Guru Purnima is a festival dedicated to the glory of Guru, a day when disciples come for Darshan to their Guru. For spiritual aspirants it is the most important festival of the year, when they should be with their master, either physically or mentally. On that day, spiritual aspirants offer fruits of their Sadhana to their Guru and also begin a “new year” of their spiritual life with a new spiritual Sankalpa (resolution) with the blessings of Guru. Guru Purnima is the day when the first ray of light came to planet Earth, and it is also the birthday of Maharishi Sri Ved Vyasa who wrote down Vedas, composed 18 Puranas, Mahabharata and Srimad Bhagavatam. Guru Purnima is celebrated in the month of Asadh (July-August) according to the Hindu lunar calendar. That day begins at Brahma Muhurta, and spiritual aspirants observe it first by singing Guru Gita (a part of Skanda Purana which tells about the glory of Guru in the form of a dialogue between Shiva and Parvati) and making a prayer and puja either in ashrams or in their homes. The entire day is spent in fasting and is dedicated to spiritual sadhana.
Gurur Brahma Gurur Višnu Gurur Devo Mahešvara
Gurur Šakšat Parabrahma Tasmai Sri Gurave Namah
