Guru purnima

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http://www.amritapuri.org/cultural/guru/purnima.htm

 

Guru Purnima is traditionally held to be Bhagawan

Vyasa's birthday. According to the Indian calendar IT

falls on the 15th of the month of Ashada. Bhagawan

Vyasa is called Veda Vyasa - or the Compiler of the

Vedas. Bhagawan Vyasa saw that, in the coming yugas,

men would be of grosser mind and would lack the

ability to learn and retain all of the Vedas. So he

compiled the Vedas into four parts - the Rig, Yajur,

Sama and Atharva Veda.

 

 

Furthermore he wrote the Puranas so that the common

people could also benefit from the knowledge of the

Vedas - he conveyed the same spiritual principles

through the medium of stories and parables. He is also

the author of the Brahma Sutras - the quintessence of

Vedanta. So it is but fitting that his birthday is

celebrated as Guru Purnima.

 

This day also heralds the coming of the life-giving

rains, the monsoon season in India. During this

season, sannyasis traditionally stay at one place and

engage in scriptural studies and contemplation. This

period is called the Chaturmasya or literally the four

months. Guru Purnima is the day from which this period

commences.

 

Guru Parampara

A lineage of Gurus and shishyas who themselves

became Gurus, and that goes back to time immemorial is

known as the Guru Parampara. If we trace this lineage

to its source we find that Iswara Himself must have

been the first Guru.

 

 

 

Sadasiva samarambham sankaracharya madhyamam |

Asmat acharya paryantam vande guru paramparam ||

 

In ancient India the Gurukula system of education

prevailed. On reaching the age of eight, children were

sent to live in the ashrams of the Acharyas in order

to learn all the scriptures, arts and sciences. There

were two types of Acharyas. Vedavid - those who knew

the Vedas; and Brahmavid - those who knew Brahman. It

is this latter type of Guru whom we refer to as

Satguru.

 

Then there are the Avatara Gurus who take birth at

critical junctures in history in order to redeem

dharma (righteousness), and effect an all-round

spiritual renaissance. Like the sun in the sky, they

illumine the whole world with their blazing light of

Divinity. Our beloved Amma belongs to this rare

category of the greatest of the great, and certainly

is the divine answer to the need of this age, on the

threshold of a new millennium, which is marked by

rampant materialism, nihilism, and the dearth of love

among mankind. This embodiment of Divine Love and

Grace, by giving initiation to millions, has thrown

open the gates of spirituality for all to enter. Her

Divine Love touches prince and pauper alike, awakening

them to the glory of pure love and supreme wisdom.

 

 

 

On the occasion of this Guru Purnima, let us offer our

salutations to our Beloved Amma, the Jagat Guru (the

Guru of the universe), the Jagat Janani (the Mother of

the universe), and to all the illustrious Gurus of the

great Guru Parampara.

 

Guru Purnima is a day for celebration and worship - a

day on which the disciples remember and express their

gratitude to the lineage of Gurus.

 

On this most auspicious occasion let us offer our

gratitude and love at the Lotus Feet of Love Incarnate

Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi.

 

 

July 2 is Guru purnima. If your calendar says July 30

or 31 (i.e. the second full moon this month) it's a

typo!

 

Keval