Guru Purnima

When to do the puja

Quick facts

• Also known asVyasa Purnima, Ashadha Purnima
• WhereAll of India and Nepal; special in the Buddhist and Jain traditions too
• Puja forSage Vyasa, and your own gurus
• In one lineSage Vyasa's birthday, and the day to honour all your teachers.

Guru Purnima, in a little more detail

1. 01

   About the festival

   Guru means the one who removes darkness. Whoever leads you out of not knowing and into knowing is a guru.

   Today Vyasa is worshipped. He split the Veda into four and gave us the Mahabharata, so he is held to be the guru of all gurus.

   But a guru isn't only in an ashram. Your school teachers, whoever taught you music or an art, whoever showed you the way in life: think of them all today, and if you can, give one of them a call.

2. 02

   Vyasa, Ganesha and the deal

   The sage Parashara and Satyavati had a son, born on an island in the Yamuna. He was dark, so he was named Krishna Dvaipayana, the dark one of the island. He grew up to be Vyasa.

   Vyasa wanted the Mahabharata written down, and Ganesha agreed to be his scribe. But Ganesha had a condition: you must never stop. Vyasa set one back: you must understand every verse before you write it.

   So now and then Vyasa would give a hard verse. While Ganesha worked it out, Vyasa had time to compose the next. That's how the whole Mahabharata got written: the teacher's wisdom and the pupil's understanding, together!

3. 03

   In Maharashtra and beyond

   In schools, children give their teachers a flower and bow. Students of music, dance or wrestling worship their gurus today.

   In Shirdi, Guru Purnima is one of the year's three big festivals: lakhs of devotees come, and the palkhi and the chariot go out. In the mathas of the saints, too, the guru is worshipped today.

   In the Buddhist tradition this is the day of the Buddha's first sermon at Sarnath, and the start of the rains retreat. In the Jain tradition, Mahavira is said to have taken Gautama Swami as his first disciple today.

   In Nepal it is Teachers' Day: students give their teachers garlands, sweets and a topi.

How to keep the day

In short: Honour Vyasa and your own guru, and thank a teacher in person if you can.

1. 1Bathe, and begin the day by bowing to your parents.Parents are a child's first gurus, so in many homes the day starts with a bow to them.
2. 2Worship Vyasa: his picture, or the Mahabharata or the Gita, with flowers, sandalwood and a lamp.Many temples hold a Vyasa puja today, with flowers and gifts offered.
3. 3If you follow a guru, worship the guru's padukas, the sandals.The padukas stand for the guru's feet. Without them, offer flowers to the guru's picture.
4. 4Say the guru shloka, or read the Guru Gita.Many homes and schools say "Gururbrahma Gururvishnu" today.
5. 5Visit your guru, or the ashram, math or samadhi.Devotees gather at ashrams and seats of gurus today. Expect crowds, and go early.
6. 6Meet your teachers and thank them: a flower, a sweet or a small gift.A call to an old teacher is good dakshina too.
7. 7Give guru dakshina, as you can.Money, a gift, food or your time: whatever you give, give it with respect.
8. 8Spend part of the day learning: read, practise your art, or teach someone.Many say the truest dakshina is living what you learned.

What you needTick as you go

• A picture of Vyasa or of your guru
• The guru's padukas (if you have them)
• Flowers and a garland
• Sandalwood paste
• Akshata
• A diya and ghee
• Incense
• The Guru Gita, the Gita or a book you love
• A sweet for naivedya
• Flowers or a small gift for your teachers
• Guru dakshina

Frequently asked questions