Guru Purnima is celebrated by people as Thanksgiving Day for their spiritual preceptors, those who initiated them into spiritual disciplines, Mantra recitals, meditation, japa and the study of sacred texts. We have a popular saying, ‘Without a preceptor, all learning is blind.’ (SSS Vol.9) 29. 7.1969
This day is celebrated as Vyasa Purnima, the full moon day dedicated to the memory of sage Vyasa. (SSS Vol.18) 2-7-1985. This day is also called Vyasa Purnima, a day when mankind offers him the gratitude he deserves. Vyaso Narayano Harih : Vyasa is the Lord Narayana, Hari. Narayana, the Lord Himself, came as a man called Vyasa, to collate the Vedas and teach man the path towards God. He has made the path plain and easy to climb. (SSS Vol.14), 9-7-1979
There is nothing specially related to Sage Vyasa which makes this day attached to his name. He was not born on this day nor did he leave on this day; it is just dedicated to his memory and to the worship of all Gurus. For Vyasa is the Adiguru, the Mulaguru (the. first and the source of all spiritual teachers). He recognised and declared the Truth in a variety of ways and helped in opening the inner eye of man. He described in beautiful simple, clear terms the Glory of the Lord and of the means of attaining Him. He saw that unless the Mind is negated or destroyed, the Lord will not be manifest. He prescribed the paths by which this could be done. So he is the Lokaguru (world teacher), the Paramaguru (greatest teacher). He collected the hymns, collated them and put them into the Four Vedas; he assembled the later Vedic literature and composed the Brahma Sutras (aphorisms on Supreme Reality) to expound the philosophy that was inherent in it. He wrote the Mahabharata, which includes the universal specific, the Bhagavad Gita Gita.
Then, when he was sunk in sadness, in spite of all this knowledge and scholarship and teaching, Narada advised him to sing the glory of the personalised aspect of Godhead, to waken the emotions and guide them Godward through bhakti. That gave him and the world great joy and peace, for Vyasa then wrote the Bhagavata. (SSS Vol.2) 17-7-1962
There are four full moon days holier than the rest in the Hindu calendar--the full moon which occurs in the month of Vaisakha, Ashada, Shravana and Magha. Guru Purnima is in the month of Ashada. On this day, the day when the moon (the presiding deity of the mind) is full circle and the moonlight cool, pleasant and clear, Sage Vyasa completed the composition of the immortal scripture, the Brahma Sutra. Sutra means string. He revealed that the Brahma principle interpenetrates and holds together the many in the ONE. That principle does not wax or wane, it is Purna and it projects Purna, in spite of that projection. The passing cloud cannot act on that fullness. This was what Vyasa, the Guru taught mankind. (SSS Vol.18) 2-7-1985.
Vyasa is the greatest of spiritual doctors
Guru Purnima is a day when mankind pays homage to the greatest of spiritual doctors, Sage Vyasa. Vyasa is the greatest of such doctor; for he put together the Vedas and composed the Puranas and the Mahabharata and gave humanity the Bhagavad Gita. He is the primal Guru for all who walk in the Path of God. He planted the seed of theism and nurtured it, through Sruti, Smrti, Shastras and the Mahabharata. He gave the world the Gita and the Brahma Sutras, the idea of the immanent Atma, the story of the Divine Leela, the secret of this changeful Creation. He belonged to about 3800 B.C.; he was the great-grandson of the sage Vasishta, the son of Parashara and the father of that celebrated gem among rishis, Suka. His life-story is a series of miracles, a Divine saga. He came from Vasudeva, announced the Leela of Vasudeva to all and finally, got merged in Vasudeva. He established the era of Namaparayana (repeating and discoursing, on Lord s Name) and made all aware of the sweetness of the Name of the Lord, which evokes His Form and His Grace. (SSS Vol.2) 27-7-1961
The greatest of Gurus was Sage Vyasa
The fully worth-while Guru must facilitate that Vision of Unity without the discords and divisions that mine and thine engender in the mind of man. Such a Guru was the sage Vyasa. (SSS Vol.14), 9-7-1979
Keep the heart cool, pure, soft as the moonlight
Each religion emphasises one name and one Form of and recommends them for acceptance. Some even insist that God has no other Name or Form. But, the Reality is beyond name and form, Akshara (the indestructible, eternal) as the characteristic and Om as the Form. You reach the Akshara stage---the stage of attribute-less unity---in three steps of Sadhana: (i) I am Thine, (ii) Thou art mine, and (iii) Thou art myself. Through Sadhana, one must transcend the duality of I and You. I is only the reflection of You in this body. The consummation is reached when duality is superseded. That is why it has been declared, ‘It is good to be born in a church; but, it is not good, to die in it.’ That is to say, before life ends one must go beyond the limits set by institutionalised religion and reach the vast limitless expanse of the Atman, which pervades all.
