'Guru Purnima' Mahotsav: Salutations to the 'Guru'

(Sorry for the late post, the celebration was on 15th July)

Vasudeva sutam devam, Kansa chanur mardanam,

Devaki parmanandam, Krishnam vande jagat Guru.

Salutations to the teacher of the world, Krishna,

Who is the God who is the son of Vasudeva,

Who killed Kamsa and Chanoora,

And who gave immense joy to Devaki.

( -'Shri Krishnashtakam' by Adi Shankaracharya)

Hindus attach paramount importance to spiritual gurus. Gurus are often equated with God and always regarded as a link between the individual and the Immortal. Just as the moon shines by reflecting the light of the sun, and glorifies it, all disciples can dazzle like the moon by gaining from their Gurus.

Guru Purnima is a festival traditionally celebrated by Hindus and Buddhists.On this day, disciples offer puja(worship) or pay respect to their Guru (Spiritual Guide). It falls on the day of full moon, Purnima, in the month of Ashadh (June'July) of the Shaka Samvat, Indian national calendar and Hindu calendar. Traditionally the festival is celebrated by Buddhists in the honor the Lord Buddha who gave His first sermon on this day at Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh, India. While Hindus celebrate it in the honour of the great sage Vyasa, who is seen one of the greatest gurus in ancient Hindu traditions, and a symbol of Guru-shishya parampara, the Guru disciple tradition. Vyasa was not only believed to have been born on this day, but also to have started writing the Brahma Sutras on ashadha sudha padyami and ends on this day, hence their recitations as a dedication to him, are organised on this day, which is also known as Vyasa Purnima.

The festival is common to all spiritual traditions in Hinduism, where it is dedicated to the expression of gratitude towards the teacher by his/her disciple. Hindu ascetics and wandering monks (sanyasis), observe this day by offering puja to the Guru, during the Chaturmas , a four month period during the rainy season, when they choose seclusion, and halt at one selected place; some also give discourses to the local public. This day is significant for disciples who seek to get initiated by their Guru, students who desire to get the blessings of their teachers, and for everyone who wants to honor persons of great wisdom and learning. Students of the Indian classical music, which also follows the Guru shishya parampara, celebrate this festival, around the world.

Significance

Seekers try to get as much opportunity to do Satseva of the Guru as possible during this period. As the Guru principle is 1000 times more active during this period, when compared to any other day during this year, the satseva done on Guru Poornima fetches substantial grace of the Guru for their spiritual progress. (Ref : Sanatan Prabhat)

The relationship between the Guru and the Disciple is considered very sacred.This relationship is purely spiritual in nature and is independent of age of the two. It is based on maturity of Gyan (Spiritual Knowledge) andShraddha (Respect). The only awareness that a Disciple should foster is, 'I should be uplifted spiritually'. The Guru too harbours only one thought, 'May this Disciple be uplifted'. (Ref : Sanatan Prabhat)

Pranamam to all Gurus on the occasion of Guru Purnima. May the Guru's rays fall on all of us on this Auspicious day. May the Guru enlighten us in the path of our Spirutal thirst in Guru Sisya Parampara.

Wish you a very Happy Guru Purnima.

(Sources:-

http://hinduism.about.com/od/festivalsholidays/a/gurupurnima.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru_Purnima)

http://www.indiadivine.org/audarya/vedic-astrology-jyotisha/315125-auspicious-occasion-guru-purnima.html

http://www.experiencefestival.com/wp/videos/krishnam-vande-jagath-gurum-sri-krishnashtakam-a-sanskrit-sloka-on-sri-krishna-must-listen/58IJao435xw )

Some related Links:

http://www.eaisai.com/baba/docs/gurup.html

http://blog.traveladda.com/guru-purnima-respect-for-respectful-souls.html

http://vedantavision.org/guru-purnima/guru-purnima.html

http://oshospeak.blogspot.com/2005/07/guru-purnima.html

(http://www.indiadivine.org/audarya/vedic-astrology-jyotisha/315125-auspicious-occasion-guru-purnima.html)

http://www.priyadarshan.org/guru-purnima-a-story-the-mahabharata-308.html

Happy Buddha Purnima!

