Guru Purnima 2027गुरु पूर्णिमा

When is Guru Purnima?

Observed on Purnima of Ashadh. Dates follow the Panchang for New Delhi and can differ by a day in other places — check the Panchang for your city.

What Guru Purnima means

Guru Purnima, the full moon of Ashadha, is the day to honour the guru — the one who removes darkness. In the traditional explanation 'gu' is darkness and 'ru' is that which removes it. It is also called Vyasa Purnima, because it is kept as the birth tithi of Maharishi Veda Vyasa, who arranged the Vedas and gave the world the Mahabharata and the Puranas.

The guru may be a spiritual teacher, a school teacher, a parent, a music or martial-arts master, or the scriptures themselves. On this day disciples visit their guru, wash and worship his or her feet or padukas, offer dakshina, and renew their commitment to practice. Monastic orders begin the four months of Chaturmasya, when sannyasis stay in one place during the rains.

Buddhists keep the same full moon as Asalha Puja, the day of the Buddha's first sermon at Sarnath, and in Nepal Guru Purnima is Teachers' Day. Across traditions, it is a day of gratitude for all who have taught us.

The story of Guru Purnima

Vyasa was born to the sage Parashara and Satyavati on an island in the Yamuna, which is why he is called Krishna Dvaipayana — the dark one born on an island. Seeing that people of the coming age would not be able to hold the whole of the Veda in memory, he divided it into four — Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva — and taught them to his disciples Paila, Vaishampayana, Jaimini and Sumantu. That work earned him the title Veda Vyasa, 'the arranger of the Veda'.

He composed the Mahabharata, which contains the Bhagavad Gita, and tradition credits him with the eighteen Puranas, which he taught to the bard Romaharshana. Many also identify him with Badarayana, author of the Brahma Sutras. He is one of the chiranjeevis, believed to live on, and every guru in the traditional lineages is said to sit on the 'Vyasa peetha', the seat of Vyasa.

Yoga traditions add another story: that on this full moon Shiva, as Adiyogi or Dakshinamurthy, began teaching the seven sages (Saptarishis) and so became the first guru. Dakshinamurthy is shown as a youthful teacher under a banyan tree, teaching aged disciples in silence.

Guru Purnima puja vidhi, step by step

A simple Guru Purnima puja for home, or for students honouring their teachers. Each sampradaya has its own Vyasa Puja — follow your guru's tradition where you have one.

What you need

• A picture of your guru, or padukas (sandals), or an image of Vyasa or Dakshinamurthy
• Water for washing the feet or padukas, sandal paste, roli, akshat, flowers and a garland
• A ghee diya and incense
• Fruit, sweets and dakshina (a gift of money, clothes or books)
• The Guru Gita, Guru Stotram or Bhagavad Gita for reading

When to do the puja

Ashadha Purnima in 2027 falls on Sunday, 18 July; Purnima runs from the evening of 17 July to the night of 18 July (New Delhi). Guru puja is done in the morning of 18 July. Check the Panchang for your city. See the Panchang for your city.

Steps

1. Morning. Bathe early and sit quietly before the guru's picture, padukas or the image of Vyasa.
2. Remember the lineage. Bow first to Vyasa and the guru parampara, then to your own guru, with the shloka 'Guru Brahma Guru Vishnu'.
3. Paduka puja. Wash the padukas or offer water at the guru's feet, apply sandal paste, and offer flowers, akshat and a diya.
4. Offerings and dakshina. Offer fruit and sweets, and give dakshina — to your guru in person if you can, or to a teacher, school or ashram.
5. Reading and sadhana. Read from the Guru Gita or the Bhagavad Gita, and take a small vow of practice — daily japa, study or service — for the Chaturmas season.
6. Thank your teachers. Call, visit or write to the teachers who shaped you — school, college, music or sport. Students often touch their teachers' feet or present a gift on this day.

Offerings & food: Books, dakshina (money gift), new clothes to teachers, fruits

Mantras for Guru Purnima

Guru Purnima across India

Across India — but particularly observed at Vyasa Gufa in Mana village (near Badrinath), ashrams of all traditions, sannyasis begin the Chaturmasya vow with Vyasa Puja

Ashrams and mathas

Sannyasis of the Shankara and other orders perform Vyasa Puja and take the Chaturmasya vow, staying in one place for the rainy season; disciples gather in large numbers for darshan of their gurus.

Shirdi (Maharashtra)

A three-day festival at the Sai Baba samadhi mandir, where Sai Baba is worshipped as the sadguru — one of the busiest times of the year at Shirdi.

Mana and Badrinath (Uttarakhand)

The Vyasa Gufa at Mana village, where Vyasa is said to have composed the Mahabharata, is a place of pilgrimage for Guru Purnima during the Badrinath season.

Music and dance traditions

Students of classical music and dance honour their gurus with performances and the guru-shishya ceremony; many tie the ganda bandhan on this day.

Nepal

Guru Purnima is observed as Teachers' Day; students offer garlands, sweets and gifts to their teachers in schools.

Buddhist communities

Asalha Puja (Dhamma Day) marks the Buddha's first sermon, the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, at Sarnath; the monks' rains retreat (vassa) begins the next day.

Prayers to recite

Do’s and don’ts

Temples to visit for Guru Purnima

Shirdi Sai Baba TempleShirdi, Maharashtra

Frequently asked questions