Ramadas of Bhadrachalam used to write on palm leaves hundreds of songs on his favourite Deity, Rama; the leaves accumulated into a gigantic pile.
One day, Ramadas stood by its side and wondered, ‘Am I the fellow who wrote all this? Did I write them for my satisfaction or for pleasing Rama?’ He carried the whole pile and threw them into the Godavari River; only 108 songs floated above the waters; the rest sank and were lost for ever. Those 108 came forth from the heart; the rest were products of intelligence, cleverness.
They rose from the head. God does not reside in the head; He is Hridayavasi, the Dweller in the Heart. Keep the heart cool, pure and soil---as the moonlight is on this day---the Guru Purnima Day.
For this, your mind has to be cleansed by the mind only. Just as you shape an iron sickle or axe with an iron hammer, the mind is the shaper and shaped, both. The power behind the mind which helps it to shape it well, is Faith in God. That is why it is declared that one must have faith in God, holy places, the scriptures, the Mantra, the soothsayer, the drug and the teacher. Cultivate that Faith and everything else will be added unto you. (SSS Vol.9), 29. 7.1969
Man allows the mind to dominate him
Man has also to contend with afflictions from five Kleshas (afflictions). These are: Avidya, Abhinivesha, Asmita, Raga and dvesha.
Avidya (lack of true knowledge) renders a man feel weak and imbecile, incapable of recognising his inherent divine nature.
Abhinivesha makes a man attached to samsara (worldly concerns) and to forget his real destiny. He allows the mind to dominate him. As a result, he is subject to sorrow and depression.
Asmitha is the trouble that arises out of ego and excessive greed. When the desires are not fulfilled, there is distress. When they are fulfilled, Ahamkara (self-conceit) grows. In this process genuine human qualities wither away.
Raga Klesha is the distress caused by the insatiable desire for houses, vehicles, wealth, etc.
Dvesha Klesha is the feeling of bitterness that arises when one does not get what he seeks from others. In due course he becomes a low and pitiable creature.
The scriptures have declared that among birds, the crow is the meanest; among animals, the donkey is the meanest and among men, the one who indulges in slander is most despicable. The crow is mean because it does not relish good food and prefers only rotten things. The donkey carries only dirty clothes and is always dirty. The slanderer has a foul tongue and is the meanest among human beings. (SSS Vol.20), 11-7-1987
Significance of Guru Purnima
Guru Purnima is sacred for many reasons: this day, the seeker who suffers from the delusion that the objective world is as real as himself is guided into the Truth; this day, those who have not felt the urge to explore the Reality are inspired to seek the spring of Bliss inside them; this day, disciples offer gratitude at the feet of the preceptor for the gift of light; this day, pilgrims to the Lotus Feet of God study the guide books and the maps. When the Sun rises, the world is blessed with heat and light. When the Guru blesses, the pupil gets peace and joy. Guru Purnima is not over when it becomes tomorrow. It is not a date marked in the calendar. It is all days when the Mind of Man, whose presiding deity is the Moon, is Purna (Full), with cool refreshing rays, which it receives, in the first instance, from the Sun (Intelligence). The mind must derive illumination from the intellect, the discriminative faculty, and not from the senses, which are the deluding forces. When sensual desire tarnishes the Mind, it cannot earn peace and joy.
