Guru Purnima 2019 Today: Legends and significance of Vyasa Purnima

Guru Purnima 2019: Hindus across India will celebrate Guru Purnima today (July 16) with special puja and rituals. Also known as ‘Vyas Purnima’, the Hindu scriptures say that on this day, Ved Vyas was born. One of the most noted sages according to Hindu mythology, Ved Vyas the author of mega epic ‘Mahabharat’. He not only authored it, Ved Vyas also played a crucial role in the narrative of the lives and times of royal family of Hastinapur. Ved Vyas is also known as the author of 18 Hindu ‘Purans’. According to Hindu religious calendars, also known as ‘panchangs’, the full moon day during the month Ashadha is known as ‘Guru Purnima’. Legend has it that on this day, devotees offer special prayers and gifts to their Gurus or teachers.

On this day, it is advised to chant this Sanskrit shloka. ‘Guru Brahma Gurur Vishnu...Guru Devo Maheshwaraha...Guru Saakshat Para Brahma...Tasmai Sree Gurave Namaha.’ It means, “Guru is verily the representative of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. He creates, sustains knowledge and destroys the weeds of ignorance. I salute such a Guru.”

According to Drik Panchang, the Guru Purnia tithi falls on July 16.

Guru Purnima Timings

Purnima Tithi Begins = 01:48 on 16/Jul/2019

Purnima Tithi Ends = 03:07 on 17/Jul/2019

Not just Hindus, Guru Purnima has special significance in Buddhism. According to Buddhist legends, it was on the day of Guru Purnima, when Gautam Buddha after attaining enlightenment, gave his first sermon at Uttar Pradesh’s Sarnath.

Last year, Parliament had declared holiday on occasion of Guru Purnima. The holiday on account of Guru Purnima was declared by Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu in the Rajya Sabha and by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan in the Lok Sabha. “Taking the sense of the House, the Lok Sabha would not have its session on Friday in view of Guru Purnima,” the Speaker had announced.