NEW DELHI, July 8: Guru Purnima falls on Thursday (July 10) this year.
Guru Purnima, also called Vyasa Purnima, or Vyasa Jayanti, is the birthday
of Veda Vyasa, the author of Mahabharata and other Hindu scriptures like Upanishads,
18 Puranas and Brahma Sutra, celebrated to honour him and all teachers and gurus.
Sage Vyasa is considered the Adi (first) Guru of Hindu Dharma. Gurus impart
the supreme knowledge and they are the guiding lights.
On Guru Purnima (full moon day) devotees offer prayers and offerings to their
gurus and observe the day as a thanksgiving day devoted to their teachers.
Mantras are chanted during Guru Purnima to pay respects to one's teachers and
gurus and to seek their blessings. The most common mantra is: "Guru Brahma,
Guru Vishnu, Guru Devo Maheshwara, Guru Sakshat Param Brahma, Tasmai Sri Gurave
Namaha".
The mantra "Om Gurubhyo Namah" is not only an expression of reverence to gurus,
but also to the principle of what is guru itself.
It is believed that Veda Vyas dictated the story of Mahabharata to Lord Ganesha,
who wrote (transcribed) the mighty book, on the bank of Beas river.
Sage Veda Vyasa was born to Maharishi Parashar and Devi Satyavati on the Purnima
Tithi in the month of Ashadha (June-July).
He is known as Veda Vyasa because he classified the Veda texts into four -
the Rig Veda, the Yajur Veda, the Sama Veda, and the Atharva Veda.
He is therefore called the compiler of the four Vedas, Mahabharata, Srimad
Bhagavatam, Puranas, Upanishads, Brahma Sutra etc.
