Guru purnima

Guru Purnima is traditionally held to be Bhagawan Vyasa's birthday. According to the Indian calendar IT falls on the 15th of the month of Ashada. Bhagawan Vyasa is called Veda Vyasa - or the Compiler of the Vedas. Bhagawan Vyasa saw that, in the coming yugas, men would be of grosser mind and would lack the ability to learn and retain all of the Vedas. So he compiled the Vedas into four parts - the Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva Veda.

Furthermore he wrote the Puranas so that the common people could also benefit from the knowledge of the Vedas - he conveyed the same spiritual principles through the medium of stories and parables. He is also the author of the Brahma Sutras - the quintessence of Vedanta. So it is but fitting that his birthday is celebrated as Guru Purnima.

This day also heralds the coming of the life-giving rains, the monsoon season in India. During this season, sannyasis traditionally stay at one place and engage in scriptural studies and contemplation. This period is called the Chaturmasya or literally the four months. Guru Purnima is the day from which this period commences.

Guru Parampara

A lineage of Gurus and shishyas who themselves became Gurus, and that goes back to time immemorial is known as the Guru Parampara. If we trace this lineage to its source we find that Iswara Himself must have been the first Guru.

Sadasiva samarambham sankaracharya madhyamam |
Asmat acharya paryantam vande guru paramparam ||

In ancient India the Gurukula system of education prevailed. On reaching the age of eight, children were sent to live in the ashrams of the Acharyas in order to learn all the scriptures, arts and sciences. There were two types of Acharyas. Vedavid - those who knew the Vedas; and Brahmavid - those who knew Brahman. It is this latter type of Guru whom we refer to as Satguru.

Then there are the Avatara Gurus who take birth at critical junctures in history in order to redeem dharma (righteousness), and effect an all-round spiritual renaissance. Like the sun in the sky, they illumine the whole world with their blazing light of Divinity. Our beloved Amma belongs to this rare category of the greatest of the great, and certainly is the divine answer to the need of this age, on the threshold of a new millennium, which is marked by rampant materialism, nihilism, and the dearth of love among mankind. This embodiment of Divine Love and Grace, by giving initiation to millions, has thrown open the gates of spirituality for all to enter. Her Divine Love touches prince and pauper alike, awakening them to the glory of pure love and supreme wisdom.

On the occasion of this Guru Purnima, let us offer our salutations to our Beloved Amma, the Jagat Guru (the Guru of the universe), the Jagat Janani (the Mother of the universe), and to all the illustrious Gurus of the great Guru Parampara.

Guru Purnima is a day for celebration and worship - a day on which the disciples remember and express their gratitude to the lineage of Gurus.

On this most auspicious occasion let us offer our gratitude and love at the Lotus Feet of Love Incarnate Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi.