The full moon day in the Hindu month of Ashada (July-August) is observed as the auspicious day of Guru Purnima, a day sacred to the memory of the great sage Vyasa. All Hindus are indebted to this ancient saint who edited the four Vedas, wrote the 18 Puranas, the Mahabharata and the Srimad Bhagavata. Vyasa even taught Dattatreya, who is regarded as the Guru of Gurus.
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 'Gurudevas'.
This day is of deep significance to the farmers, for it heralds the setting in of the much-needed rains, as the advent of cool showers usher in fresh life in the fields. It is a good time to begin your spiritual lessons. Traditionally, spiritual seekers commence to intensify their spiritual 'sadhana' from this day.
The period 'Chaturmaasa' ("four months") begins from this day. In the past, wandering spiritual masters and their disciples used to settle down at a place to study and discourse on the Brahma Sutras composed by Vyasa, and engage themselves in Vedantic discussions.
Kabir wrote, "Guru is a washer-man, his disciple a cloth, soap the
creator, washed on the stone of knowledge, this gives out utmost light
brightness." This couplet of Kabir throws light on the relation of a guru
(master) to a disciple; Who washes away the dirt (bad element) in the mind of
the disciple and thus makes him clean, pure and pious. He expects from almighty
that by his blessings, he should enlighten his inner conscience.
Guru in Hinduism
The word guru means teacher in Sanskrit and other Sanskrit-derived languages
like Hindi, Bengali and Gujarati. It originated in a Hindu context and holds a
special place in Hinduism, signifying the sacred place of knowledge (vidya) and
the imparter of knowledge. The word comes from the sanskrit root "gru" literally
meaning heavy, weighty. Another etymology claimed in Hindu scriptures is that of
dispeller of darkness (wherein darkness is seen as Avidya lack of knowledge both
spiritual and intellectual), 'gu' meaning darkness, and 'ru' meaning
dispeller.
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