Guru Purnima 2025: What every student should know about the history and origin of this tradition

Time of India

3 days ago

Credit:ISTOCK
Each year, as the full moon of Ashadha rises in the sky, it illuminates more than the land below. It awakens memory, reverence, and a tradition that has guided generations. This is Guru Purnima, a day devoted to those who show the way forward through knowledge, compassion, and example.
Its origin lies in India's spiritual and scholarly heritage. On this sacred day, Sage Veda Vyasa, the compiler of the Vedas and the author of the Mahabharata, is believed to have been born. His work shaped not only scripture but the structure of knowledge itself. To honour his legacy, Guru Purnima was established as a day to express gratitude to one's teacher.
In yogic tradition, the day holds another significance. It marks the moment when Lord Shiva, known as the Adi Guru or the first teacher, turned his attention to the Saptarishis, the seven great sages.
After years of silent observation, they were finally deemed ready. What followed was the beginning of spiritual transmission, the birth of the guru-shishya tradition that continues to shape lives today.
From the mountains of Kailash to the forests of Sarnath where Buddha gave his first sermon, the significance of this day has echoed through centuries. Across faiths and philosophies, Guru Purnima remains a time to recognise that learning is sacred and teaching is transformative.
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by Taboola
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Vyasa and the eternal role of the teacher
Guru Purnima is also called Vyasa Purnima, in recognition of Sage Vyasa's immense contributions to Indian thought. He did more than compose scripture. He organised wisdom. His compilation of the Vedas preserved oral traditions for future generations, and his authorship of the Mahabharata offered a mirror to human nature and dharma.
In celebrating Vyasa, the day honours teachers who not only transmit knowledge but also shape how society understands truth.
Guru Purnima is, at its heart, a recognition of teachers who help students move beyond memorisation into meaning.
A festival of many faiths
Although rooted in Hindu tradition, Guru Purnima finds deep meaning in other religions as well. In Buddhism, the day marks the moment when Gautama Buddha delivered his first teaching at Sarnath, setting the Wheel of Dharma in motion. This teaching offered a path to liberation based not on ritual, but on mindfulness, compassion and understanding.
In Jainism, Guru Purnima is observed in memory of the day when Lord Mahavira was joined by his first disciple, Gautam Gandhar. This event marked the beginning of the Jain monastic order and formalised the transmission of its spiritual teachings.
Across these traditions, the teacher is not a figure of authority but a guide who helps uncover truth already present within the student.
What it means to be a guru
The word "guru" is derived from two Sanskrit syllables: "gu," meaning darkness, and "ru," meaning remover.
A guru is one who dispels the darkness of ignorance, leading the learner towards insight and understanding.
In today's world, gurus are not limited to spiritual teachers alone. They are also found in classrooms, laboratories, studios and clinics. A school teacher who inspires a student to ask questions, a mentor who guides through uncertainty, or a coach who instills discipline — each embodies the spirit of the guru.
Guru Purnima is a reminder that while the form of teaching may evolve, its essence remains unchanged. The role of a teacher is not only to instruct but also to transform.
Rituals that reflect gratitude
Guru Purnima is observed through a variety of practices that reflect deep respect and devotion. These include:
Guru puja
: Offerings of flowers, lamps, and prayers are made to living teachers or symbolic representations of them.
Paduka puja
: The worship of a teacher's sandals or footprints as a gesture of humility and reverence.
Chanting and meditation
: Recitation of sacred texts such as the Guru Gita or the Guru Stotram, and meditation sessions guided by spiritual leaders.
Acts of service (Seva)
: Offering time, effort, or resources to community service, education or spiritual causes in honour of one's teacher.
In modern schools and institutions, the day may be marked by messages of gratitude, special assemblies, or reflective activities where students acknowledge the impact their teachers have made in their lives.
These rituals, whether traditional or adapted, serve a single purpose — to remind both student and teacher that the bond between them is sacred.
The teacher's role in the present
Teachers today face new challenges and possibilities. Digital learning, shifting curricula, and diverse student needs have expanded the classroom beyond walls. Yet the heart of teaching remains the same.
Whether guiding a first-grader through language, a teenager through uncertainty, or a researcher through complexity, a true teacher offers more than solutions.
A true teacher opens the door for others to think, to reflect, and to grow.
Guru Purnima is not a day of personal praise but of professional purpose. It invites educators to recommit to their role not only as instructors but as mentors who cultivate character, resilience, and wisdom.
The student's responsibility
While Guru Purnima honours the teacher, it also calls upon the student. To learn is a gift, but to apply what is learned with integrity is the true offering a student can make.
The path of learning is not always smooth. Doubt, failure, and confusion often accompany it. But with every question asked sincerely, and every lesson practiced faithfully, the student not only grows but honours the one who taught them.
Guru Purnima reminds learners that their progress is the teacher's legacy, and that knowledge becomes meaningful only when used for good.
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