Guru Devo Bhava

RAMESHWAR BARAL

Today is full moon day, also known as ‘Ashadh Shukla Purnima’, and this year it is July 3 in the Gregorian calendar.

In Nepal, students celebrate this day offering gift package of flowers, toffees and books to teachers. Teachers’ Day and Guru Purnima is when deep regards and homage are paid

to teachers. This is an ancient tradition. Teachers as per tradition receive the highest

degree of compliments with the Sanatan Vaidic mantra “Guru Devo Bhava /Acharya Devo

Bhava”, both signifying “Teacher is God”. In return, teachers bless their disciples

and shower them with the best of affection.

Veda Vyas is the legendary guru for today’s appreciation, as it is his birth anniversary. The Vedas accredit to his true name because he restructured and improved the Vaidic mantras. Parashar was his father who was also a seer. One midday after Parashar met Matsyagandha (fish smelling) — a ferryman’s daughter, with his divine power he saw Vyas was her son. On that occasion, the girl was working on the riverboat serving the river-crossers around in her father’s absence.

Then Parashar used the power to transform the fish-smelling girl into a full-bloom Satyavati

to conceive her with Vyas.

The sunny hour was but a hurdle to both the sage and Styavati. Here the sage covered the atmosphere with dense fog for visibility loss. And, this is how Vyas came on earth.

As said, the sage Parashar was the first fog-maker to set it later as a part of winter schedule. Amazingly again as soon Vyas was born, he stood up on his legs, carried his placenta on his shoulder and said goodbye to his mother for quiet meditation. One version says Vyas’ meditation venue was the forest while another says it was the Himalayas of Nepal .

The great sage Vyas later wrote the Mahabharat, eighteen Purans and Brahma Sutras. The legend also goes Vyas did not write them himself and rather used god Ganesh who took his dictation. Vyas was fluent in verses as was the god in taking them down in paper. Somewhere when Vyas recited the verses superfast, the god failed in penning them down and used his own phrases to make the masterpiece works difficult.

Today is an auspicious occasion for all learners to honour Veda Vyas. In his eighteen Puranas, he has echoed chiefly two messages: goodness is welfare and badness is evil to others.

Teachers occupy a very respectful position and on this Teacher’s Day they are paid due respects by the pupils. Let this Teacher’s Day strengthen this special sacred bond.