Do not cultivate too much attachment to things of the world, which appeal to carnal desires and sensual thirsts. A moment comes when you have to depart empty handed, leaving all that you have laboriously collected. and proudly called your own. (SSS Vol. 10)
The message and lesson of Guru Purnima Day
The Moon and the Mind are inter-related, as object and image. On this Day, the Moon is full, fair and cool, its light is fresh, pleasant and peaceful. So the Light of the Mind too has to be pleasing and pure. This is the Message of the Day. That is to say, in the firmament of the Heart, the Moon is the Mind. There are clouds there, thick and heavy---the sensual desires and worldly activities, which mar your joy at the Light of the Moon. Therefore, let the strong breeze of Love scatter the clouds and confer on you the cool glory of moon light. When devotion shines full, the sky in the heart becomes a bowl of beauty and life is transformed into a charming avenue of Ananda.
That beauty of heart, that Ananda (bliss) in life can be won through the mind, if the lesson of this Day is remembered and realised. Strengthened by Swami s Grace, encouraged by Swami s Blessings, engage in Sadhana (spiritual practice) and achieve success by realising the Goal of Life. (SSS Vol.9), 29. 7.1969
The prayers to be offered daily
Vyasa first revealed to man the secret of making the mind as clear and as full of cool rays as the moon on a full moon night; that is why this Purnima is associated with him and with all Gurus.
Today every Astika (who believes in God) must refuse to be content with a feast and a lecture. He should try to plant today the Namabija (seed of Lord s Name) in his well-prepared heart, devoid of the thorns of egoism; and water it with prema (love), fence the sprout with shraddha (faith), feed it with the fertiliser, smarana (remembering the Name); and from the grown-up tree of the Mantra (holy letters), pluck the fruit of Ananda (bliss) and relish the sweetness.
A person may boast of the vast treasures in the vaults of his bank, but he will get credit only for that which he has actually earned and deposited therein. Do not fritter away the time allotted to you; offer it to Keshava, who is Kaalaswarupa (Time personified). Know that waking from sleep is but birth and going into sleep is death.
On waking, pray every morning of your life,
‘Oh Lord, I am born now from the womb of sleep. I am determined to carry out all tasks this day as offerings to Thee, with Thee ever present before my mind s eye. Make my words, thoughts and deeds sacred and pure; let me not inflict pain on any one; let no one inflict pain on me; direct me, guide me, this day.’
And when you enter the portals of sleep at night, pray,
‘Oh Lord! the tasks of this day, whose burden I placed on you this morning, are over. It was You who made me walk and talk and think and act; I therefore place at Thy Feet all my words, thoughts and deeds. My task is done. Receive me, I am coming back to you.’
Adopt these as your daily prayers. The best thing is to have your own Self as the source of Light, as the Guru. The Inner Intelligence, the Inner Guru will reveal the Truth. This prayerful attitude will so educate your impulses that the Inner intelligence will be fully revealed.
Four directives for sanctifying life
Bhagawan Sathya Sai Baba gave four directives for sanctifying lives and purifying minds, so that one can contact the god within.
Tyaja durjana-samsargam
(give up the company of the wicked);
bhaja sadhu-samagamam
(welcome the chance to be among the good);
Kuru punyam aho ratram
(do good deeds both day and night);
smara nityam anityatam
(remember which is lasting, which is not).
When one does not attempt to transform oneself thus, he is apt to blame God for his sorrows, instead of blaming his unsteady faith! He blames God because he announces himself as a devotee too soon, and expects plentiful grace. Grace cannot be claimed by such; God must accept the devotee as his own. One has to use his talent of discrimination to sift the trash and discard it in preference to the valuable. Doing punyam or good deeds means doing selfless service to others. One has to flee from bad persons to search for and win the friendship of the good, who can cleanse us and heal us.
Man is consumed by time; God is the master of time. So, take refuge in God. Let God be your Guru, your path, your Lord. Adore Him, obey His commands, offer Him your grateful homage, hold Him fast in your memory. This is the easiest way to realise Him as your own reality. This is the one and only way. (SSS Vol.18) 2-7-1985.
