Guru Purnima 7th July 2009

The guru is seen as a sacred conduit for wisdom and guidance, and finding a true guru is often held to be a prerequisite for attaining self-realization. The importance of finding a guru who can impart transcendental knowledge (vidya) is emphasized in Hinduism (Sanathan Dharma). So we Hindus attach paramount importance to spiritual gurus. Gurus are often equated with God and always regarded as a link between the individual and the Supreme.

In the Bhagavad Gita, is a dialogue between Lord Krishna and Shree Arjun, who accepts Lord Krishna as his guru on the battlefield, prior to the battle of Kurushetra. Not only does this sacred and profound dialogue outline many of the ideals of Sanathan Dharma, but their relationship is considered an ideal one of Guru-Shishya (Teacher-disciple). In the Bhagavad Gita 4.34, Lord Krishna speaks to Shree Arjun of the importance of finding a guru. Lord Krsna said to Shree Arjun: - “Acquire the transcendental knowledge from a Self-realized master by humble reverence, by sincere inquiry, and by service. The wise ones who have realized the Truth will impart the Knowledge to you”.

There are two types of Gurus, firstly the Diksha Guru. The Diksha guru initiates a person and imparts a mantra and you then become his/her disciple. You can only have one Diksha guru. And then there is the Siksha Guru. Now with the Siksha guru one can have as many as you like. A Siksha guru can be anybody. A Siksha guru also teaches one. A tree or stone (teaches one tolerance), and so forth. On the personal front I have one Diksha guru but I have many many Siksha gurus who helped me when my guru was not personally around.

What is Guru Purnima? : - The full moon day in the Hindu month of Ashad (July-August) is observed as the auspicious day of Guru Purnima (this year it falls on Tuesday 7th July), a day sacred to the memory of the great sage Vyasadeva. All Hindus are indebted to Srila Vyasadeva who compiled the four Vedas, the 18 Puranas and the Mahabharata (which includes the Bhagavad Gita). Vyasadeva even taught Dattatreya, who is regarded as the Guru of Gurus.

Significance of Guru Purnima : - On this day, all spiritual aspirants and devotees worship Vyasadeva in honor of his divine personage and all disciples perform a 'puja' of their respective spiritual preceptor or 'Gurudevs'. This day is a good time to begin your spiritual lessons. Traditionally, spiritual seekers commence to intensify their spiritual 'sadhana' from this day. The period 'Chaturmasya' ("four months") begins from this day. In the past, wandering spiritual masters and their disciples used to settle down at a place to study and discourse on the Brahma Sutras composed by Srila Vyasadeva, and engage themselves in Vedantic discussions.

The Role of the Guru: - The most revered, great saint and teacher Shree Swami Shivananda asks: "Do you realize now the sacred significance and the supreme importance of the Guru's role in the evolution of man? It was not without reason that the India of the past carefully tended and kept alive the lamp of Guru-Tattva. It is therefore not without reason that India, year after year, age after age, commemorates anew this ancient concept of the Guru, adores it and pays homage to it again and again, and thereby re-affirms its belief and allegiance to it. For, the true Indian knows that the Guru is the only guarantee for the individual to transcend the bondage of sorrow and death, and experience the Consciousness of the Reality."

Swami Shivananda so nicely recommends: "Wake up at Brahma Muhurta (around 4 a.m.) On this most holy day meditate on the lotus feet of your Guru. Mentally pray to him/her for his/her Grace, through which alone you can attain Self-realization. Do vigorous Japa and meditate in the early morning hours. "After bath, worship the lotus feet of your Guru, or his/her image or picture with flowers, fruits, incense and camphor. Fast or take only milk and fruits the whole day. In the afternoon, sit with other devotees of your Guru and discuss with them the glories and teachings of your Guru. "Alternatively, you may observe the vow of silence and study the books or writings of your Guru, or mentally reflect upon his teachings. Take fresh resolves on this holy day, to tread the spiritual path in accordance with the precepts of your Guru. "At night, assemble again with other devotees, and sing the Names of the Lord and the glories of your Guru. The best form of worship of the Guru is to follow his teachings, to shine as the very embodiment of his teachings, and to propagate his glory and his message."

Now from the above you may have noticed that I have said Guru as SHE/HER. So one may ask are there or where there great female Gurus in our rich Vedic History. The answer to that is absolutely YES. I can give many examples of female gurus but I shall just choose one for today. Her glorious and most auspicious name is GANGAMATA GOSWAMINI.

