Guru Purnima (Vyasa Purnima)

Introduction

Guru Purnima – also called Vyasa Purnima – falls on Ashadha Pournami, the full moon of the month of Ashadha, usually in July. It is the day to honour the guru – the teacher who removes the darkness of ignorance (gu) with the light of knowledge (ru). It is especially dedicated to Sage Veda Vyasa, revered as the Adi Guru of the tradition. In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the day is marked by Vyasa puja, by students and disciples seeking the blessings of their teachers, and by great crowds at Sai Baba temples.

Significance and Legend

According to tradition, Guru Purnima is the birthday of Veda Vyasa (Krishna Dvaipayana), who arranged the Vedas into four, composed the Mahabharata – with the Bhagavad Gita at its heart – and gave the Puranas to the world. Because every teacher of the Vedic tradition carries forward Vyasa's work, the seat of the teacher is called the Vyasa Peetha, and all gurus are honoured through him on this day. Devotees also worship the guru in the forms of Lord Dattatreya and Dakshinamurti, and saints such as Shirdi Sai Baba and Sri Raghavendra Swamy are remembered with great devotion. The day is equally a time to thank one's parents and teachers – the first gurus of every life.

How it is Celebrated in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana

• Sai Baba temples: from the early hours, devotees throng Sai Baba temples across the Telugu states for special abhishekam, aarti, bhajans and annadanam – the Sai Baba temple at Dilsukhnagar in Hyderabad is one of many that celebrate Guru Purnima grandly every year.
• Honouring teachers: students, music and dance disciples and spiritual seekers visit their gurus, touch their feet, offer fruits and flowers and receive their blessings.
• Vyasa puja: Vyasa is worshipped in temples, mathas and homes, and the Vyasa mantra and Guru Stotram are recited.
• Chaturmasya of sannyasis: spiritual heads and sannyasis begin their Chaturmasya vrata with Vyasa puja on this full moon and stay in one place for the sacred months that follow, teaching and blessing the devotees who come to them.

Rituals and Puja

• An early bath, followed by worship of Vyasa and of one's own guru – in person, or through a picture or the guru's padukas.
• Recitation of the Guru Stotram ("Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishnu…"), the Vyasa mantra and the Lord's names.
• Offering guru dakshina – a gift of gratitude – to one's teacher, and charity (danam) to the needy.

Foods and Offerings

• Fruits, flowers and sweets offered to the guru and to the Lord.
• Prasadam and annadanam (free meals) at Sai Baba temples and mathas.
• Guru dakshina and gifts of clothes or books as a mark of respect.

Temples Known for this Festival

• Shirdi Sai Baba Temple – a three-day Guru Purnima festival, with flower decorations, the Sai Baba palkhi procession and lakhs of devotees.
• Sri Gnana Saraswathi Temple, Basara – the sacred place of Vyasa's meditation; Vyasa Purnima is celebrated here every year as a major festival, honouring the sage as the founder of the temple.
• Sri Sharadamba Temple, Sringeri – the Jagadgurus of the Sringeri Sharada Peetham begin their Chaturmasya vrata with Vyasa Puja on this day.

The Chaturmasya of the householders begins a few days earlier, on Ashadha Shukla Ekadasi – see Tholi Ekadasi.

The Guru Purnima date is shown in the festival dates above. It falls on Ashadha Pournami as per the Telugu panchang.