If you see only the One, your vision is clearest
The Guru Purnima, the Full Moon day: dedicated to the Teacher, is to be spent in contemplation of the path that leads to liberation and in offering gratitude to the path-finders. There are now three types of Gurus available for man---those who rob the pupils of their possessions and fatten themselves; those who rob the pupils of their individuality and intelligence and elevate themselves into despotic potentates; and those who rob the pupils of their anxieties and agonies and, fulfil themselves as benefactors. Many Gurus insist that their followers should treat them with showy forms of worship this day and offer special donations at their feet. Claiming and accepting such superficial forms of adoration is contemptible. The pupil has to be ‘Satatam Yoginah’ (In constant divine communion), ever alert to be attached to higher ideals. The Master has to be a supreme unflinching example, in this Yoga.
The Guru is Purnima--.full, undisturbed by any doubt, deficiency or sense of want. Like the Full Moon, he confers joy, cool comfort, and a sense of relief. Sit calm a few moments; you can yourself judge your attainments in this line. If you are dually minded, you are half blind still. If you see only the One, your vision is clearest; seeing double is a sign of optical disease. See only the One, the eternal, the true, the Divine. Rise up to the Divine; don t bring down Godhead to your human and even animal levels. Do not worship God as the picture before you, but, worship the picture before you as God, because God is in everything and can be grasped through every single symbol. There is nothing wherein He is not; there is no might or right, apart from Him.
The eye sees; but, what is it that sees the eye that grasps the impressions gained by the eye? It is the mind. The objective world is the drishya (the seen); the eye is the drashta (the seer); but, the eye itself is drishya to the mind which is the drashta. Now, the mind is also drishya, so long as the Intellect is drashta. Finally the Intellect is also drishya, for, the Atma is the ultimate drashta which observes as a Witness this manorama (play of the mind-principle). Vol.11, 26- 7-1972
Guru worship can be done all days of the year
There is no need to await the annual event for revering the Guru. People spend this day in worshiping the Guru and seeking his directives. This can be done all days of the year! Selecting a special day smacks of superficiality and exhibitionism. I desire to discourage this attitude of yours; I want you to cultivate not these external ceremonies and festivals, but, the internal Sadhana, the inner vision, the spiritual longing.
On Guru Purnima, when many offer special Puja to the Guru (worship of the preceptor) who has initiated them into spiritual life, with the grant of some Mantra (sacred syllable) or some vow. To adore the preceptor who has shown the path of liberation, you need not wait for the arrival of this particular day. You need not watch the calendar at all; be ever grateful. The guru has directed the vision inside; the goal is in you, the path leads you to yourself, the I that shines unknown in you, as well as in all. Knowing it is liberation from the bondage of the body and the chain of birth and death which the body drags along with it. (SSS Vol.14), 2 7- 7-1980.
I do not claim that I am a Guru; or, consider you as disciples or pupils. When I am All that is, who can be separately specified as Guru and who as disciple or pupil? Ignorance of the One leads one to this dichotomy. Realisation of the Truth will end this distinction. None need teach, none need learn. All are fundamentally Chit (Awareness). This is the Reality. The teacher---that is the more correct appellation---should not feel superior; the pupil should not feel inferior. Both are Atma in reality. There is no high and no low. All are waves in the ocean of Bliss. When your body is healthy, charming, fully content, consider how happy you are! Now, know that the bodies of all beings are you--really speaking. And, when all those other bodies are happy, healthy, strong, and full, calculate how much Bliss you can cherish in your heart! The vision of the Virat (the Cosmic Form), is given for those who surrender their ego and take refuge in the Lord (as Arjuna did) and who imbibe with care the Gita sung by the Lord in the silence. God is Omnipresent; He is the Inner Motivator of every particle in the Universe. To declare that He is amenable only to your style of worship, that He will answer only to the Name that you have learnt to use, is to insult His Omniscience and His Glory. See Him in all, serve Him in all. Revere Him in all. Pray, ‘- Let the whole-world prosper; let all mankind be happy.’ This is the Special Message I give you on this Day. (SSS Vol.12), July 1974
People come to Me and pray, ‘Swami! Naku moksham kavaali’ (For me – moksha (liberation) is wanted). Consider for a moment that statement of thirst. A parcel you get through post is covered top and bottom, with the gift inside the two; you remove the packaging material from top and bottom to get at the thing you really value most; moksha (the gift you value) is packed between two ideas--- for me, and is wanted ---the idea of Ego and the idea Of Desire.