Belated Buddha Purnima Wishes to all of you! This post is dedicated to Gautama Buddha on the ocaasion of Buddha Purnima!

Budhham Sharanam Gachchhaami

Dharmam Sharanam Gachchhaami

Sangham Sharanam Gachchhaami.

It is said that one of the greatest spiritual teachers of mankind the world has ever seen is Gautam Buddha. Buddha was born around 543 BC as Siddhartha, the only son of Shuddhodana, the King of Kapilavastu. He is believed to have lived a very sheltered and protected life till the age of 29. He was completely ignorant of what miseries and sorrows were all about. He did not know the tragedies of everyday life. One day the prince desired to see the city. The King ordered that the city should be all gay and grand, so that everywhere his son would meet with only pleasing sights. In spite of the preparation, Siddhaartha witnessed some startling glimpses of life- he was shocked to see the harsh realities of life when he viewed an old man, a sick and disabled person and a dead body for the first time in his life. The fourth vision was of an ascetic who looked at peace with himself, which led Siddharth to search for the true meaning of life, renouncethe luxury and worldly pleasures and look for enlightenment. He wandered to many places and ultimately attained enlightenment in Bodhgaya under a 'pipal' tree. Since then he was known as Gautam Buddha or the 'Enlightened One', who is completely free from all faults and mental obstructions. Lord Buddha is considered the ninth avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu ('Preserver' in the Hindu Holy Trinity of Creator-Preserver-Destroyer).

Buddha Jayanti (also known as Buddha Purnima ) is the most sacred festivals of Buddhists,which is celebrated in remembrance Lord Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. This day is the birth anniversary of Lord Buddha. It falls on the full moon of the fourth lunar month (month of Vaisakh) i.e. April or May. This day commemorates three important events of Buddha's life

- His birth in 623 BC.

- His enlightment i.e. attainment of supreme wisdom, in 588 BC.

- His attainment of Nirvana, i.e. the complete extinction of his self at the age of 80.

Thus, it is a thrice blessed day. On this day, Buddhists all over the world commemorate these three great events. They reaffirm their faith in the Buddha Dharma, to lead a noble religious life. It is a day for meditation and for radiating Loving-Kindness.

The teachings of the Buddha are solely to liberate human beings from the misery and sufferings of life. According to the Buddhism, sorrow and desire are the maincause of all the evil and suffering of this world. Lord Buddha advocated theEightfold Path consisting of precepts like right conduct, right motive, right speech, right effort, right resolve, right livelihood, right attention and right meditation to gain mastery over suffering. It is only after following this path one can reach the ultimate aim of 'Nirvana', which is the 'transcendental state of complete liberation'.

Buddha travelled many places teaching hundreds of followers. Even after death his disciples continued to spread his teachings. Rich and poor alike were attracted by the simplicity of Buddha's teaching and his emphasis on complete equality of all, a notion antithetical to the 'existing' Hindu caste system. The Mauryan Emperor Ashoka supported the Buddhist religion in the 3rd century B.C. and helped in spreading it far and wide. Sarnath and Bodhgaya are two of the most important pilgrimage centres for the Buddhists. Buddhism originated in India and later, it has gained tremendous popularity throughout the Far East in Asia.

(Source:- http://festivals.igiftstoindia.com/buddha-jayanti/index.html,

http://festivals.iloveindia.com/buddha-purnima/index.html,

http://www.buddhaofcompassion.org/buddha_purnima.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha )

I have always Loved the philosophies of Gautama Buddha, from the time I read about them in History books during my school days. Somehow, all these Four 'Aarya Satyas' (Four Noble Truths:- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths) and the 'Ashangika Maarg'(Noble Eightfold Path :- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path ) always attracted me. I used to get surprised to think about Siddhartha, who, in spite of being a Prince, felt disgusted with the riches of a royal life, went for the search of Truth, his determined attempts of finding the Truth, the Enlightnment, the Lessons, the Peace, Calmness in his face, the 'Pragyna' in him- all these have attracted me towards Gautama Buddha from the childhood. Great are his teachings, make us feel so elevated and fills us with Peace when we try to follow them in our daily life!

Lots and Lots of Best Wishes to all of you on this Pious Occasion!