Indians traditionaly attach huge importance to parents, spiritual gurus and teachers. They are equated with God because they all play the roles of a Guru. Gurus are always regarded a link between the individual and the Immortal.
Just as the moon shines by reflecting the light of the sun, and glorifies it, all disciples can dazzle like the moon by gaining enlightenment from their Gurus. The full moon day in the Hindu month of Ashad (July-August) is observed as the auspicious day of Guru Purnima in the memory of the great sage Vyasa. On this day, all spiritual aspirants and devotees worship Vyasa in honor of his divine personage and all disciples perform a ‘puja’ of their respective spiritual preceptor or ‘Gurudevs’. Traditionally, spiritual seekers commence to intensify their spiritual ‘sadhana’ from this day.
We need to realize the sacred significance and the supreme importance of the Guru’s role in the evolution of man. In the ancient time, Guru Kulas were the centers of acquiring all kinds of knowledge, education (mundane, science, medicine, engineering, military, character building, and spiritual enlightenment and how to obtain moksha, the ultimate goal of life).
With this reason India, year after year, commemorates this ancient concept of Guru, adores it, and pays homage to it and thereby re-affirms its belief and allegiance to it again and again. For Hindus, Guru is supreme and his orders are ultimate as he is an embodiment of Three Murthis as this sloka narrates.
Guru Brahma Guru Vishnu Guru Devo Maheshwara
Guru Sakshath Parambrahma Tasmai Shri Gurave Namaha
The Guru is Brahma (The creator–who gives us good knowledge, culture, values, skills, personality building talents and his teachings are with us as our guiding light), Lord Vishnu (The preserver-who preserves all the creations and helps to develop and follow them properly in life) and Lord Shiva (the destroyer-who removes avidya, all bad qualities, thoughts, and actions and transforms us into Pavitra atmas. Guru Sakshath Parambrahm is the creator of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwar.
The Guru fulfils all these duties. That is why we have to pray and pay reverence to the Guru who is right before our eyes. We can earn Punya by giving charities and by doing good deeds and attain Swarga or heaven but we enter into this life cycle again when our Punya is over. Guru is the only person who can show and guarantee the individual to transcend the bondage of sorrow and death, and experience the Moksha, ultimate aim of life as this sloka describes it.
Dhyana Moolam Gurur Murthy
Puja Moolam Gurur Padam
Mantra Moolum Gurur Vakyam
Moksha Moolum Gurur Krupa
In our spiritual world, Lord Krishna is considered as Jagadguru and Shankarachary, Ramanujachrya, Madhvacharya and Maha Prabhu Vallabhachrya are the living Gurus who preserved and followed the teachings of Hinduism – the preaching of humanity.
Our teachers are real Gurus that bring practical knowledge and enlightenment to our souls.
According to astrology also, our grandparents and parents are the real Brihaspatis. The guru is beyond name and form, beyond what we could imagine with the limited vision of the thinking mind. Irrespective of their religions, Indian academics celebrate this day by thanking their teachers. Many schools, colleges and universities have events in which students thanks their teachers and remember past scholars. Alumni visit their teachers and present gifts as a gesture of gratitude.
Hindu Temple in Graylak is celebrating Guru Purnima as Varishta Divas to honor them as real Gurus of families and our society at the Hindu Mandir of Lake County on Saturday, 12th July. All the seniors of Lake County are invited to participate in the event and bless the event.
Pundit Anil Joshi
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