Teachers and saints · Maharshi Vyasa and one's guru
Guru Purnima
The full moon of gratitude to teachers, remembering Maharshi Vyasa.
Also known as: Vyasa Purnima, Ashadha Purnima
Date and muhurat
✓ 28.6519°N, 77.2315°E · Asia/Kolkata
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When is it observed?
The full-moon day (Purnima) of the month of Ashadha, usually in July. It falls at the start of Chaturmas, the four-month rainy-season period of retreat and study.
About Guru Purnima
Guru Purnima is the day on which Hindus, Buddhists and Jains remember and honour their teachers. In the Hindu tradition it is also called Vyasa Purnima, after Maharshi Vyasa, who is credited with arranging the Vedas, composing the Mahabharata and the Puranas.
Disciples visit their guru, bow at his or her feet, offer flowers, fruit or a small gift, and listen to a discourse. Those without a living guru honour a teacher in spirit, or simply thank a parent or schoolteacher.
Significance
A guru is described in the tradition as the one who removes darkness, which is the meaning of the word itself: gu for darkness and ru for what dispels it. The day recognises that knowledge, whether spiritual or worldly, comes through someone who patiently passes it on.
The date is placed at the start of the rainy season, when wandering monks traditionally stopped travelling and settled in one place for study. The calm, cloud-covered months were seen as ideal for learning and inner practice.
Honouring the guru
- 1Rise early, bathe and wear clean clothes. Keep the day calm and prayerful.
- 2Set up a picture of your guru, or of Vyasa, on a clean seat, and light a lamp and incense.
- 3Offer flowers, sandal paste, fruit and sweets, and bow with a clear mind.
- 4Chant the guru shloka: Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishnu Gurur Devo Maheshwarah, and your guru mantra if you have one.
- 5If your guru is nearby, visit, offer dakshina according to your means, and receive the blessing.
- 6Read a passage from a scripture such as the Gita, Mahabharata or Brahma Sutra, or from your teacher's own words.
- 7Many fast until the puja is done, and take a simple meal afterwards.
- 8Give food or donations, and express thanks to every teacher who has helped you.
The story
Vyasa, born Krishna Dvaipayana, is said to have been born on this full moon to the sage Parashara and Satyavati. Tradition credits him with dividing the single body of Vedic knowledge into four Vedas so people could study them more easily, and with composing the Mahabharata, which includes the Bhagavad Gita.
In the Buddhist tradition the day is also observed because the Buddha is said to have given his first sermon at Sarnath on the Ashadha full moon, setting the wheel of dharma in motion. Some Jain accounts recall this as the day on which Mahavira accepted Gautama Indrabhuti as his chief disciple.
What to do
- ✓Visit or call your teacher and thank them sincerely.
- ✓Begin a new study or practice with a prayer.
- ✓Offer flowers, fruit or a modest gift with humility.
- ✓Read or listen to a spiritual text.
- ✓Support a student or a teacher in need.
What to avoid
- ✕Do not criticise or belittle your teachers.
- ✕Avoid showy gifts that embarrass the guru.
- ✕Avoid anger, gossip and idle talk.
- ✕Do not treat the day as a mere formality.
Around the country
- Ashrams and mathas across India hold special pujas and satsangs, and disciples gather for the guru's darshan.
- Maharashtra, Shirdi and Gujarat: devotees of Sai Baba and other saints throng their shrines, with Guru Padukas worshipped.
- Nepal: also observed as a day for honouring teachers and spiritual guides.
- Sarnath and Buddhist regions: the first sermon is remembered, and monks begin their rain retreat.
Frequently asked questions
Why is it called Vyasa Purnima?
Because tradition holds that Maharshi Vyasa, who organised the Vedas and composed the Mahabharata, was born on this day, and he is regarded as the original teacher.
What if I do not have a guru?
Many people honour Vyasa, a deity such as Shiva (the Adi Guru), or simply thank the teachers, parents and mentors who shaped them. A formal initiation is not required to observe the day.
How is the date decided?
It is the Ashadha full-moon day. The date shown here is computed from the panchang for your location.