According to a popular Sanskrit spiritual chant, the Guru is not just a teacher who educates his students to become better human beings but is revered as the form of divine himself who takes you away from darkness of ignorance (represented by ‘Gu’) to the light of wisdom (represented by ‘Ru’.)
There are many interesting stories in every sect that narrate about the origins of Guru Purnima. Celebrated in the month of Ashada this year, Guru Purnima (also known as Vyasa Purnima) is traditionally recognized as a day dedicated to the teacher or master across fields of art, music, sports and spirituality.
On this auspicious full moon day, devotees express their gratitude towards their master by eating a simple meal of fruits and Khichidi, chant slokas and perform small pujas to thank the lineage of masters, who are alive and those gone by, for showing the path of wisdom and knowledge. Observed by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists all over the world, this day specially holds a profound significance in the life of a disciple.
Today is the day when disciples feel indebted to their masters for knowledge, acceptance and unconditional love that has fostered their growth and transformed their lives. In Buddhism, this day also commemorates the first sermon of Gautam Buddha at Sarnath.
Global spiritual master and founder of The Art of Living, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says, that Guru Purnima is actually the day of the disciple or the devotee. He makes a distinction between a student, a disciple and a devotee. Gurudev says, a student is there for receiving information, though information alone is not knowledge. Then there is the disciple who is with the Master to imbibe wisdom to help improve his life, for the sake of attaining enlightenment. He has a purpose, a cause, so he is not just collecting information. He goes a little deeper. Then, there is the devotee.
A devotee is not there for wisdom also. He is simply rejoicing in the presence. He has fallen deeply in love with Infinity, with God. He doesn’t care as to whether he gets enlightened or not. This is the Bhakti tradition. “Love is something that even the Divine rejoices in. Infinity longs for you as much as you long for it. It is waiting to receive you. God is as anxious as you are to be close. So, when a devotee flowers on this planet, God is happy. That is why Guru purnima is the day of the devotee,” Sri Sri says.
A story for Guru Purnima
Buddha’s disciple Sariputra got enlightened. The Buddha told him, “Now go ahead, go into the world and preach, teach and do the same work I do. Carry on my work.” Now Sariputra left, but he was crying and people asked him, “Why are you crying when you are enlightened?” He said, “Who cares about enlightenment, it could have waited, I would have waited. I didn’t even bother about it or ask for it because the joy of being at the feet of the Buddha was so great. Being a devotee was so great, now I am missing it. I would have preferred that to enlightenment.”
(The author is a writer with The Art of Living foundation)