Ganga Mata Goswamini's original name was Srimati Sachi Devi. She was born in 1601CE in Puntiya, which is in the present-day Bangladesh and entered the eternal pastimes in 1721 CE. Of course being a girl her parents wanted to marry her as soon as possible when she reached puberty but Srimati Sachi Devi was not in the least bit interested in marriage. After many years of penances in all the holy places Her Grace eventually ended up in Orissa in the Jagannath temple.

Not long afterward, a miraculous occurrence took place. An opportune moment came for Maha Varuni Ganga bath. Many people who seek to accumulate pious credits make the trip to River Ganga for this auspicious occasion. Many of Srimati Sachi Devi's friends asked her to accompany them, but she could not abandon her vows nor her service to the Deities, so she was obliged to plead that it was impossible for her to go.

Even though she did not really want to go, Lord Jagannath Himself made arrangements for her to bathe in the Ganga. That night Lord Jagannath appeared to her in a dream and told her to take bath in the Shvetaganga in the middle of the night. Srimati Sachi Devi followed Lord Jagannath’s instructions, but as soon as she entered the water, she had a vision of Ganga Devi herself. She was carried away in a strong river current, which came from nowhere and suddenly found herself inside the Jagannath temple. But she continued to see herself bathing in the midst of her friends from Jagannath Puri. She not only saw the Ganga and all those who were immersed in her waters, but she could hear the joyful noise of the bathing crowds.

And she was not the only one. The temple gatekeepers awakened on hearing this called Lord Jagannath's pujaris. They in turn gave a report to the King himself who ordered them to open the temple doors. When they finally flung the doors open, they saw no one but Srimati Sachi Devi standing there alone. Lord Jagannath's pujaris were confused and at first did not know what to do. They assumed that Srimati Sachi Devi had broken into the temple with the intention of robbing the Deities' valuables and that they had caught her red-handed. But by their suspicions they committed an offense to a great devotee of the Supreme Lord. As a result, various diseases and distresses attacked them--so much so that the service to Lord Jagannath was affected.

Lord Jagannath finally appeared to the King and told the king what had really happened. Being influenced by Srimati Sachi Devi's pure devotional attitude, Lord Jagannath Himself had made River Ganga flow from Lotus His feet to bathe Srimati Sachi Devi directly in the currents of His charanamrita (holy mixture of auspicious liquids). The King and the other servants of the Lord could only be freed from their offenses if they apologized to Srimati Sachi Devi and took initiation from her.

King Mukunda Deva went to Srimati Sachi Devi with his entourage, the temple guards and servants. They paid her their prostrated obeisances and begged for her forgiveness. Though the King and all the pujaris, asked her for initiation, she only gave the mantra to the King in obedience to Lord Jagannath's order. The King wanted to give a large amount of land as Guru-Dakshina (fees to one’s Guru after receiving initiation), but Sachi Devi refused it. When the King continued to beg for an opportunity to render service, Srimati Sachi Devi finally said that every midday he could send two containers of Maha prasad rice and one of vegetables, a cloth and 160 paisa for the service of the Vaishnavas. From that day onward, Sachi Devi was known as Ganga-Mata.

Devotees of the Supreme Lord may be born in any race, in any caste, or indeed in either sex. They are still to be considered the best of human beings and worshippable by all. There are many examples of women who attained the supreme achievement of pure devotional service to the Lord, such as the wives of the Vedic Brahmins who due to the demands of bhakti ignored the orders of their less-advanced husbands to serve Shree Krishna. In the Kali Yuga, also, as a result of the blessings of Shree Hari Das Thakur, a prostitute was transformed into a renowned Vaishnavi and many great devotees went to seek audiences from her in order to receive her saintly association.

Finally I cannot complete this article of Guru Purnima with the acknowledgement of my revered Gurus without whom I won’t have had the ability to compile all these articles. I am eternally grateful firstly to Mother Sarasvati and then to my many gurus like Srila Prabhupad, H. H. Krsna Das Maharaja, Shree Swami Shivananda ji, Pundit H. R. Maharaj, and many of my other gurus that have requested me not to mention their names. Thank you thank you thank you for all the mercy and blessings that you all have bestowed upon me.

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