Guru Purnima

On Guru Purnima, we remember our personal mentors, whose cumulative efforts enable learning. Alternatively, we may chose to remember Maharishi Ved Vyas [1] or the more recent bhakti saints like Tulasidasa or Ramakrishna Paramhansa, who, through their words, still make it possible for us to think about the Divine. Or we may simply request the Supreme Being to connect us to a human being who may further guide us in spirituality.

Like many other bhakti saints, Kabirdasa has shared some of his devotional feel for his guru in his poems. Though offering gifts to the guru is recommended on Guru Purnima, Kabir finds himself incapable of offering anything to the guru, for the guru has already gifted him with Ramanama, which can not be weighed against any other gift in the universe [2]. He further says, “I’ll try never to forget my guru, association with whom has enlightened me” [3]. He convincingly finds the guru and the Divine to be the same, who only differ in their form [4].

Happy Guru Purnima!

[1] Guru Purnima is the birthday of Maharishi Ved Vyas. Being the author of all the puranas, the Mahabharata, and the Vedanta-sutras, he has probably had the utmost impact on Hinduism.
[2] rama nama ke patatare, debe ko kucha nahin…
[3] gyana prakasa guru mila…
[4] guru gobind to ek hai…