The full moon day of the Ashada
month marking Guru Poornima or Vyasa Poornima is of great significance for
followers of Sanatana Dharma. The day is earmarked for offering our prayers and
respects to all the Mahatmas incarnate in the lineage of Gurus who lead us
along the path of welfare. In accordance to this tradition, it is the duty of
every Astika (one who believes the
existence of God) to offer prayers on Guru Poornima to all Acharyas of the Parampara starting from Lord Sadashiva
to Jagadguru.
It is a tradition to conduct Parayana (reading His mantra/sloka) on
the occasion of this very auspicious Guru Poornima to obtain the compassionate
grace of the Acharyas.
The follower of Dharma may
wholeheartedly perform this Parayana
on the sacred period of Chaturmasya and obtain the blessings of the Guru.
Significance of Guru Poornima
In our tradition, we revere even a
person who imparts knowledge of even a single syllable. Our tradition places
the Guru imparting Brahma-vidya as
the highest object of our devotion. The Upanishads state that all welfare
ensues to the one who has immense devotion towards the Guru just as he has
towards God.
The Upanishads direct the seeker
of the knowledge of the Self to undertake refuge in the Guru. Srimad Bhagavad
Gita also instructs the seeker to serve the Guru, upon which the Guru imparts
Self-knowledge.
Observance
On Guru Poornima, worship is
offered to the entire Guru Parampara beginning from the Lord. Special worship
is offered to Bhagavan Sri Krishna, Bhagavan Veda Vyasa, and Jagadguru.
The Lord Almighty incarnate as Sri Krishna in the Dwapara Yuga protected Dharma by annihilating all evil and protecting the noble. Bhagavan Sri Krishna imparted the knowledge of the essence of the Upanishads in the form of Bhagavad Gita, with Arjuna as the instrument.