Guru Purnima – Celebrated By Hindus to Honor their Guru (Teacher)

I dedicate this post to all my teachers and inspirations that have given me knowledge at some point of life and have made me capable to understand between right and wrong and have enlightened my life.

The day of full moon, Purnima, in the month of Ashadh (July-August) is traditionally celebrated as Guru Purnima by Hindus. This day is also known as a Vyas Purnima, the day is celebrated in remembrance and veneration to sage Ved Vyas. All Hindus are indebted to this ancient saint who edited the four Vedas, wrote the 18 Puranas, the Mahabharata and the Srimad Bhagavata. Guru means Teacher. The Sanskrit root "Gu" means darkness or ignorance. "Ru" denotes the remover of that darkness. Therefore one who removes darkness of our ignorance is a Guru. Here I would like to recollect some famous verses which all Hindus by heart to glorify the word Guru.

‘Guru Govind donu khade, kisko laagu paay,
Balihari Gurudevaki jinhe Govind diyo bataay.’
Meaning - The Guru (Teacher) and Govind (God), are present before me, to whom shall I bow (prostrate) down first? Glory to the Guru (Teacher) since he showed me Govind (God).

Gurubrahma Guruvishnu Gururdevo Maheshwaraha |
Guruhu sakshaat Parambrahman tasmai Shrigurave namaha ||
Meaning - The Guru is Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh (Shiva), veneration to the Guru who is Parabrahman manifest." The second line of the couplet does not literally mean that the Guru becomes Parabrahman - God, rather he is venerated as if God is manifesting through him.

Hindus attach paramount importance to spiritual gurus. Guru plays the pivotal role in reminding us the divinely advice, teaches us the art of living a balanced life with restraint and stability of mind. He is the one who brings about awareness that actions (karmas) performed under the influence of senses, give rise to sensuous pleasures and pains, which are transitory and fleeting. He guides you how to discipline and bring under control the five wild horses - 'kaam' (passion), 'krodha' (anger), 'lobh' (greed), 'moh' (emotional attachment) and 'ahankaar' (ego) and helps one to take the chariot of life in the right direction of inner peace and tranquility. A Guru is beyond religions. He does not discriminate on the basis of culture, nationality or gender. He will never ask one to convert from his religion. He will lift the student to comprehend universal spiritual principles that underlie all religions. Whichever spiritual path or religion one follows, they all finally lead to the path of grace of the Guru.

Regardless of the spiritual path, this day is also celebrated to honor all those people, inspirations that have guided our path in this life. Gurupurnima is the day to pay gratitude to you’re a person who has enlightened you on the right path of life.