Today marks Ashadh Purnima according to the lunar calendar, a significant day for the Hindu community, particularly the Maithil people of the Mithila region in Madhesh Province. Devotees are celebrating Guru Purnima, a festival dedicated to honoring their gurus (teachers) with profound respect and gratitude.
The ancient Mithila region observes this festival with great fervor, paying homage to gurus who impart wisdom through Gayatri, initiation, and Vedic mantras on Ashadh Purnima. The tradition of celebrating Guru Purnima in Mithila, the land renowned for sages like Ashtavakra, Yajnavalkya, Rajarshi Janak, and scholars Gargi and Maitreyi, holds deep cultural and spiritual significance.
In Mithila, followers of the traditional Gurukul education system express their gratitude to their teachers by offering new clothes, jewelry, and delicious meals. The festival has significantly increased the hustle and bustle in local markets, with people purchasing garments, sweets, and fruits for their gurus. Religious institutions are also organizing special programs, including discourses and guru pujas.
In Matihani, Mahottari, students, disciples, and saints have been busy since morning with guru puja at the 305-year-old Yajnavalkya LaXminarayan Bidyapeeth (Sanskrit Campus) and the revered Shree Laxminarayan Math. Principal Ishwori Paudel of the Royal Sanskrit Secondary School in Matihani explained the etymology of the word ‘guru’ in Sanskrit, where ‘gu’ means darkness and ‘ru’ means light, symbolizing the guru’s role in dispelling ignorance with the light of knowledge.
Dr. Rajendra Prasad Bimal, a renowned literary figure from Mithila, emphasized the Eastern philosophical and scriptural tradition of revering gurus as Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwar, the trinity of Hindu gods. He cited the verse:
“गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णु गुरुर्देवो महेश्वरः।
गुरुः साक्षात् परब्रह्म तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः।”
Dr. Bimal highlighted that the celebration of Guru Purnima is rooted in the veneration of sage Krishna Dvaipayana Vyas, the author of major Hindu epics and scriptures, who is believed to have been born on Ashadh Purnima. This tradition underscores the importance of teachers who illuminate the path of knowledge.
Elderly Maithil residents, such as 85-year-old linguist and former administrator Maheshwar Rai of Jaleshwar-6, Bakhari, echoed the sentiment that the festival teaches gratitude towards teachers, akin to the reverence for one’s parents in the Sanatan Hindu Vedic tradition, encapsulated in the phrase ