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Guru Purnima 2008: Toronto

Āṣāḍha Pūrṇimā: the full moon on which every disciple honors the Guru lineage

📍 Toronto, Ontario, Canada
‹ 2008 ›
Guru Purnima · Vyāsa Pūjā · 2008
📍 Toronto, Ontario, Canada
July 17, 2008
Āṣāḍha Pūrṇimā: honor your Guru on this day
Timings for Toronto

Pūrṇimā Timings

Sunrise
Jul/17/2008 05:53:57
Sunset
Jul/17/2008 20:54:20
Moonrise
Jul/17/2008 20:51:29
Moonset
Jul/17/2008 04:49:40
Pūrṇimā Span

When the Full Moon Tithi Begins and Ends

🌅 Previous Sunrise
Jul 16, 2008
05:53:03
🌕 Pūrṇimā Begins
Jul 17, 2008
02:20:09
🌗 Pūrṇimā Ends
Jul 18, 2008
03:59:04
🌅 Next Sunrise
Jul 18, 2008
05:54:53
What is Guru Purnima?

The Full Moon Dedicated to All Gurus

Guru Purnima falls on the full moon (Pūrṇimā) of the Āṣāḍha month, typically in June or July. It is the single most sacred day in the Hindu guru-disciple tradition, observed across all lineages, from Vedic Śrotriya Brahmin households to Śaiva, Vaiṣṇava, Śākta, Jain, and Buddhist sanghas.

On this day, disciples perform Vyāsa Pūjā (literally "worship of Vyāsa") honoring Maharishi Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana Vyāsa, the great compiler of the Vedas, narrator of the Mahābhārata, and author of the eighteen Mahāpurāṇas. Tradition holds that Vyāsa was born on this very Āṣāḍha Pūrṇimā, making it both his birthday and the occasion for gratitude to all teachers across time.

गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णुः गुरुर्देवो महेश्वरः ।
गुरुः साक्षात् परं ब्रह्म तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥
gurur-brahmā gurur-viṣṇuḥ gurur-devo maheśvaraḥ |
guruḥ sākṣāt paraṃ brahma tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ ||
"The Guru is Brahmā, the Guru is Viṣṇu, the Guru is the great Lord Śiva. The Guru is verily the Supreme Brahman itself, to that revered Guru I bow."
Guru Stotram, attributed to Śaṅkarācārya

Beyond the personal guru-disciple bond, Guru Purnima commemorates the day the Ādi Guru (Śiva as Dakṣiṇāmūrti) first imparted the knowledge of Yoga to the Saptaṛṣis (Seven Sages), and the day the Buddha delivered his first teaching (Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta) to his five disciples at Sarnath after his enlightenment.

How to Observe

Tradition & Practice

🙏
Vyāsa Pūjā
Worship Maharishi Vyāsa and your own Guru, living or departed. Offer flowers, lamp, incense, and dakṣiṇā. Recite the Guru Stotram and Vyāsa Stuti. Visit your Guru's āśrama or maṭha if possible.
📖
Scriptural Reading
Read or listen to the Guru Gītā (from the Skanda Purāṇa), the Brahma Sūtras, or any chapter of the Mahābhārata. Traditional households begin a month-long study of a chosen text on this day.
🪔
Āṣāḍha Pūrṇimā Vrata
Many devotees observe an all-day fast (or ekabhukta, single meal), take a holy bath before sunrise, and recite the Viṣṇu Sahasranāma or Śiva Pañcākṣarī. Sattvic food is offered to the Guru and then received as prasāda.
🌕
Significance of the Moon
Āṣāḍha Pūrṇimā falls in the peak monsoon season (Cāturmāsa begins the next day). The full moon is regarded as especially spiritually charged: it is the Guru's eye looking upon the world, and gazing at the moon on this night is itself a form of worship.
☸️
Buddhist Observance
Dhamma Day (Āsāḷha Pūjā): the Buddha's first discourse at Sarnath. Theravāda Buddhists observe the start of Vassa (Rains Retreat) the following full moon. A shared full moon, a shared tradition of the teacher's gift.
🧘
Yoga & Vedānta Tradition
In Yoga lineages, this is the day Śiva as Ādi Yogi became the first Guru. Āśramas worldwide hold intensive satsangs, Guru Pūjā, and initiation ceremonies. The Ramakrishna Mission and Chinmaya Mission observe it with the same depth as ancient maṭhas.
Auspicious Timings

Chogadia Muhurta

Chogadia From To
Chal Jul/17/2008 11:54:06 Jul/17/2008 13:24:09
Labh Jul/17/2008 13:24:09 Jul/17/2008 15:16:42
Shubh Jul/17/2008 19:01:47 Jul/17/2008 20:54:20
Amrit Jul/17/2008 20:54:20 Jul/17/2008 22:01:54
Chal Jul/17/2008 22:01:54 Jul/17/2008 23:09:28
Labh Jul/18/2008 01:24:36 Jul/18/2008 02:32:10
Shubh Jul/18/2008 03:39:44 Jul/18/2008 04:47:19
Amrit Jul/18/2008 04:47:19 Jul/18/2008 05:54:53
Gowri Panchangam
Day
Sugam Jul/17/2008 07:46:30 – Jul/17/2008 09:39:03
Uthi Jul/17/2008 11:54:06 – Jul/17/2008 13:24:09
Amridha Jul/17/2008 13:24:09 – Jul/17/2008 15:16:42
Labham Jul/17/2008 19:01:47 – Jul/17/2008 20:54:20
Night
Amridha Jul/17/2008 20:54:20 – Jul/17/2008 22:01:54
Labham Jul/18/2008 00:17:02 – Jul/18/2008 01:24:36
Dhanam Jul/18/2008 01:24:36 – Jul/18/2008 02:32:10
Sugam Jul/18/2008 02:32:10 – Jul/18/2008 03:39:44
Uthi Jul/18/2008 04:47:19 – Jul/18/2008 05:54:53
📅
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