Happy Guru Poornima to All

                       To all my Gurus

            Who taught me to be what I am

Guru Purnima is an Indian and Nepali spiritual tradition dedicated to honoring spiritual, academic, and professional teachers—those who are evolved and enlightened beings, willing to share their wisdom with little or no expectation of monetary reward.

It is believed that a person is blind without a teacher to guide them. 

A child’s first teachers are the mother and father.

Later in life, the Guru becomes a second mother or father.

The Shastras proclaim that a human being is born twice - known as Dvija.

First, by the union of the father and mother, and second, when accepted by a true and bona fide Guru. The Guru acts as a spiritual father, imparting wisdom with the help of Mother Gayatri—the personification of knowledge, wisdom, and the sacred scriptures. 

In other words, the Guru is seen as the father, and the scriptures and sacred texts as the mother. A true Guru teaches in accordance with the authentic scriptures. 

The festival of Guru Purnima is celebrated on the full moon day (Purnima) in the month of Ashadh—as per the Hindu lunar calendar of India and Nepal (usually falling in July or August according to the Western calendar).                   

                                       

    

        

         

                     The symbol of the full moon represents perfection.

Guru Purnima is a symbolic reminder of Poornta (wholeness or perfection).

Guru Purnima is a symbol of faith in the Guru for perfection. 

It is believed that the Guru should be perfect like the full moon. 

Only the one who is perfect himself will be able to make his disciples perfect. 

The occasion is not merely an expression of gratitude from the disciple to the Guru; it is also a reaffirmation of the belief that the Guru embodies completeness. 

This belief holds deep significance:

We cannot truly learn from someone if we harbor doubts about their knowledge or qualifications in the subject we wish to master. In order to learn, we must place our faith in the Guru.

Therefore, it is important to seek a Guru who possesses deep and complete understanding of the subject we wish to study. 

Once our inquiry about the Guru's wisdom is satisfied, we must trust in their teachings.

                      

                 Can a Guru be a perfect Guru without any disciples?

A teacher once asked his young student:

"Johnny, how old are you?"

"Six years," Johnny replied.

"And how old is your father?"

"He’s also six years old," said Johnny.

The teacher was puzzled. "How can that be?"

Johnny responded, “Duh... because he became a father when I was born.”

 

Just as a person doesn’t become a father until he has a child, a Guru is not truly a Guru until there is a disciple. 

And a Guru becomes a perfect Guru only when the disciple attains perfection.

Being a Guru is not a title, a job, or a professional position like that of a teacher or professor.

Guru is a sacred relationship—a revered sentiment toward someone who not only imparts knowledge but also guides the disciple personally through every stage of life, leading them toward excellence and inner realization.

Therefore, gratitude toward the Guru is not limited to singing praises, offering thanks, or presenting gifts.

True gratitude lies in the constant effort to uplift oneself.

The Holy scriptures say: 

                 "Seh Navavatu Seh Nau Bhunaktu Seh Veeryam Karavahai 

                           Tejasvinavadhitamstu Ma Vidvishavahai"

Meaning: May God protect both of us - the disciple and the Guru  

May we move forward together, may both be brilliant in our knowledge, and may we never envy each other. 

In other words, there should be continuous effort with responsibility from both sides - a relationship of mutual responsibility and sincere effort. 

Where the Guru tries to take every disciple forward individually on a personal level, and the disciples strive to understand, assimilate, and apply the knowledge in their life with full devotion, to reach their highest potential. 

Just as parents feel joy and pride in their children’s achievements, a Guru finds fulfillment and contentment in the growth and success of the disciples.

A Guru is someone who sees the potential in us, even when we don’t see it in ourselves.

Satguru Kabir Ji Maharaj beautifully said: 

              Guru Kumhaar, Shish Kumbh hai — Gadh Gadh Kaaday Khot

                      Antar Haath Sahaar Day — Baahar Maaray Chot.

The Guru is the potter and the disciple is the clay pot—

He supports it from within while striking from the outside to shape and perfect it.

Swami Vivekananda said: 

"The Guru is the one who, having traversed the path to liberation, guides others along that same path."

The true purpose of the Guru is not merely to help us with worldly knowledge or career advancement.

It is to uplift our minds and awaken our inner potential. 

As the Dalai Lama once said: 

“Educating the hearts and minds of the youth is more important than educating them on how to make money.”

And in the words of Albert Einstein: 

“The joy of learning and creative expression is awakened by a true Guru.”

A Guru is not just a teacher, but a beacon of hope and wisdom.

The most beautiful thing about learning from a true Guru is that the knowledge and wisdom imparted can never be taken away.

A Guru who feels jealous or threatened by the growth of their disciples, who does not want them to reach perfection, cannot be considered a perfect Guru.

Just as parents feel a deep sense of fulfillment when their children  prosper - knowing that their love and sacrifices were meaningful, the Guru, too, feels fulfilled when the disciple reaches higher levels of wisdom and realization.

True and sincere gratitude toward the Guru is not merely in words or ceremonial praise, but in working diligently to evolve and perfect ourselves. So the Guru may feel happy, content, and fulfilled, knowing their role has been meaningfully served.

May the Lord bless us all to attain that Poornima—that state of inner completeness and perfection.

                                     ~ Rajan Sachdeva ~