Shirdi Guru Pournima Festival

Shri Guru Pournima tells Significance of Guru (Teacher). The importance of a Guru has been appropriately explained in the 17th Chapter of Shri Sai Satcharitra by Hemadpant

Guru Pournima is a celebration of the spiritual and academic Gurus or teachers. Guru is a Sanskrit word that refers to the remover of darkness or ignorance, and Pournima is a full moon day. People in India, Bhutan, and Nepal celebrate Guru Pournima. Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism give great prominence to Guru Pournima. On this auspicious occasion, disciples conduct pujas to attain the blessings of their Gurus.

We celebrate Guru Pournima in the Hindu month of Ashadha, which is either in June or July. Guru Pournima is also commonly known as Vyasa Pournima. It is because it is on that day Veda Vyasa was born. As per Karma Yoga, Guru Pournima is a day of worshipping our Gurus for sharing their knowledge and wisdom.

Guru Pournima, a cherished tradition, stems from various stories found in different spiritual stories. According to one story, Lord Shiva shared his wisdom with people on this day, making him the first teacher. Another tale tells of Ved Vyas’s birth, who on Guru Pournima, shared the teachings of the Vedas with his four students. In Buddhism, it is said that Buddha gave his first sermon to his followers in Sarnath on this day. Similarly, Jains celebrate Guru Pournima as the day Mahavira, a revered figure, gained his first follower.

There are different ways to celebrate Guru Pournima. On the day of Guru Pournima, you can hold on to a fast. Along with that, you can organize special pujas and rituals to receive blessings from your spiritual Gurus. You can also visit temples and offer your prayers to the divine entities. Several schools and colleges conduct programs to celebrate Guru Pournima and pay homage to the Gurus. We can organize Bhajans and also chant hymns on this auspicious occasion.