21 July,2024 04:11 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Caption: Representational Pic/AI/Meta
One of the most significant festivals for the Buddhists, Jains, and Hindus is Guru Purnima in 2024. The full moon day of the Ashadha month coincides with this celebration. This year, Guru Purnima falls on July 21, 2024. Drik Panchang states that the Purima Tithi in July 2020 will start at 05:59 PM and end at 03:46 PM. Today is a day to honour our parents, professors, mentors, and teachers who have help shaping one's life. Here are some facts about the auspicious day -
1. It is an Indian and Nepalese spiritual tradition dedicated to spiritual and academic teachers who share their wisdom with very little or no monetary expectation, based on Karma Yoga.
2. The festival is celebrated on the full moon day (Purnima) in the Hindu month of Ashadha (June-July) as it is known in the Hindu calendar of India and Nepal.
3. This day marks the first peak of the lunar cycle after the peak of the solar cycle.
4. This day is also celebrated as Vyasa Purnima, as it is believed to be the birthday of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, the author of the Mahabharata.
5. Traditionally, the festival is celebrated by Buddhists in honor of the lord Buddha, who gave His first sermon on this day at Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh, India.
6. In the yogic tradition, the day is celebrated as the occasion when Shiva became the first Guru, as he began the transmission of yoga to the Saptarishis.
7. Many Hindus celebrate the day in honor of the great sage Vyasa, who is seen as one of the greatest Gurus in ancient Hindu traditions and a symbol of the Guru-shishya tradition.
8. Veda Vyasa did yeoman service to the cause of Vedic studies by gathering all the Vedic hymns extant during his times, dividing them into four parts based on their use in the rites, characteristics, and teaching them to his four chief disciples - Paila, Vaisampayana, Jaimini, and Sumantu.
9. The Guru Principle is said to be a thousand times more active on the day of Guru Purnima than on any other day.
10. Gurus are believed by many to be the most necessary part of life. On this day, disciples offer pooja (worship) or pay respect to their Guru (spiritual guide).
