look news india
In Indian Sanatan culture, philosophy and spirituality, Guru has been given a higher position than Govind (God). ‘Guru Purnima’, the holy festival of expressing gratitude towards the guides who remove the darkness of ignorance and lead to the light of knowledge, will be celebrated with great devotion and enthusiasm in the country and abroad this year too. According to the Hindu calendar, this holy festival, celebrated on the full moon date of the month of Ashadha, is not limited only to the followers of Sanatan Dharma, but it also has a very deep historical and spiritual significance for the followers of Buddhism and Jainism.
Exact date of Guru Purnima 2026: Note this auspicious day in the calendar
The holy festival of Guru Purnima in the year 2026 Wednesday, July 29, 2026 Will be celebrated with devotion throughout the country. On this auspicious occasion of Ashadh Purnima, a series of special prayer meetings and spiritual rituals will begin early in the morning at major religious places, ghats of holy rivers, Guru Ashrams and Buddhist monasteries across the country. Devotees will observe fast on this day and worship their Gurus physically or mentally and seek their blessings for right guidance in life.
Maharishi Vedvyas and Vyas Purnima: Know why this festival is celebrated
According to mythological beliefs, this holy day of Guru Purnima is basically celebrated in honor of the appearance day of Maharishi Vedvyas ji, the author of Mahabharata and great Puranas. Maharishi Vedvyas had classified and compiled the Vedas into four different parts (Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda), due to which he is considered the progenitor of mankind. Due to this historical connection, on this holy date ‘Vyas Purnima’ Is also addressed by the name of. From the spiritual point of view, the word ‘Guru’ is made up of two letters – ‘Gu’ means darkness and ‘Ru’ means the one who removes it, i.e. the consciousness that frees us from mental darkness.
Triveni Sangam: Unique significance of this holy date in Hindu, Buddhist and Jain religions.
The festival represents a beautiful example of India’s shared spiritual consciousness and religious diversity, with three major religions holding the day extremely sacred for different historical reasons:
-
Hinduism: On this day, the Guru is worshiped considering him to be the ultimate Supreme Being, because it is the Guru who paves the way for the disciple to cross the ocean of the world and attain God.
-
Buddhism: According to Buddhist beliefs, after attaining enlightenment (Bodhi) after rigorous penance in Bodhgaya, Lord Buddha gave his first sermon, which is called ‘Dhammacakkapavattana’ (Dharmachakrapravartana), to his first five disciples in Sarnath on this Ashadh Purnima day.
-
Jainism: According to Jain tradition, Lord Mahavir Swami, the twenty-fourth Tirthankara, made Indrabhuti Gautama (Gautam Swami) his first chief disciple (Gandhara) with the beginning of Chaturmas on this holy date, thereby laying the foundation of the Jain order.
Relevance in the modern age: How to celebrate this digital and traditional festival of gratitude
Even in today’s modern and technological era, the importance of the Guru-Shishya tradition has not diminished even an iota. On this auspicious day, devotees and students thank their gurus, academic teachers, parents and life guides through gifts, messages and special events. Traditionally, on this day, people visit monasteries to worship Guru, participate in group satsang and meditation sessions, recite holy scriptures and give the message of social harmony by donating food, clothes and educational materials to the deprived sections of the society.