GURU POORNIMA MESSAGE
AUM SAI RAM
Greetings to all the readers, editorial members, and back-office staff of SAI AURA.
As we bring out this Twenty-Sixth issue (Guru Poornima issue) in July 2024 our Editorial Board has requested me to pen a few words as people around the world will celebrate Guru Poornima and the customary celebrations in reverential salutations to our Guru Maharaj, Lord Sainath welcoming the season, the festival of the Guru, to mark our total surrender to Guru for happiness on the victory of good over evil.
The first issue of Sai Aura was launched on ‘Guru Poornima’ Day in 2017. Why do we worship the GURU our Sainath Maharaj exclusively on ‘Guru Purnima’ also called ‘Vyasa Poornima Day’? Kabir says: ‘Sab dharti kagaz karu, lekhni sab vanray, saat samundra ki masi karu, Guru gun likha na jaye’ – If the whole Earth is transformed into paper with all the big trees of the forest made into pens; if the entire water in the seven oceans is transformed into writing ink; if for eternity I was to write the glory of the Guru, it would not be enough. Such is the greatness of the Guru.
The special day of Guru Purnima, also known as Vyasa Poornima Day, is dedicated to expressing our gratitude, devotion, appreciation, and recognition for all we have gained from various teachers. In our culture, parents are our first Gurus. Then, those who taught us in school from the first alphabet in kindergarten to all our numerous teachers, be it in the field of music, dance, business management, or in any profession – all represent our Gurus. What have we been able to do on our own?
Of all the knowledge in the universe, it is the spiritual knowledge that reveals to us our Self – our oneness with the Infinite – and liberates us from all limitations, bondage, and suffering. This is the greatest knowledge. We can never say enough about it and about the Guru who reveals to us this supreme Truth. This knowledge was imparted at the beginning of creation in the Vedas. It was Sage Veda Vyasa who gathered all the scattered mantras of the Vedas and compiled them into four volumes and that is why his very name is Veda Vyasa. Vyasa is the one who edits, and the one who compiles. Vyasa also means a diameter. Just as a circle does not have a beginning or an end, knowledge of the Truth does not have a beginning or an end. Knowledge of the Sab dharti kagaz karu, lekhni sab vanray, saat samundra ki masi karu, Guru gun likha na jayeInfinite itself does not have a limit. Still, one who can measure the breadth of that knowledge, one who can connect every point in that circle is called Vyasa. Also, Vyasa means one who does not sit. He did not sit or take a rest but worked with extraordinary dynamism to ensure the survival of this knowledge that would build a culture of dharma and spirituality – for the next yuga.
Therefore, Vyasa Poornima is Guru or Teachers’ Day. We remember our entire Guru Parampara that starts from the Divine Himself, from Ishwara Himself as ‘Dakshina Murthy. It is said that Veda Vyasa is an incarnation (avatar) of Maha Vishnu (Narayana) and Adi Shankaracharya is the incarnation of Shankara. Veda Vyasa compiled the Vedas, Adi Shankaracharya wrote the commentary on Upanishads; Veda Vyasa composed the Mahabharata in which we find the jewels, the Bhagavad Gita and Vishnu Sahasranama, Adi Shankara wrote a commentary on them; Veda Vyasa connected all the points in the Brahma Sutra, Adi Shankaracharya wrote the bhashya, the commentary, on it, to make it clear.
At the same time, Adi Shankara spread the knowledge of the Vedas with missionary zeal so that we could return to our Vedic culture with complete clarity and understand the comprehensive significance of the spiritual path, the place of rituals, the different practices, and how to do them in a manner to re-establish Vedic culture. This is the love of the great gurus.
The crucial point is that inculcating the requisite qualities and gaining and spreading this knowledge, gives us not just temporary pleasures – but absolute Bliss. Our offering to the lotus feet of our teachers is to treasure what they have taught us and make our own lives pure and noble. Even if we follow and live just one teaching of the guru, which was given to us with love and supreme ‘kripa’, compassion, our life will not only be enriched, but we will be able to enrich the lives of many.
Our greetings to all.
Yours SAI BABAly
Prathibha
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