So, all I have to tell you is, ‘Remove the packing, and take the gift, Moksha. Have no ego, discard desire, you are liberated!’ The Guru asks you to repeat a Mantra; but the Mantra cannot grant you the final beatitude, It will discipline the mind, control its vagaries, and strengthen faith. But, unless you see God in all, unless your mind is made a mirror reflecting the image of God that everyone and everything is, you are not entitled to the release you claim. (SSS Vol.14), 2 7- 7-1980.
The scholar is polluted by ego
To have the vision of God, one should become the master, for he alone can have access to the treasure-chest, the master of the senses and all other faculties. He should not be the servant of the senses and of the whims and fancies of the emotions and passions. The servant has access only to the cheap and perishable junk of the house-hold. The treasure-chest cannot be viewed by eyes blinded or befogged by egoism, greed and envy.
Guru Purnima is the day when you decide to become masters of your senses and intellect, emotions and passions, thoughts and feelings, by Sadhana (spiritual discipline). Even during dhyana (meditation), the ego will obstruct you. Nivedita asked for advice from Vivekananda to gain one-pointedness during dhyana. Vivekananda said, ‘Do not allow Margaret Noble to come between you and God,’ Margaret Noble was herself. ‘Nivedita’ means ‘Offering.’ So Vivekananda explained, ‘offer yourself fully to God.’ This total dedication cannot emerge from scholarship. The scholar is polluted by ego; he delights in putting pros and cons against each other; he raises doubts and disturbs faith. They mix the secular and the worldly with the spiritual and the other-worldly. They worship God in order to extract worldly gain. But prayers to God have to be for spiritual progress.
Therefore, engage yourselves in Sadhana, without delay or dilatoriness. Cultivate virtues; be free from evil habits, thoughts, words and deeds. Grow in love and greet Nature with love. This is the way to Ananda. (SSS Vol.14), 2 7- 7-1980.
Guru Purnima day---the day of full moon dedicated to the worship of Guru. On this day, the moon shines effulgently with all his 16 kalas (aspects). On your part you have to shed 16 aspects that are undesirable to man. These 16 comprise the following: eight types of pride (pride of physical strength, of birth, of scholarship, wealth, penance, beauty, youth and power), six kinds of enemies (desire, anger, greed, infatuation, arrogance and envy), and the Rajo-and Tamo-gunas (passionate and slothful traits). It is only when these sixteen evil traits are eliminated that man will achieve fullness. These evil traits are preventing man from realising his essential divinity. (SSS Vol.20), 11-7-1987
Purnima is the day on which the spotlessly clean and unblemished moon sheds his cool and steady light on the world. Whatever is said or taught with a pure heart is God’s own word. People celebrate Guru Purnima as a Guru Puja day, the day on which they worship their guru and offer some money or presents in return for some Mantra or other sacred words taught to them by him. In fact, one’s own heart is one’s Guru. Whatever comes from the depth of one’s own heart is the real teaching of Guru (Guru Vakya). (SSS Vol. 41, p. 124)
On this Guru Purnima day the moon shines in its perfection with all its sixteen aspects. Mind, which is the reflection of the moon, also has sixteen aspects. The six internal foes, the two qualities of Rajas and Tamas and the various types of pride make up these sixteen aspects. Man becomes perfect and Self shines in all its perfection in him, when these sixteen aspects of the mind are eliminated, it is a state of absence of all the qualities. A true Guru can bestow such a state upon a disciple. (L&L, p. 516)
(See – Kalas, Preceptor, Sadhana, Vyasa)