Guru Purnima
What is Guru Purnima?
What is the significance of Shiva in Guru Purnima?
Who is Vyasa, and why is he honored on Guru Purnima?
How do Buddhists observe Guru Purnima?
What are common practices on Guru Purnima?
Guru Purnima, a festival observed in India, Nepal, and Bhutan to honor spiritual and academic teachers and mentors. It is celebrated on a full-moon day (purnima) during the Hindu lunar calendar month of Ashadha (June–July). The term guru means a spiritual teacher or guide. Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains have their own beliefs about Guru Purnima and observe this day.
Origin stories in Hinduism
Shiva’s disciples
In Hindu mythology the god Shiva, revered as the adi yogi (“original yogi”), is also considered to be the adi guru, that is, the original (or first) teacher. Legend says that Shiva lived and meditated as a yogi (practitioner of yoga) in the Himalayas. Many seekers came to the mountains hoping to gain wisdom from him, but most could not understand the god’s ways. All except seven men left. The seven observed Shiva for months and spent decades in penance as instructed by him. Finally, on a full-moon day, Shiva rewarded their dedication by sharing his sacred knowledge with them. These seven seekers became the Saptarishis (“Seven Seers”). This day marks the origin of Guru Purnima, the day when Shiva, the adi guru, passed on his spiritual wisdom, an act believed to have started the tradition of gurus transmitting knowledge to their disciples. Since Shiva chose to guide the seven disciples, it is believed that a true guru holds the authority to accept or reject someone as a disciple—the decision rests with the guru, not the seeker.
Sage Vyasa
The elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesha, who, according to some narrative traditions, was Vyasa’s scribe for the epic Mahabharata, is also worshiped on Guru Purnima as the god of knowledge and wisdom.
Guru Purnima commemorates the birth of Vyasa, a sage, poet, and scholar who is traditionally credited with composing the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata. Originally named Krishna Dwaipayan, he was the son of ascetic Parashara and princess Satyavati. According to Hindu tradition, while growing up with hermits, he acquired Vedic knowledge and then compiled the Veda, dividing it into four parts—the Rigveda, the Yajurveda, the Samaveda, and the Atharvaveda—to make them more accessible to learners. It is also believed that he composed 18 Puranas and 108 Upanishads, finally distilling their core ideas into the concise Vedanta Sutras (or Brahma Sutras) and later expanding on them in the Bhagavata Purana. Legend further recounts that he then went on to teach disciples such as Sumantu, Vaisampayana, Jaimini, Paila, among others. The day of his birth is often referred to as Vyasa Purnima in his honor.
Buddhism and Jainism
Guru Purnima holds particular significance in Buddhism as followers believe that on this day the Buddha, the founder of the religion, gave his first sermon to his disciples after attaining enlightenment. He delivered the sermon at Sarnath (in present-day Uttar Pradesh state), near Varanasi, to his five disciples, who also practiced asceticism. This event is also considered the first turning of the wheel of dharma, when the Buddha preached the Four Noble Truths—one of the fundamental doctrines of Buddhism—and is celebrated among Buddhists as Dharmachakra Pravartana Diwas. On this day, Buddhists honor the Buddha’s wisdom, revisit his teachings, and renew their dedication to walking the path he laid out toward spiritual awakening.
Jains observe Guru Purnima to honor Lord Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara and key spiritual figure. Practitioners of Jainism believe that Mahavira accepted Gautama Swami as his first disciple on this day. This event marked the beginning of the guru-disciple relationship in Jain tradition, symbolizing the passing on of spiritual wisdom and guidance.
Common practices
- Vyasa Temple: A temple dedicated to sage Vyasa at Ramnagar, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
- Ramakrishna Math: Temples dedicated to Hindu religious leader Ramakrishna; one such is Belur Math, Howrah, West Bengal, India
- Shikharji or Sammed Sikhar: A Jain temple situated atop Parasnath Hill (named after the 23rd Tirthankara Parshvanatha) in Giridih district, Jharkhand, India
One usually rises early on this day and seeks the blessings of gurus, parents, and other elders in the family, often by touching their feet. Many Hindus take dips in rivers as doing so is considered auspicious and offer prayers to the sun after bathing. Some perform puja (ceremonial worship) dedicated to their gurus and for Ganesha. Those who have spiritual gurus visit them to show their gratitude and reverence and present offerings (gurudakshina) such as fruits, flowers, and sweets, or traditionally even firewood in a gurukul (literally, “house of the teacher,” an ancient Indian system of residential school), as a mark of respect. If the gurus have passed on, disciples may sing devotional songs in their memory and revisit their teachings. Many go to temples and ashrams (places of spiritual practices, which are often led by a guru) and receive prasada (food offerings to deities and gurus, later distributed to worshipers). People may chant the following mantra (a sacred utterance), from the Guru Gita, in Sanskrit:
Gurur Brahmā Gurur Viṣṇur Gurur devo Maheśvaraḥ
Guruḥ sākṣāt paraṁ Brahma tasmai śrī gurave namaḥ
As translated by Antonio Rigopoulous in Theory and Practice of Yoga: Essays in Honour of Gerald James Larson, this means “The guru is Brahmā, the guru is Viṣṇu, the guru is [Śiva] Maheśvara! The guru is indeed the Absolute brahman: adoring salutations be paid to this Venerable guru!”
Some people observe the day by meditating, fasting, and performing acts of charity. Many start their spiritual learning on this day, a step called diksha. As on other full-moon days, Buddhists reaffirm the eight core teachings of the Buddha and the rules of monastic discipline through a practice called uposatha. With the advent of the rainy season, Buddhist monks also begin a period of meditation and strict discipline, a monastic retreat known as vassa. The day honors the guru-shishya, that is the teacher-student, relationship. In Nepal it is celebrated as Teacher’s Day in schools and colleges to recognize and appreciate the role of educators.