Guru Purnima day - which celebrates the ancient Indian tradition of the Guru-disciple relationship - holds a special place in the hearts of those on the spiritual path, including devotees of Gurudeva Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda (who are lesson students of Yogoda Satsanga Society of India or YSS).
This year, Guru Purnima was celebrated on July 27 at YSS Delhi and Gurugram Kendras with prabhat feri and group meditation in the morning. Owing to a heavy downpour on that day, prabhat feri could not be executed in the traditional manner of carrying the palanquin with Guruji's picture around the vicinity at YSS Delhi Kendra. Nonetheless, devotees sang bhajans to celebrate the morning tradition differently. The evening group meditation led by devotee volunteers from 5 to 7 pm drew local devotees who joined the chanting of bhajans with fervour and offered pushpanjali, leaving with halwa received as prasad.
On July 29, 2018, special commemorative programmes were held at both the Kendras to celebrate Guru Purnima in an elaborate way.
YSS Delhi Kendra
Received by the welcoming sight and pleasing fragrance of floral decorations adorning the Delhi Kendra, devotees made their way to the commemorative Sunday programme inside the building and pandal arrangement outside it to celebrate Guru Purnima on July 29 in the capital.
Beginning his satsanga with a prayer and chanting, Swami Ishwaranandaji led the devotees into a period of meditation that lasted around 40 minutes, to help them interiorize and absorb the vibrations of peace and joy felt by all those present. Following this, Swamiji gave a satsanga where he spoke on the importance of Guru in the lives of the devotees and the real meaning of offering shraddhanjali to the Guru.
Explaining the Sanskrit root of the word Guru, with Gu meaning darkness, and Ru meaning light, Swamiji said that the Guru was thus understood as the dispeller of darkness. It’s the Guru who brings us from darkness to light. It has been mentioned in our scriptures that Guru is the trinity the Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwar.
Guru is the speaking voice of the silent God. Guru is one who takes a lot of pain to lower his soul consciousness from God to human.
Guru is unfathomable, Kabir says that there is absolutely no difference between God and Guru.
Swamiji also said that Guru is the motherly form of God, our beloved Gurudeva has expressed his fond love for his own guru, and our paramguru Swami Sri Yukteswarji that all his prayers to God had been answered through getting a sadguru in the form of Swami Sri Yukteswarji.
Over the innumerable incarnations that we have all taken and our ardent desire for God is fulfilled when God sends us a sadguru, hence we should not take it for granted that we are so blessed to have Gurudeva in our lives. Guru is fully awakened God who is trying to awaken our consciousness to increase our desire for the divine.
Swamiji mentioned several stories which not only elucidated the importance of this occasion but also kept the audience enthralled.
Guru Nanakji once had gone to Mecca where he was asked by one of the fakirs, as to which temple is the best temple, to which Nanakji replied that one’s body is the best temple in which God resides, hence one needs to find God internally not externally.
The clutches of maya (delusion) are so intense that even God cannot get away from it. Lord Krishna once tried to experience maya and he got into the body of a sow. He soon forgot who he was and became so engrossed in enjoying the bliss of motherhood of taking care of the little piglets that she had borne. Ages passed by and Naaradji kept waiting for the Lord to come back. It was only once he came to see Krishna on earth did he realise that he was fully imprisoned by maya, Naarad had to kill the sow to get Krishna back to his consciousness.
For we as devotees its important to pay tribute to our beloved Gurudeva. The only true tribute that we can pay to our ever alive Gurudeva is by aligning ourselves to him more and more and letting him work our own salvation.
Touching the feet of our gurudeva internally elevates our consciousness immediately. One grain of sand of Gurudeva’s feet can become the bridge to cross over the ocean of life and death to reach our God.
On this divine occasion, Swamiji urged devotees to promise to our line of Gurus to be more sincere towards the Yogoda techniques taught to us by our Gurudevs to attain God-realisation. We must aspire to reach God in this lifetime.
Swamiji also shared a few selected quotations of each of our Gurus to keep us encouraged in our daily chores to find God, one of these being Gurudeva Sri Sri Paramahansa Yoganandaji's quote: "Eeverything else can wait but our search for God cannot wait."
Pushpanjali and bhajans marked an apt closure to this divine Guru Purnima satsanga which was attended by over 600 devotees. They were served Guru Langar in the pandal outside the Kendra building.
YSS Gurugram Kendra
At YSS Gurugram Kendra, celebration of Guru Purnima day on July 27 began early in the morning with the practice of Yogoda technique of Energization Exercises. This was followed by group meditation from 5.45 am to 7 am. Guruji's palanquin was carried by devotees in the prabhat feri from 7 am to 7.30 am, after which breakfast was served. Around 30 devotees participated in these programmes. In the evening, devotee leaders conducted meditation and pushpanjali from 5 pm to 7 pm which was attended by 62 devotees. Guruji’s bhajans were sung by devotees with deep devotion during pushpanjali.
On July 29, a special programme was conducted in the morning to celebrate Guru Purnima in an elaborate way, where devotees had gathered together to pay their respect to Gurudeva Sri Sri Paramahansa Yoganandaji.
The satsanga was conducted by Brahmachari Vinayanandaji. He began with a prayer and the cosmic chant 'I will sing Thy name.' It was followed by a group meditation of nearly 40 minutes.
Beginning his talk by reading out the letter sent by YSS/SRF President Swami Chidanandaji on the occasion of Guru Purnima, Brahmachariji took the attendees through several anecdotes and stories from the Autobiography of a Yogi to share the importance of a Guru in the life of a disciple - such as the meeting between Mahavatar Babaji and Sri Sri Lahiri Mahasaya where Babaji tells Lahiri Mahsaya that he had been watching over him for incarnations.
The programme closed with aarati and pushpanjali. Devotees received prasad from Brahmachariji and proceeded to partake of the Guru Langar.
To read the other Guru Purnima reports, click here.
