In Sanskrit – ‘Gu‘ means ignorance/darkness, and ‘Ru‘ means Dispeller. So ‘Guru‘ means the dispeller of ignorance or the light that chases away the darkness of ignorance. So Guru Purnima is basically the celebration of a concept more than a person. Don’t you think?
If you aren’t convinced, read further!
How should You Celebrate Guru Purnima if You don’t have a Guru?
Gone are the days when the schooling was done only in a Gurukul and the teacher was your only Guru. Today you don’t need to learn everything from one individual or one medium. There are multiple sources of learning and an abundance of people you can connect with easily if you wish to. So, is celebrating Guru Purnima only for those who have a certified Guru? Is Guru Purnima a religious festival?
The answer is a big fat NO!
The true essence of Guru Purnima is not religious. It’s not just about paying respect to Gurus, but also to anyone and anything you have learned something from—including yourself and this universe. A guru need not necessarily be a saint or a godly person. It could be your parents, your mentor, your friend, your child, or you!
Can you Celebrate Guru Purnima without Rituals You aren’t Aware of?
Of course you can. This day is nothing but a powerful day to meditate and review how much you have learned since the day you were born. It’s a day to be grateful to all the sources of your knowledge, and open your mind to learn new things from fresh perspectives. Let’s get rid of rigidity, open our minds to unexplored thoughts and directions in life, and have the wisdom to unlearn what we know is wrong.
Our Gurus
On this day, Team KnowYourStar is so grateful to have had guidance from different people from various walks of life. From Mentor Nipun Mehta to Mentor VR Ferose, there have been a chain of people we’ve met who have inspired us, supported us, and steered our ship in the right direction.
Age no bar, we have learned from Gurus as young as Chetan Uchitkar, as noble as Uma Tuli, as evergreen as Shankuntala Devi, as spiritual as Ani Choying Drolma, and as experienced as Dr. BM Hegde.
We have started off on our Mentor India 2.0 journey and you have a chance to be a Guru in a rural child’s life. If you’re up for it, do get in touch with us to volunteer.
May the Guru be with us all on this blessed day.