Guru Purnima | Pranams to the feet of all my Gurus | CA Pavan Kumar

GURU POORNIMA

Guru Purnima (Poornima) is a spiritual tradition dedicated to spiritual and academic Gurus, who are evolved or enlightened humans, ready to share their wisdom with their disciples and students. It is celebrated as a festival in India, Nepal and Bhutan to revere their chosen spiritual and academic teachers’ and express their gratitude. This is celebrated on the full moon day (Purnima) in Ashadha month. 

The GURU

Guru Sishya parampara is considered to be the most significant aspect of academic and spiritual system. The word Guru is derived from two words, gu and ru. The Sanskrit root gu means darkness or ignorance, and ru denotes the remover of that darkness. Therefore, a Guru is one who removes the darkness of our ignorance. Gurus are believed by many to be the most necessary part of life. On this day, disciples offer pooja (worship) or pay respect to their present and past teachers and scholars. 

The Custom

Before starting the day, for a student, it is customary to offer respects to the teachers, preachers and saints of his family creed. This is known as Guru stuthi or acharya vandanam. it is in our vaishnava sampradayam to respect our acharyas from the oldest to the most recent ones chronologically in the below mentioned hymns or slokas.
The auspicious mantra recited and chanted on teacher’s day and Guru Purnima is

"Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Guru Devo Maheshwara;

Guru Sakshat Param Brahma, Tasmai Shri Guravay Namah".

Meaning

Guru Brahma - Guru is Brahma, who is the Lord of Creation, also called as Generator,
Guru Vishnu means Guru is Vishnu (Vishnu is the Lord who is called organizer),
Guru Devo Maheshwarah means Guru is the Maheshwara (Shiva or the destroyer),
Guru Sakshat Parabrahma means Parbrahma viz. the supreme god or almighty.
Since Guru leads to a path of light, Guru is that Para Brahma.
Tasmai Shree Guruve Namah means we bow to that Guru the guru referred to earlier.

Thus Guru is the embodiment of Para Brahma, the ultimate Godhead.

On this holy moment, I take the privilege of touching the feet of my Gurus who bestowed and showered their knowledge on to me and made me a Samidha in the process of learning and teaching. Where would I be, had I not been blessed by the dust of all these gurus. My sincere pranams to all. I acknowledge all my gurus with a special mention to the ones given below (in the order of their appearance in my beautiful journey called life)

1) My mother, father, sisters, friends who guided and helped me to choose between right & wrong and good & bad.
2) My Students (While teaching I learn and while learning I teach)
3) Shri. M P Vijay Kumar (My CA Final teacher and mentor from the day I met him till today)
4) Shri. G. Siva Rama Krishna Prasad (My principal during articleship, who taught much more than just audits and practice)
5) Shri. Parsa Raha (My spiritual Guru who has become the path when I lost everything but hope and one of the strongest reasons for my comeback and to stand on the position again as a teacher)
6) Shri. Saravana Prasath (My CA Final teacher and inspired me to get ranks in CA CMA)
7) Late Shri. Rajeshwar (My CA Final teacher, who inspired me to become a teacher)
8) Shri. Maruthi & Shri. Sridhar (My teachers during CA Inter)
9) Shri. Uma Shankar, Shri. Narasimha Rao, Shri. Srinivasa Rao (My teachers during college)
10) Shri. Kodanda Rama Rao, Smt. Sarada and Sri. Anjaneyulu (My teachers during schooling)

Srisailesa dayapatram, dhii baktyaadi gunaarnavam
Yatiindra pravanam, vande Ramyajaa maataram muniim

Meaning

First verse is in respect of Manavala mamuni also known as Manavala Mamunigal who is a great sage. He took birth to complete the work that is left behind by Sri Ramanujacharya, who lived only 120 years instead of 200 years. So, Manavala took birth and completed all the works of spreading illumination to people. It is said that this verse was rendered by Lord Ranganatha Swamy himself in appreciation of the deep knowledge and contributions of Manavala Mamunigal.

• Srisailesha refers to his Guru or Acharya.

• Sisailesha dayapatram means the grace of teacher or Guru and God's own grace.

• It is further said that manavala muni has the qualities of wisdom and devotion ( dhibhaktyadi gunarnavam).

• Yatindra pravanam means that he has unparallel attachment to yatindrar ie., Sri Ramanuja achariyar. He is closely attached to Ramanujacharya. So, God in the form of child says that He is bowing to such great Ramyajamatru muni

• Vande means bowing to

• Ramyajamatru muni is another name of Manavala Mamuni.

Laxmiinaatha samaarambham, Naathayaa muni madhyamaam

Asmadaachaarya paryamtaam vande guru paramparaam

Meaning

• we are bowing to all the lineage of gurus starting from God and
• with Naatha muni and
• Yaamuna muni in the middle order and
• upto until our present teacher.