Gurupūrṇimā

Guru Brahma Guru Vishnu Guru Devo Maheshvara

Guru Sakshat Parambrahma Tasmai Shri Gurave Namah

Our creation is that guru (Brahma-the force of creation); the duration of our lives is that guru (Vishnu-the force of preservation); our trials, tribulations, illnesses, calamities and the death of the body is that guru (devo Maheshwara-the force of destruction or transformation). There is a guru nearby (Guru Sakshat) and a guru that is beyond the beyond (param Brahma). I make my offering (tasmai) to the beautiful (shri) remover of my darkness, my ignorance; (Guru) it is to you I bow and lay down my life (namah).

A beautiful translation by Manorama of Jivamukti Yoga.

Gurupūrṇimā, the day we celebrate our Gurus, is a festival traditionally observed to honour one's chosen spiritual teachers or leaders. It is observed on the full moon day (Purnima) in the month of June-July (Ashadha) according to the Hindu Calendar. It is also known as Vyasa Purnima, as it celebrates the birthday of Veda Vyasa, the sage/author of the Mahabharata and person responsible for compiling the Vedas.

The word Guru can be divided into two words: Gu meaning darkness, and Ru meaning remover. Guru is therefore the remover of darkness. Darkness refers to what obscures the light of awareness. Guru represents the enlightenment aspect within ourselves. The guru removes avidya, or ignorance, by ushering us in the process of removing all that is not the True Self. When we identify or mistaken our personality, our body/mind container for who we are, we feel separate from the whole.

This mantra asks for the ability to see the Guru in all names and forms, and even to acknowledge, love and serve the Guru who you cannot see, who is beyond all visible forms. The Guru is your own self, the inner guiding light within yourself.

Ram Ram

Join us in practice. Article by Bibi Lorenzetti