Guru Poornima 2024

 

Guru Purnima

Over the years it has become an obsession to step outside the home in Bakersfield around 4 am to see the planets in the skies. They are best visible before daylight breaks in. Today was particularly important because we would be leaving the country and it would be a long time before I could catch a glimpse of the clear night skies like I do here. I have learnt not to take these things for granted after spending several months in India over the past year.

Today not only did I see the glorious Jupiter rising on the eastern horizon and the dimmer Mars above it, I had a pleasant surprise waiting. As I turned to return inside the house I noticed the beautiful moon hanging low on the western horizon. A few minutes late and I would have missed it. It seemed to be almost a full moon. I went in and checked the calendar. Tomorrow, Sunday July 21st is Guru Poornima and Vyaas Puja. Without knowing beforehand I had the good fortune to witness the Poornima, Guru( Jupiter) and offer obeisance to Vyaas Muni( along with the planets) today. 

Vyaas Muni is said to be an incarnation of Vishnu and holds a special place in my heart. He is credited with the authorship of the epic Mahabharat and several sacred hymns. About a decade back I was going through some tough times. It happened to be Rahu period( dasha). It was overwhelming to say the least. I was so shaken up, and while there seemed no human to turn to, I took solace in chanting the Navagraha stotra every morning, seeking benevolence from the planets to get through the difficult days. And I did feel the grace and much needed hope to get through the days. This beautiful stotram is composed by Vyaas Muni. It was my only support in one of the toughest periods of my adult life. Since then my gratitude towards Vyaas Muni has been sealed forever. To unknowingly be able to remember Him and pay respects at Bramha muhurta today seemed like an auspicious coincidence. 

And then Guru Poornima ! The Vedic teachings hail Guru( Teacher) as higher than God Himself! Muktabai commented in her Taatiche Abhang “ dwaitacha ghala “….everything we see around us is “ the mischief of duality “! In the absolute sense there is a single entity, reality in all existence. Yet by the power of Maya our intellect attributes individual identity to various components of creation. Me, you, them, that, this, etc….. the list goes on. While this is the reality for most of us, and is the basis of many of our problems, there is also a beauty to it. The most beautiful thing within duality is the concept of Guru- Shishya! Preceptor and student! And duality has also given us Mother and child !! Mother is afterall a child’s first Guru! Hence both the aforesaid relationships are not much different from each other. It is impossible for an intellect to rise out of misery without love and guidance from a realized Guru, mother or guide. I have enjoyed this privilege without being worthy of it. I don’t know how to express it but today on the eve of Guru Poornima I offer my heartfelt respect, gratitude, love and appreciation to Parabramha, the all pervading God consciousness, who is my Guru, my Divine Mother, my Everything! If I exist as a separate entity in the universe the most beautiful thing about my existence is that I get to enjoy this relationship with my Guru. If I dissolve this separate identity I get to merge with my Guru and that’s where my bliss is. Life has come a full circle. Just like that moon I saw today. 

There wasn’t a happier and more relevant Guru Poornima before this ! 🙏🏼🙏🏼

It seems more apt to not supply a photo to this post. The entire essence of today’s post is experience. No picture can convey the experience. In fact any picture would be misleading.