Guru Purnima
Dhyaana moolam
guror murtih;
Pooja moolam guror padam;
Mantra moolam guror vakyam;
Moksha moolam guror kripa
“The Guru’s form
should be meditated upon; the feet of the Guru should be worshipped; his words
are to be treated as a sacred Mantra; his Grace ensures final liberation”.
THE FULL moon day in the month
of Ashad (July-August) is an extremely auspicious and holy day of Guru Purnima.
On this day, sacred to the memory of the great sage, Bhagavan Sri Vyasa,
Sannyasins settle at some place to study and discourse on the thrice-blessed Brahma
Sutras composed by Maharishi Vyasa, and engage themselves in Vedantic,
philosophical investigation.
Sri Vyasa has done
unforgettable service to humanity for all times by editing the four Vedas, writing
the eighteen Puranas, the Mahabharata and the Srimad
Bhagavata. We can only repay the deep debt of gratitude we owe him, by
constant study of his works and practice of his teachings imparted for the
regeneration of humanity in this iron age. In honour of this divine personage,
all spiritual aspirants and devotees perform Vyasa Puja on this day, and
disciples worship their spiritual preceptor. Saints, monks and men of God are
honoured and entertained with acts of charity by all the householders with deep
faith and sincerity. The period Chaturmas (the “four months”) begins from this
day; Sannyasins stay at one place during the ensuing four rainy months,
engaging in the study of the Brahma Sutras and the practice of
meditation.
Mark fully the deep
significance of this great day. It heralds the setting in of the eagerly
awaited rains. The water drawn up and stored as clouds in the hot summer now
manifests in plentiful showers that usher in the advent of fresh life
everywhere. Even so, all begin seriously to put into actual practice all the
theory and philosophy that have been stored up in them through patient study.
Aspirants commence or resolve to intensify with all earnestness, their
practical spiritual Sadhana right from this day.
Generate fresh waves of
spirituality. Let all that you have read, heard, seen and learnt become
transformed, through Sadhana, into a continuous outpouring of universal love,
ceaseless loving service, and continuous prayer and worship of the Lord seated
in all beings.
Live on milk and fruit on this
day and practise rigorous Japa and meditation. Study the Brahma Sutras and
do Japa of your Guru Mantra, during the four months following the Guru Purnima.
You will be highly benefited.
The day of worship of one’s
preceptor, is a day of pure joy to the sincere spiritual aspirant. Thrilled by
the expectation of offering his reverent homage to the beloved Guru, aspirants
await this occasion with eagerness and devotion. It is the Guru alone that
breaks the binding cords of attachment and releases the aspirant from the
trammels of earthly existence.
The Srutis say: “To
that high-souled aspirant, whose devotion to the Lord is great and whose
devotion to his Guru is as great as that to the Lord, the secrets explained
herein become illuminated”. Guru is Brahman, the Absolute, or God Himself. He
guides and inspires you from the innermost core of your being. He is
everywhere.
Have a new angle of vision.
Behold the entire universe as the form of the Guru. See the guiding hand, the
awakening voice, the illuminating touch of the Guru in every object in this
creation. The whole world will now stand transformed before your changed
vision. The world as Guru will reveal all the precious secrets of life to you,
and bestow wisdom upon you. The supreme Guru, as manifested in visible nature,
will teach you the most valuable lessons of life.
Worship daily this Guru of
Gurus, the Guru who taught even the Avadhuta Dattatreya. Dattatreya, regarded
as God and the Guru of Gurus, considered Nature Herself as His Guru, and learnt
a number of lessons from Her twenty-four creatures, and hence he is said to
have had twenty-four Gurus. The silent, all-enduring earth with its lofty
forbearance, the shady fruit-bearing tree with its willing self-sacrifice, the
mighty banyan tree reposing with patience in the tiny seed, the drops of rain
whose persistence wears away even the rocks, the planets and the seasons with
their orderly punctuality and regularity were all divine Gurus to him. They who
will look and listen, will learn.
