Vyasa · one's own guru
Guru Purnima
The full moon of gratitude to every teacher, beginning with Vyasa.
Tithi: Ashadha Purnima
In the simplest words
Full-moon day for saying thank you to teachers: your school teacher, your parents, anyone who lit a lamp inside your head.
The story & purpose
Ashadha's full moon honours Veda Vyasa, who arranged the Vedas and gave the Mahabharata, and through him the unbroken river of teachers. Whoever has carried light into your life is worshipped today.
The rest of the story
A modern yogic telling, popularised by the Isha Foundation, reads the same moon further back: on it Shiva as Adiyogi turned south and began teaching the seven rishis, the first guru and the first class. The honour is not archival. Today one bows to living teachers too: the professor, the coach, the grandmother who taught the first shloka. The Vyasa-seat is wherever someone hands on light.
What is done
Guru puja
Honouring one's guru, elders, and first teachers, parents included.
Vyasa smaran
Reading from the texts he gave; Guru Brahma verse.
Chaturmas begins
Monastics settle for the four rain months; study seasons open.
Best timings
Morning puja on the purnima; satsang through the day.
Exact muhurat varies by city and tradition; for the precise hour, consult a local panchang for your location.
Worth knowing
Buddhists honour the same moon as the day of the Buddha's first sermon at Sarnath.
The word guru is read as 'remover of darkness': gu (darkness), ru (remover).
The day is also called Vyasa Purnima, and many begin their year's study of a chosen text today.