Guru Purnima : Who is a Guru

Guru purnima  is being celebrated across India on July 19, 2016.  It takes place on full moon day in the month of Ashadha. In ancient times, students or disciples would offer puja and pay respect to their gurus, who were also their spiritual mentors. Guru Purnima is also known as Vyasa Purnima and this day is commemorated as the birth anniversary of Veda Vyasa, the ancient saint who wrote the four Vedas, and 18 Puranas. This day is also celebrated by Buddhists in the honour of Gautama Buddha. It is believed that on this day Lord Buddha gave his first sermon at Sarnath.

To understand the true significance of Guru Purnima, it is important to examine the word 'Guru' etymologically. The word guru has its roots in Sanskrit in which गु  means darkness and रु  means the one who removes the darkness. Hence "गुरु " means is the dispeller of darkness; the one who changes our perception of life and living.
 
So, who is a Guru? A Guru is not only someone who has imparted temporal wisdom, such as school teachers or professors or the one who teaches religious slokas and scriptures. But a Guru is one who has proved to be a guide or mentor in our life whose association brings about total transformation, renunciation  and realisation. It can be a friend who cautioned us from taking the wrong path, or a boss who helped us develop skills to get a dream job. It could also be a parent who made us see the difference between right and wrong.

The Guru Mantra states :

अखण्डमण्डलाकारम् व्याप्तंयेन चराचरम्
तत्पदम् दर्शितम् येन तस्मै श्री गुरवे नम:

It means, salutation to the noble guru, who has made it possible to realise the state which pervades the entire cosmos everything animate and inanimate.

On Guru Purnima day we should honour our gurus. Pay respect and homage to every person in your life, who has taught you a lesson, for it is these life lessons that have made you the person you are  We should express our true gratitude to our gurus and receive their blessings on this auspicious day.