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Sage Vyasa / The Guru
This day honours Sage Vyasa (Krishna Dvaipayana), who compiled the Vedas, authored the Mahabharata, and organized the Puranas. It is also the day Lord Shiva, as Adi Guru (first teacher), began transmitting yoga to the Saptarishis (seven sages).
The full moon of Ashadha is dedicated to the Guru principle — the remover of darkness (Gu = darkness, Ru = remover). Also called Vyasa Purnima.
Express gratitude to your teachers and mentors. Perform Guru Puja. Offer flowers, fruits, and dakshina. Recite Guru Stotram. Many spiritual traditions hold special discourses on this day.
Guru Purnima puja is performed in the morning during Purva Madhyahna (forenoon) on Ashadha Purnima. The ideal time is between 7:00 AM and 12:00 PM, with the Vyasa Puja traditionally done before noon.
On this auspicious Ashadha Purnima (Guru Purnima / Vyasa Purnima), I offer worship to my Guru and to the great sage Vyasa, the compiler of the Vedas, for the attainment of knowledge, wisdom, and spiritual liberation.
Rise early, bathe, and wear clean white or light-coloured clothes. Clean the puja area and set up the Guru's photo or paduka on a clean cloth. Place books and study materials near the altar.
Sit in a meditative posture before the Guru's image. Close your eyes and meditate on your Guru's form, teachings, and grace. Remember the Guru Parampara (lineage of gurus).
Offer padya (water for washing feet) to the Guru's paduka or photo. Pour water over the paduka while chanting the Guru Mantra. If visiting the Guru in person, wash the Guru's feet with water and apply sandalwood paste.
Guru Mantra
गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णुः गुरुर्देवो महेश्वरः। गुरुः साक्षात् परब्रह्म तस्मै श्री गुरवे नमः॥
Apply sandalwood paste and kumkum to the Guru's photo or paduka. Offer white and yellow flowers, and sprinkle akshat (unbroken rice).
Chant the Guru Mantra "Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishnu..." followed by the Guru Gayatri. Then recite the Guru Stotram or Guru Ashtakam if known.
Guru Mantra
गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णुः गुरुर्देवो महेश्वरः। गुरुः साक्षात् परब्रह्म तस्मै श्री गुरवे नमः॥
Offer special prayers to Veda Vyasa — the Adi Guru who compiled the Vedas, authored the Mahabharata, and codified the Puranas. Chant the Vyasa Vandana shloka. This is why the day is also called Vyasa Purnima.
Vyasa Vandana
व्यासं वसिष्ठनप्तारं शक्तेः पौत्रमकल्मषम्। पराशरात्मजं वन्दे शुकतातं तपोनिधिम्॥
Offer dakshina (monetary gift) to the Guru, or if worshipping at home, place dakshina at the Guru's paduka with the intent to donate it. Offer sweets, fruits, and coconut as naivedya.
Perform aarti with camphor and ghee lamp before the Guru's image. Sing the Guru prayer as aarti.
Prostrate before the Guru's image and seek blessings for knowledge and wisdom. On this day, begin reading or studying something new — a new scripture, a new skill, or a new subject — as an offering to the Guru.
Distribute prasad to all present. Share knowledge or a teaching with others as spiritual prasad.
Guru Mantra
गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णुः गुरुर्देवो महेश्वरः। गुरुः साक्षात् परब्रह्म तस्मै श्री गुरवे नमः॥
gururbrahmā gururviṣṇuḥ gururdevo maheśvaraḥ | guruḥ sākṣāt parabrahma tasmai śrī gurave namaḥ ||
The Guru is Brahma (the creator), the Guru is Vishnu (the preserver), the Guru is Shiva (the destroyer). The Guru is verily the Supreme Brahman itself. Salutations to that Guru.
Guru Gayatri
ॐ परमगुरवे विद्महे परमेष्ठिगुरवे धीमहि। तन्नो गुरुः प्रचोदयात्॥
oṃ paramagurave vidmahe parameṣṭhigurave dhīmahi | tanno guruḥ pracodayāt ||
We meditate upon the Supreme Guru, we contemplate the highest Guru. May the Guru inspire and illuminate us.
Vyasa Vandana
व्यासं वसिष्ठनप्तारं शक्तेः पौत्रमकल्मषम्। पराशरात्मजं वन्दे शुकतातं तपोनिधिम्॥
vyāsaṃ vasiṣṭhanaptāraṃ śakteḥ pautramakalmaṣam | parāśarātmajaṃ vande śukatātaṃ taponidhim ||
I salute Vyasa, the great-grandson of Vasishtha, the sinless grandson of Shakti, the son of Parashara, the father of Shuka, the treasure of austerity.
Guru Dhyana Shloka
अखण्डमण्डलाकारं व्याप्तं येन चराचरम्। तत्पदं दर्शितं येन तस्मै श्री गुरवे नमः॥
akhaṇḍamaṇḍalākāraṃ vyāptaṃ yena carācaram | tatpadaṃ darśitaṃ yena tasmai śrī gurave namaḥ ||
Salutations to that Guru who revealed to me the truth of that which pervades the entire indivisible universe of moving and unmoving beings.
Guru Ashtakam
Eight verses by Adi Shankaracharya glorifying the Guru. Each verse ends with "tasmai shri gurave namah".
॥ श्री गुरु की आरती ॥ ॐ जय गुरु देवा, ॐ जय गुरु देवा। जग के तिमिर मिटाओ, सद्गुरु देवा॥ ॐ जय गुरु देवा॥ अज्ञानता का अन्धकार, तुम ज्ञान से मिटाओ। मोक्ष का मारग दिखाओ, पथ भूले को लाओ॥ ॐ जय गुरु देवा॥ ब्रह्मा विष्णु महेश्वर, तुम सबके रूप। गुरुकृपा बिन ज्ञान नहीं, तुम ज्ञान स्वरूप॥ ॐ जय गुरु देवा॥ गुरु की आरती जो कोई, नर नारी गावै। गुरुकृपा को प्राप्त कर, भवसागर तर जावै॥ ॐ जय गुरु देवा॥
|| śrī guru kī āratī || oṃ jaya guru devā, oṃ jaya guru devā | jaga ke timira miṭāo, sadguru devā || oṃ jaya guru devā || ajñānatā kā andhakāra, tuma jñāna se miṭāo | mokṣa kā māraga dikhāo, patha bhūle ko lāo || oṃ jaya guru devā || brahmā viṣṇu maheśvara, tuma sabake rūpa | gurukṛpā bina jñāna nahīṃ, tuma jñāna svarūpa || oṃ jaya guru devā || guru kī āratī jo koī, nara nārī gāvai | gurukṛpā ko prāpta kara, bhavasāgara tara jāvai || oṃ jaya guru devā ||
Sweets (pedha, barfi), fresh fruits, coconut, dry fruits, and kheer
Attainment of true knowledge and wisdom, destruction of ignorance, spiritual progress and liberation, blessings of the entire Guru Parampara, success in education and learning, and the grace of Veda Vyasa