Guru is the teacher or the preceptor. The Sanskrit word 'Guru' usually refers to a religious teacher or spiritual guide whom people hold in high reverence. Purnima is the Full Moon Day. Guru Purnima is thus the Full Moon of the Guru, the auspicious occasion dedicated to the Guru. Guru Purnima occurs on the Full Moon of the month of Ashada (June-July), which people celebrate as an occasion to thank and honor the Gurus and teachers and receive their blessings. 

Guru Purnima marks the Day of Birth of the great sage Vyasa.

Significance of Guru

A Guru takes on the responsibility of a teacher, a coach, or a guide who laid the foundation for our academic or other pursuits. He ignited the light of knowledge after dispelling the darkness of ignorance and helped us take baby steps to giant strides in our journey of life. Thus, a Guru remained a guide who gave us the right thinking, helped us set the right goals, showed us the right approach, and heralded us into the right action to a purposeful life.    

But beyond all these roles, a Guru basically remains the very manifestation of God on earth, who performs all 3 fundamental functions: Creation, Sustenance, and Destruction. One can equate a true Guru to the Creator, who provides the vision to realize the potential; the Sustainer, who enables us to march towards our goals by guiding us to a state of perfection; and the Destroyer, who removes our ignorance, illusion, and conceits, thus facilitating our progress. A Guru, in the proper sense of the word, symbolizes wisdom and moral values and acts as a medium through which the seekers can approach the Ultimate, the Supreme Reality.      

That is why an ancient verse reveres the Guru as the Creator Brahma, Preserver Vishnu, and the divinity of Dissolution Shiva and salutes him reverentially.    

Importance of Guru Purnima

According to legends, Guru Purnima is when Krishna Dvaipayana, more popularly known as Vyasa, was born. Vyasa was not only a highly revered Rishi (sage) but also a celebrated author who has to his credit a massive body of literary works. These include the epic Mahabharata, the 18 Puranas, and the Brahma Sutra. Born to sage Parasara and a fisherwoman Satyavati, Vyasa is also the compiler of the Vedas, the vast storehouse of ancient wisdom; who classified them into 4 sections. Sacred texts acclaim him for this tremendous service and refer to him widely as Veda Vyasa. Thus, Vyasa abundantly qualifies for being a universal teacher and Guru, and there is no surprise that his advent has become such a sacred occasion of grateful remembrance and joyful celebration- the Guru Purnima, also called Vyasa Purnima.

Further, according to the Yogic schools of thought, Guru Purnima was when Shiva, regarded as the Adi Yogi, became the Adi Guru, the primordial teacher. As the story goes, a Yogi appeared in the Himalayas thousands of years ago, but he remained motionless and was unmoved by the people who gathered around him. Besides a few tear drops that ran down his cheeks occasionally, which became the sacred Rudraksha seeds, he showed no signs of life. At last, the Yogi turned towards the 7 men around him and shared the secrets of living with them. That was a Full Moon Day, and it was during that phase that Adi Yogi transformed into an Adi Guru. Hence, that occasion became Guru Purnima. These 7 disciples of that Adi Guru became Sapta Rishis, the 7 great sages, who spread that knowledge among humanity. 

Thus, Guru Purnima became sacred when the Adi Guru introduced humanity to the prospects of conscious evolution.           

Chaturmasya is a period of 4 months that corresponds to the monsoon season in many parts of India. Saints, monks, and ascetics dedicate this period to religious observances, when they stay at a place instead of traveling, bathe in holy water bodies, undertake penance, observe austerities or vows like silence, complete or partial fasts, give up their favorite food, and spend the days in reading, reciting or explaining the scriptures to others, and discussing issues of religious and spiritual significance. The Sanyasis (ascetics) begin such a Chaturmasya Vrat on Guru Purnima. Thus Guru Purnima also marks the beginning of the holy period of Chaturmasya.       

Guru Purnima Celebration

Guru Purnima is the day to remember the great Gurus, who shaped the lives of generations of people and guided them on the virtuous path. It is also an occasion to express our gratitude to our teachers, tutors, coaches, and guides for all the knowledge, support, and guidance they provided and made us what we are today.  

People visit temples on Guru Purnima and offer prayers to saintly Gurus like Adi Shankaracharya, Ramanujacharya, Madhvacharya, Sai Baba, and others. They also visit their teachers, pay their respects to them, and provide any assistance they require. People also prostrate at the feet of family elders and other elderly relatives as a mark of gratitude and respect, acknowledging the positive significance of the elders' roles in their lives.