Guru Purnima: What is the festival about?

Guru Purnima is celebrated on the full moon day of Asadha. The festival is observed by Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains. It is dedicated to spiritual and academic teachers of every field to celebrate and revere their teachings and achievements. Let's take a look at the history of Guru Purnima and some other interesting facts about the festival.

 

1. Guru Purnima is celebrated in the honor of the great sage Ved Vyasa, one of the greatest Gurus in ancient Hindu transitions. He is regarded as a symbol of the Guru-shishya tradition.
    
2. Ved Vyasa was believed to have been born on this day. He is also believed to have started writing the Brahma Sutras on Asadha sudha padyami which ends on this day.
    
3. Buddhists celebrate Guru Purnima in honor of Lord Buddha or the Agi Guru (original teacher). It is believed he started the transmission of yoga to Saptarishis on this day.
    
4. This is also the day when Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, the author of the Mahabharata, was born to sage Parashara and Satyavati, a fisherman's daughter. Thus, this day is also known and celebrated as Vyasa Purnima

5.  Wandering monks offer puja to their Guru on this day. 
 

6.  The festival of Guru Purnima was revived by Mahatma Gandhi as a tribute to his spiritual guru Shrimad Rajchandra.
 

7. This festival is celebrated in Nepal and Bhutan as well.

8. In Nepal, it is celebrated as Teacher's Day and is also known as Treenok Guru Purnima

9. According to the Jain traditions, Mahavira made Indrabhuti Gautam, who later came to be known as Gautam Swami, a Ganadhara (first disciple).

10. Most of the devotees worship their spiritual gurus and also visit temples to seek blessings. Most people also observe a fast on this day and other pujas at their home.