Guru Purnima, celebrated on the full moon day in the month of Ashada (June – July), is a significant occasion in Hindu culture dedicated to honoring the guru, the spiritual guide or teacher. Dakshinamurthy Shiva, also known as Adi Guru Dakshinamurthy, holds a special place in this celebration as the embodiment of the divine teacher who imparts knowledge through silence, symbolizing the profound wisdom that transcends verbal communication. Dakshinamurthy Shiva is often depicted as a serene figure seated under a banyan tree, he represents the quintessential teacher, imparting knowledge not through words but through the silence of his presence. His form embodies the concept of "Guru," the one who dispels darkness and leads seekers from ignorance to enlightenment. The iconography of Dakshinamurthy Shiva portrays him with four arms, holding various symbolic objects such as a drum (damaru), a flame (agni), a gesture of knowledge (jnana mudra), and a rosary (akshamala). Each of ...

Guru Poornima is also popularly known as Vyas Purnima after Sage Vyasa. Most people recognize Sage Vyas as the author of epic Mahabharata. But Saint Vyas is also a compiler and editor of popular Holy Scriptures associated with Hinduism including the Vedas and the Puranas. In 2023, Vyas Purnima is on July 3. The unparalleled knowledge of Sanatana Dharma that were only registered in the memory of great sages and which were passed on orally from Guru to Shishya for generations was for the first compiled and written down by Sage Vyasa. It is believed that Sage Vyas completed the compilation of the four Vedas on the Purnima day and therefore the day is referred as Vyas Poornima. The Vedas were written for the first time on ‘Bhoj Patra’ and to complete this job Sage Vyas chose a secluded place and even his close disciples were not allowed to visit him. He went into deep mediation and wrote down from memory the great teachings of the Saints of yesteryear. Knowledge which was p...

Salutations to Lord Narayana, the Adi Guru! Salutations to the Brahmavidya Gurus of ancient Bharatavarsha! Salutations to the illumined sages and seers of modern India , the living Gurus who are inspiring, guiding and enlightening the sincere seekers and struggling souls of the Samsarik world! The age of the Upanishads was an age of intuitional perception. It was an age when intuitional experience was the guarantee of Truth. But the modern age is an age of questioning and criticism. Today the guarantee of truth is in the test of sense perception. What man can perceive through sense-organs he accepts as the reality. That which the senses cannot perceive he rejects as unreliable. Thus, many precious factors in our ancient cultural heritage have been rejected and set aside as superstition. The hoary and the most precious spiritual conception of the Guru is one such factor that has come to be misunderstood and misinterpreted in the present age. The traditional concept of the ...

Guru Purnima, also referred as Vyasa Puja, is observed on the full moon day (Purnima) in the Hindu month of Ashada or Ashara (June – July). Guru Purnima 2026 date is July 29.  The day is dedicated to the Guru – one who dispels darkness. Guru is honored and given due respect on Guru Charan Pujan day. Sage Vyasa is considered the Adi Guru or the first Guru in Hindu religion and therefore the day is also known as Vyasa Poornima. Importance of Guru Purnima The Guru Gita in the Skanda Purana hails guru in this famous verse: Guru brahma Guru vishnu Guru Devo Maheshwara Guru sakshat Param Brahma tasmai Shri Gurave namaha ‘Guru is Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, Veneration to the Guru who has manifested as Parabrahman.’ While venerating the Guru we must also be cautious as the world today is filled with fake gurus and swamis – who make a living out of spirituality. The true Guru is a transmitting medium, a transporting agent and transparent embodiment of the divine grac...

Human beings or animals or birds or any other living being or whatever thing in the universe that removes ignorance and ushers in the light of self realization is Guru. Guru Purnima is dedicated to this Guru. A Guru need not always be a Swami or a teacher. It can be a small child that gives you the most important lesson in life. Guru Purnima is not dedicated to those modern Gurus who promise miracles. Not to those Gurus who promises to make you rich. Not to those Gurus who promises to solve your family problems or any other issues. These are not Gurus but people who make their living by giving false hopes and promises. They thrive on donations.  Those Gurus that directly or indirectly encourage fear, jealousy, avarice and desires are not gurus. True Guru never puts the blame to your problems on astrology or bad luck or enemies. True Guru never advertises. Blessing of a Guru is not a substitute to hard work.  The greatest Guru is Bhagavan Sri Krishna. H...

The particular Guru Purnima Prayer is known as Guru Ashtakam and it is a popular prayer dedicated to Guru it is chanted to get the blessing of Guru. Here is Guru Purnima Prayer in Hindi. They lyrics are given first in Hindi text and the meaning is given later. The text is prepared by Gurutva Jyotish magazine. It is considered auspicious to chant this prayer to Guru Poornima day. Link - Guru Purnima Prayer in Hindi Benefits Of Chanting Guru Purnima Prayer In Hinduism Chanting Guru Purnima prayers in Hinduism carries numerous benefits, which include: Spiritual Guidance: It invokes the blessings of spiritual teachers (gurus) who guide individuals on their spiritual path. Knowledge and Wisdom: Guru Purnima prayers are believed to enhance one's understanding and wisdom through the grace of the guru. Inner Peace and Tranquility: Regular chanting fosters a sense of inner peace and tranquility, helping individuals to connect deeply with their spiritual selves. Removal of Ob...