Guru Purnima is one of the most important celebrations in the world of spirituality, dedicated to the masters and their invaluable contribution to our personal and spiritual growth. This festival, observed with great devotion in India and many other parts of the world, falls on the full moon day (Purnima) of the month of Ashadha, according to the Indian lunar calendar, generally between June and July.
The Origins of Guru Purnima
The term Guru comes from Sanskrit and means one who dispels darkness. In Indian tradition, the Guru is considered not only a teacher, but a spiritual guide who illuminates the path of knowledge and wisdom. Guru Purnima is deeply rooted in Vedic tradition and also marks the day when the great sage Veda Vyasa, author of the Mahabharata, was born and began to spread the knowledge of the Vedas.
The Meaning of Guru Purnima
The celebration of Guru Purnima goes beyond simply paying homage to spiritual masters. It is an occasion to recognize the importance of every guide in our lives – from our parents and school teachers to professional mentors and instructors. The day invites us to reflect on the crucial role these figures play in shaping our path, inspiring us to reach our fullest potential.
How to Celebrate Guru Purnima
Meditation and Prayer: Many practitioners dedicate this day to meditation and prayer, focusing on gratitude towards their gurus. It is a time to connect deeply with one's inner self and with the teachings received.
Puja and Rituals: In India, it is common to celebrate with puja (worship rituals) dedicated to the guru. Devotees offer flowers, incense and food to their teachers or idols representing their guru.
Sharing Knowledge: Another meaningful way to celebrate is to share the knowledge and teachings you have received. This can be through lectures, seminars or simply by telling stories and anecdotes that reflect the influence of your teachers.
Acts of Kindness and Service: Many choose to honor their gurus through acts of kindness and service to others, recognizing that true teaching manifests itself in altruistic action.
Why is Guru Purnima celebrated on full moon day of Ashad?
Ashad is a month in the Hindu calendar that corresponds more or less to the month of July, during the monsoon season in India. The full moon is a beautiful symbol to dedicate to the master. It is a poetic symbol, so one should try to understand it through the heart rather than the head.
The choice of the full moon is due to the fact that by enlightening the master, his consciousness reaches its full flowering. In him the dark side of unawareness ceases to exist.
The full moon symbolizes the spiritual journey of the master, similar to that of the moon when it passes from the phase of total darkness to the full illumination of the full moon. The enlightened master was once in the same darkness as the disciple is now. But through dedication and the right path, he has achieved the brightness of the peak of awareness. This gives the disciple confidence that through self-discipline he too can reach the same peak as the master.
Not all enlightened people become masters. After having lived the fulfilling experience of enlightenment one becomes so serenely satisfied that the question of creating the master-disciple relationship does not even arise. Unless one has enormous compassion one does not become a master.
It is compassion that drives an enlightened person to help those who are still groping in the dark. And while he is guiding these people out of the darkness, the master-disciple relationship comes into being. The master is surrounded by the light of his awareness, but because the disciple is still in unawareness, he commits mistakes and misbehaves in society. Then society generally starts blaming the master.
In the month of Ashad, during the monsoon rains, the sky is covered with black clouds. These resemble the disciples who are not yet enlightened and are groping in the darkness. In the rainy month of Ashad, although there is a full moon, people cannot see it because the black clouds cover it.
Therefore the full moon is as if it were not there. This is similar to society holding the master responsible for the shortcomings of his disciples. But the master's compassion is such that he does not care about the insults he receives from others and continues to irradiate his disciples with the light of his wisdom.
It was a deep intuition of the ancient sages who invented this symbol for the master. Otherwise, anyone would have thought of the sun as a symbol instead of the moon. But using the full moon as a symbol is more suitable because the sun shines with its own light, whereas the moon reflects the light of the sun, it has no light of its own.
Similarly, the master who has walked the path of meditation, when he becomes enlightened, becomes shunya, that is, a non-being, an absence of ego. In that state of non-being he becomes enlightened with the light of truth. Only when a man becomes completely empty can the truth shine through him. But in this reflecting of light a tremendous transformation happens.
The blinding and burning light of the Sun when reflected through the Moon becomes cool and restful, reassuring. Truth is like the Sun. It is always direct and impartial, lacking the element of compassion. But the same truth, when reflected through an enlightened master, takes on a reassuring quality because of the compassion that brings subtle changes to it.
The master does not judge the mistakes of the disciples because he knows that in the state of unconsciousness in which they are, mistakes are inevitable. The master knows that he too once lived in the same unconsciousness and committed similar mistakes.
The disciple needs guidance to come out of unconsciousness. He is today where the master was yesterday and the master is today where the disciple will be tomorrow. Therefore the master is always ready to forgive the mistakes of the disciples.
Conclusion
Guru Purnima is an opportunity to rediscover the sacred bond between teacher and disciple, recognizing that every step forward on our path is supported by the wisdom and guidance of those who have gone before us. May this day inspire us to continue learning, growing, and spreading the light of knowledge and awareness.
On our part, we wish you all a very happy Guru Purnima. May you find inspiration and guidance at every moment of your journey.
Be the beacon of light that guides others towards inner peace and balance. Becoming a teacher means not only sharing a transformative practice, but also awakening awareness and well-being in every soul you meet along the way. The world needs your wisdom and guidance.
