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Guru Purnima 2019: London

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

📍 London, England, United Kingdom
‹ 2019 ›
Guru Purnima · Vyāsa Pūjā · 2019
📍 London, England, United Kingdom
July 16, 2019
Āṣāḍha Pūrṇimā: honor your Guru on this day
Timings for London

Pūrṇimā Timings

Sunrise
Jul/16/2019 05:04:16
Sunset
Jul/16/2019 21:09:36
Moonrise
Jul/16/2019 21:05:47
Moonset
Jul/16/2019 04:24:53
Pūrṇimā Span

When the Full Moon Tithi Begins and Ends

🌅 Previous Sunrise
Jul 15, 2019
05:03:05
🌕 Pūrṇimā Begins
Jul 15, 2019
21:18:19
🌗 Pūrṇimā Ends
Jul 16, 2019
22:38:05
🌅 Next Sunrise
Jul 17, 2019
05:05:29
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
Labh Jul/16/2019 11:06:16 Jul/16/2019 13:06:56
Labh Jul/16/2019 22:09:05 Jul/16/2019 23:08:34
Shubh Jul/17/2019 00:08:03 Jul/17/2019 01:07:32
Amrit Jul/17/2019 01:07:32 Jul/17/2019 02:07:01
Chal Jul/17/2019 02:07:01 Jul/17/2019 03:06:30
Gowri Panchangam
Day
Labham Jul/16/2019 07:04:56 – Jul/16/2019 08:17:20
Sugam Jul/16/2019 11:06:16 – Jul/16/2019 13:06:56
Uthi Jul/16/2019 15:07:36 – Jul/16/2019 17:08:16
Amridha Jul/16/2019 19:08:56 – Jul/16/2019 21:09:36
Night
Uthi Jul/16/2019 22:09:05 – Jul/16/2019 23:08:34
Amridha Jul/17/2019 00:08:03 – Jul/17/2019 01:07:32
Labham Jul/17/2019 02:07:01 – Jul/17/2019 03:06:30
Dhanam Jul/17/2019 03:06:30 – Jul/17/2019 04:06:00
Sugam Jul/17/2019 04:06:00 – Jul/17/2019 05:05:29

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