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Festival Profile

Guru Purnima

Honouring spiritual teachers and gurus, a day of gratitude and reverence.

All festivals

Guru Purnima honours spiritual teachers and gurus, a day of gratitude for the guidance of gurus and of Maharishi Vyasa.

Stories behind the festival

Honouring Vyasa

Dwapara Yuga
Maharishi Vyasa, born on Ashadha Purnima, compiled the four Vedas, wrote the Mahabharata and the Puranas, and is revered as the greatest guru. Guru Purnima honours him and the unbroken teacher-disciple tradition.
Vyasa tradition

Honouring Vyasa

Dwapara Yuga
Maharishi Vyasa, born on Ashadha Purnima, compiled the four Vedas, wrote the Mahabharata and the Puranas, and is revered as the greatest guru. Guru Purnima honours him and the unbroken teacher-disciple tradition.
Vyasa tradition

Why we celebrate

Guru Purnima honours spiritual teachers and gurus, a day of gratitude for the guidance of gurus and of Maharishi Vyasa.
Guru-shishya tradition

When

Guru Purnima falls on the full moon (Purnima) of the Hindu month Ashadha (June–July).

Since when it is followed

The tradition of honouring gurus on Ashadha Purnima is ancient, linked to Vyasa and the guru-shishya parampara.
Ancient tradition

Who celebrates / for whom

Celebrated by Hindus, Buddhists and Jains, by disciples honouring their teachers.

Origin

The day honours Maharishi Vyasa, the compiler of the Vedas and author of the Mahabharata, and all gurus who dispel ignorance.
Tradition of Maharishi Vyasa

Key deities

Maharishi Vyasa and the spiritual gurus.

How to celebrate

Perform puja of the guru, offer gratitude, seek blessings, and in many traditions worship the guru's feet or an image.

Rituals & offerings

Guru puja, paduka puja (worship of the guru's sandals), recitation of scriptures, and gratitude offerings.

Key facts

Guru Purnima is also sacred to the Buddha, who is said to have delivered his first sermon near this time.
Buddhist tradition
Guru Purnima is also sacred to the Buddha, who is said to have delivered his first sermon near this time.
Buddhist tradition