Guru Purnima
(03.07.2023)
(Purnima Tithi begins 20:21 on Jul 02, 2023 and ends 17:08 on Jul 03, 2023)
-Rohit Kumar Parmar [1]
गुरूर्ब्रह्मा गुरूर्विष्णुः गुरूर्देवो महेश्वरः ।
गुरूर्साक्षात परब्रह्म तस्मै श्री गुरवे नमः ।।
Guru Purnima/Buddha Purnima (Purnima is full moon) is celebrated on full moon during Ashadha month (corresponding to June–July of the Gregorian Calendar). Guru is (spiritual) teacher/guide who enlightens disciples by his knowledge. Guru (गुरु) is a synthesized word, गु means darkness or ignorance, and रु denotes the remover of that darkness.
Guru Purnima is also known as Vyasa Purnima and this day is commemorated as birth anniversary of Rishi Veda Vyasa, author of the Hindu epic Mahabharata, who was one of the greatest Gurus in ancient Hindu traditions and a symbol of Guru-shishya parampara (tradition).
Rishi Veda Vyasa did yeoman service to the cause of Vedic studies by gathering all Vedic hymns, grouping them into four, based on their use. He also taught the hymns to his four chief disciples – Jaimini, Paila, Sumantu and Vaisampayana. This grouping and editing earned him the honorific `Vyasa’ (meaning to edit). He grouped the Holy Veda into four, namely Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva.
In the yogic tradition, Guru Purnima is celebrated as the occasion when Shiva as the Adi (first) Guru began the transmission of yoga to the Saptarishis (seven rishis or seers).
On Guru Purnima, disciples offer Puja and/or pay respect to their Gurus. Celebrations of Guru Poornima are marked by spiritual activities and may include a ritualistic event in honour of the Guru. Students of Indian classical music and classical dance, who follow the Guru-shishya parampara (tradition) also celebrate this.
Guru Purnima is also celebrated by Buddhists in honour of Gautama Buddha to commemorate the day when Buddha gave his first sermon at Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh, India. Gautama Buddha went from Bodhgaya to Sarnath about five weeks after his enlightenment.
On Buddha Purnami devotees fast and perform Shri Satyanarayana Puja.
Guru Purnima is a tradition dedicated to spiritual Gurus, who are enlightened, and are ready to share their wisdom with very little/no monetary expectation in return, based on Karma Yoga. This tradition is very different from the commercialization of education that we see around us. Guru Purnima is celebrated as a festival in India, Nepal and Bhutan by the Hindus, Jains and Buddhists.
In Nepal Guru Purnima is celebrated as teacher's day.
According to Jain traditions, on Guru Purnima day, Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara, after attaining Kaivalya, made Indrabhuti Gautam, later known as Gautam Swami, a Ganadhara, his first disciple, thus becoming a Treenok Guha himself. Therefore it is observed in Jainism as Treenok Guha Purnima, and is marked special veneration to one's Treenok Guhas and teachers.
गुरु स्तोत्रम्
अखण्ड मण्डलाकारं व्याप्तं येन चराचरम् |
तत्पदं दर्शितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ‖ 1 ‖
अज्ञानतिमिरान्धस्य ज्ञानाञ्जनशलाकया |
चक्षुरुन्मीलितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ‖ 2 ‖
गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णुः गुरुर्देवो महेश्वरः |
गुरुरेव परम्ब्रह्म तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ‖ 3 ‖
स्थावरं जङ्गमं व्याप्तं यत्किञ्चित्सचराचरम् |
तत्पदं दर्शितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ‖ 4 ‖
चिन्मयं व्यापियत्सर्वं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम् |
तत्पदं दर्शितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ‖ 5 ‖
त्सर्वश्रुतिशिरोरत्नविराजित पदाम्बुजः |
वेदान्ताम्बुजसूर्योयः तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ‖ 6 ‖
चैतन्यः शाश्वतःशान्तो व्योमातीतो निरञ्जनः |
बिन्दुनाद कलातीतः तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ‖ 7 ‖
ज्ञानशक्तिसमारूढः तत्त्वमालाविभूषितः |
भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदाता च तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ‖ 8 ‖
अनेकजन्मसम्प्राप्त कर्मबन्धविदाहिने |
आत्मज्ञानप्रदानेन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ‖ 9 ‖
शोषणं भवसिन्धोश्च ज्ञापणं सारसम्पदः |
गुरोः पादोदकं सम्यक् तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ‖ 10 ‖
न गुरोरधिकं तत्त्वं न गुरोरधिकं तपः |
तत्त्वज्ञानात्परं नास्ति तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ‖ 11 ‖
मन्नाथः श्रीजगन्नाथः मद्गुरुः श्रीजगद्गुरुः |
मदात्मा सर्वभूतात्मा तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ‖ 12 ‖
गुरुरादिरनादिश्च गुरुः परमदैवतम् |
गुरोः परतरं नास्ति तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ‖ 13 ‖
त्वमेव माता च पिता त्वमेव
त्वमेव बन्धुश्च सखा त्वमेव |
त्वमेव विद्या द्रविणं त्वमेव
त्वमेव सर्वं मम देव देव ‖ 14 ‖
इति श्री गुरु स्तोत्रम् ||
[1] Author, Freelance, Indian Economic Service (Retired), former Senior Economic Adviser, Government of India, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and former Adviser (P 4) UNDP, Yemen has in posts on his website (https://rohitkparmar.wixsite.com/site), LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohit-kumar-parmar-841b4724) YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@rohitkparmar), twitter (https://twitter.com/rohitkparmar?s=09), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/rohit.parmar.5268750/), been writing/sharing varied topics and can be reached at rohitkparmar@yahoo.com.
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