What is Guru Purnima

For Hindus Guru Purnima, or the holiday when honors are paid to the spiritual mentor, is associated with the name born on this day of the legendary sage Vyasa, who is considered the author of the epic “Mahabharata”, of which he himself is one of the actors. Vyasa is credited with dividing the Vedic texts into four parts, resulting in the “Rig Veda”, a collection of religious hymns, the “Yajur Veda”, containing a description of the technique rituals, the “Sama-veda”, which includes texts uttered in the process of performing rituals, and the “Atharva Veda”, the “Spellings Veda”. There is a version according to which there were more than twenty sages named Vyasa who, being incarnations of Hindu pantheon deities such as Vishnu and Brahma, had to transmit to people Vedic knowledge in different periods of world history.

During the festival, Guru Purnima recall events from the lives of the great spiritual teachers. The text of the Guru-gita is read on this day, which is the account of Shiva, one of the principal deities of the Hindu pantheon, on how the spiritual master should be read. The authorship of the “Guru-gita” is attributed to the same Vyasa. In temples on this day, the ritual of veneration of Vyasa is performed with the offering of symbolic gifts to him.

For Buddhists, the feast of Guru Purnima is associated with the anniversary of the first sermon of Shakyamuni Buddha, which he attained enlightenment, delivered in Rishipatana Park for his companions. They subsequently became his first students. This sermon is known as “The First Turn of the Dharma Wheel” and contains the main provisions of Buddhist teaching.

In the full moon of the month of Ashadha, the followers of this teaching indulge in meditation under the guidance of their mentors, which should help to purify their minds and gain inner harmony.