Become a personification of
receptivity. Empty yourself of your petty ego. All the treasures locked up in
the bosom of Nature will become yours. You will progress and attain perfection
in an amazingly short time. Become pure and unattached as the mountain breeze.
As the river flows continuously, steadily and constantly towards its goal, the
ocean, so also let your life flow ceaselessly towards the supreme state of
absolute Existence-Knowledge-Bliss, by letting all your thoughts, all your
words and all your actions be directed only towards the goal.
The moon shines by reflecting
the dazzling light of the sun. It is the full moon on the Purnima day that
reflects in full splendour the glorious light of the sun. It glorifies the sun.
Purify yourself through the fire of selfless service and Sadhana, and like the
full moon, reflect the glorious light of the Self. Become the full reflectors
of Brahmic splendour, the light of lights. Make this your goal: “I will be a
living witness to divinity, the brilliant Sun of suns!”
The Supreme Self alone is
real. He is the Soul of all. He is all-in-all. He is the essence of this
universe. He is the unity that never admits of a duality under all the
varieties and diversities of nature. Thou art this immortal, all-pervading,
all-blissful Self. Thou art That! Realise this and be free.
Remember these four important
lines of the Brahma Sutras:
1. Athatho brahma jijnasaa—Now,
therefore, the enquiry of Brahman.
2. Janmasya yathah—From
which proceed the origin, etc.
3. Sastra yonitwat—The
scriptures are the means of right knowledge.
4. Tat tu samanvayat—For,
That is the main support (of the universe).
Jaya Guru Shiva
Guru Hari Guru Ram;
Jagad Guru Param Guru Sat Guru Shyam.
It is through the medium of
the preceptor that the individual can raise himself to Cosmic-Consciousness. It
is through that medium that the imperfect can become perfect, the finite can
become infinite and the mortal can pass into the eternal life of blessedness.
The Guru is verily a link between the individual and the Immortal. He is a
being who has raised himself from this to That and thus has a
free and unhampered access to both realms. He stands, as it were, upon the
threshold of immortality, and, bending down, he raises the struggling
individuals with his one hand, and with the other, lifts them up into the
kingdom of everlasting joy and infinite Truth-Consciousness.
Give up the delusive notion
that to submit to the preceptor, to obey him and to carry out his instructions,
is slavish mentality. Only the ignorant man thinks that it is beneath his
dignity and against his freedom to submit to another man’s command. This is a
grave blunder. If you reflect carefully, you will see that your individual
freedom is in reality an absolute abject slavery to your own ego and vanity. He
who attains victory over the mind and the ego is the truly free man. It is to
attain this victory that a man submits to the higher, spiritualised personality
of the Guru. By this submission he vanquishes his lower ego and realises the
bliss and freedom of the infinite Consciousness.
To strengthen and affirm the
faith of the wavering man and to guarantee the attitude that is necessary for
the fruition of all worship, the ancients have deified the personality of the
Guru. To adore the Guru is indeed to adore the Supreme.
Remember and adore Sri Vyasa
and the Gurus who are fully established in knowledge of the Self. May their
blessings be upon you! May you cut asunder the knot of ignorance and shine as
blessed sages shedding peace, joy and light everywhere!
Wake up at Brahmamuhurta (at 4
a.m.) on this most holy day. Meditate on the lotus feet of your Guru. Mentally
pray to him for his Grace, through which alone you can attain Self-realisation.
Do vigorous Japa and meditate in the early morning hours.
After bath, worship the lotus
feet of your Guru, or his image or picture with flowers, fruits, incense and
camphor.
Fast or take only milk and
fruits the whole day.
In the afternoon, sit with
other devotees of your Guru and discuss with them the glories and teachings of
your Guru.
Alternatively, you may observe
the vow of silence and study the books or writings of your Guru, or mentally
reflect upon his teachings.
Take fresh resolves on this
holy day, to tread the spiritual path in accordance with the precepts of your
Guru.
At night, assemble again with
other devotees, and sing the Names of the Lord and the glories of your Guru.
The best form of worship of
the Guru is to follow his teachings, to shine as the very embodiment of his
teachings, and to propagate his glory and his message.
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