guidance, we cannot hope to achieve material, emotional, or spiritual well-being.
Here is a story that illustrates the importance of Gurus.
The Guru and the Young Disciple
Once, a young boy wanted to learn the Vedas. So he went to a Gurukula. The Guru was well-known and well-versed in the Shastras. The boy told the Guru, “Sir, I would like you to teach me the Vedas”. The Guru replied “It is a twelve-year course, my dear boy. Are you prepared for it”?
The boy said he was and signed up for the course. In the ancient times, this was the system of Vedic education. The student would stay in the Gurukulam and learn the Vedas for twelve years. When the course came to an end, the student had to pass an examination.
Twelve years passed, and it was time for the boy to graduate. On the date he was supposed to graduate, the boy presented himself to his Guru. But the Guru said that he was very busy and had no time to conduct the exam. Usually, the Guru would ask his disciple to recite parts of the Vedas, and they would be graded on this basis.
In this case, the Guru told the boy to go to the backyard and stand near a particular tree. He also told him to recite a certain part of the Vedas [Anuvaka]. He said that on completion, the tree would shed some leaves. The Guru told the boy to count the number of leaves. This would indicate the number of mistakes committed during his recital.
The boy agreed to take the novel test. He knew that before reciting the Anuvaka, he should invoke Lord Ganesha. But when he invoked Ganesha, the tree shed all its leaves. The boy was shocked to see this. He went to the Guru and described what happened.
The Guru realized what the boy’s mistake was. He explained that before the boy invoked Ganesha or any other deity, he should have done a Dhyana or meditation on his Guru. Because he failed to do so, the tree had shed all its leaves, indicating that it was a huge mistake.
The Guru is a very compassionate soul who bestows knowledge on you and is the incarnation of the Lord himself. This story reveals that we should always be thankful to our Guru for all the gifts of knowledge and spiritual wisdom that he bestows on us.
The Guru is seen as a vehicle of divine power in India. In ancient India, Gurus were the first and most distinguished order of society. In Vedic tradition, the Guru is no less than a God. He is a spiritual teacher who helps the disciple to realize God.
On Guru Purnima day, spiritual aspirants and devotees revere the Gurus from whom they got Diksha. They do so by remembering their lives and teachings. They conduct Vyasa Pooja as well. Spiritual seekers begin their spiritual ‘sadhana’ on this day. The Guru is someone who can free us from the bondage of sorrow and death.
What to do on Guru Purnima?
The Vishnu Smriti and Manu Smriti consider the Acharya/teacher as the most venerable Guru, along with one’s mother and father. The Guru Gita says that one should meditate on the Guru’s form and worship the Guru’s feet. His words are equivalent to a sacred Mantra, and his grace can bestow liberation.
Spiritual aspirants must arise at the Brahmamuhurta (4 a. m.) and meditate on the Guru. They should invoke his blessings. One may observe a vow of silence and read the books or writings of one’s Guru or introspect on his teachings. The best way to worship the Guru is to embrace his teachings and propagate his glory.
The Upanishads emphasize the importance of the Guru. As per the Mundak Upanishad, one needs to surrender oneself before the Guru. The Kathopanishad says that only the Guru can guide a person on the spiritual path.
The ancient universities like Takshashila, Vikramashila, and Nalanda evolved from the tradition of Gurukulas, where students learned for many years, staying with the Guru. In fact, the ancient educational system revolved around Gurus who made vast contributions to various fields of learning and culture.
The Guru-Shishya (disciple) relationship is a very sacred one. It is based on spiritual knowledge and practice. The Guru is an authority in spirituality who guides us in our spiritual journey according to our spiritual level and our ability to imbibe knowledge.
