GURU POOJA (WORSHIP OF GURUS AT HOME AND AT CURRICULUM) -

GURU POOJA (WORSHIP OF GURUS AT HOME AND AT CURRICULUM) - J.K. SIVAN

On 19th July, 2017, G.K.Shetty Hindu Vidyalayam Primary school at Adambakkam, organised a Vyasa Pooja in which parents and students of about 300 and 50+ teachers participated.

Sree Krishnarpanam Seva Society, right from the day one since November 2013 when their first free publication on Krishna's life in Tamil was releaed, has been incessantly serving the Society and children in particular, with spiritual publications, based on our ithihas, legends and puranas and other holy scriptures . By His Grace, in the last four years we have brought out thirty publications both in simple Tamil and English.

I was very happy to be invited to be the Guru and honoured by the Management to bless the children and others occupying the Vyasasanam on the Vyasa Pooja Day by the above management.

In my address to the children and parents I reiterated the necessity for close coordination between parents and the teachers to train the children in traditional, cultural, scriptural and spiritual knowledge besides the academic qualification, which alone will stand them in good stead in future. I extolled on Vyasa's unprecedented contribution to our Hindu Sanathana dharma and stressed that without His Mahabharatha, Bhagavatha and Bhagavat Gita forming part of Mahabharath very little would have been known to many about Lord Krishna, the Purnavathar and our Primordial Guru.

Sage Vedha Vyasa was born on a Full moon day (Poornima) in the Ashada month. He is being worshipped on the Guru Pooja/Vyasa Pooja day offering prayers with due respects.

‘Guru’ and ‘Poornima’ have a deep meaning. Poornima means the effulgent full moon. Guru is destroyer of darkness or remover of ignorance. The veda says- "Chandro manaso Jathaka", meaning Moon is mind, so the full moon signifies the wholeness and brightness. Just as the moon shines by reflecting the light of the Sun, a true devotee can dazzle by gaining it from his Guru. This puja is called ‘Vyasa Puja’ because Vedavyasa is the foremost preceptor.

शङ्करं शङ्कराचार्यं केशवं बादरायणम् ।

सूत्रभाष्यकृतौ वन्दे भगवन्तौ पुन: पुन: ॥

Maha Guru Veda Vyasa is not the only one worshipped on Vyasa Pooja day. Some of the Panchakas (five preceptors in each group) are also worshipped. - Krishna Panchaka (including Sri Krishna); Vyasa Panchaka (Sri Vyasa and others); Bhagavatpada Panchaka ( Sri Adisankara and others); Sanaka Panchaka; Dravida Panchaka; and Guru Panchaka, consisting of various gurus. Worship is also offered to virtually every other god and goddess. Finally, Saaligramah pooja and an omnibus worship (samashti pooja) are performed.

IT IS ABSOLUTE SURRENDER TO THE GURU. ''I am offering everything that I possess, everything that belongs to me at your lotus feet''.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said:

''ei ami deha samarpilama tomare

krsnapadapadmera amrtarasa pana

amare karao tumi ñ ei cahi dana'' Sri Caitanya-bhagavata (Adi-khanda 17.54ñ55)

''O Gurudeva, I have surrendered My body and everything that is Mine at your lotus feet. I shall follow your every instruction. My only wish is to receive your merciful benediction by which you kindly make Me drink the transcendental nectar of Sri Krishna's lotus feet.''

What is meant by performing this pooja is to surrender in this way selflessly at the lotus feet of Sri Guru. It is from one's pure heart.

Sri Krsna Himself is the origin of bhakti, Sri Guru is His incarnation, or manifestation. Yet He worshipped his guru Sandeepani Maharishi.Guru is not different from Bhagavan.

''yasya deve para bhaktir yatha deve tatha gurau

tasyaite kathita hy arthah prakasante mahatmanah'' - Svetasvatara Upanisad (6.23)

The true import of the scriptures (srutis) is revealed in the hearts of those great souls who have equally the same unflinching bhakti for their guru and the Supreme Lord.

We are greatly indebted to Vedha Vyasa. He presented us the Vedas, compiled Vedanta-sutra, created Puranas and gifted us the Mahabharata, besides writing Sri Bhagavat Purana(Srimad-Bhagavatam). He described the life and pastimes of Vishnu in his avathara as Sri Krishna. He narrated all of these to his son Sukadeva. Suka worshipped his father and guru Vedha Vyasa. It is the first Guru pooja. When Suka was worshipped by Suta it was the second Vyasa-puja.

If one feels proud that he has become a Guru, he is not a Guru. Guru never makes disciples, he only transforms others into guru. A real guru does not even try to become a guru.

bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara

janma sarthaka karií kara para-upakara Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi-lila 9.41)

Gurur-Brahma Gurur-Vishnu Gurur-devo Mahesvarah

Guruh-saksat Param-Brahma tasmai Sri Guruve namah

I thank Lord Krishna for blessing me to be fortunate to be invited to be the Guru, occupying the seat of Guru, on the Guru Pooja Day, and be with children praying for their bright academic, and intellectual career with utmost discipline and obedience towards parents and teachers, and a healthy long life.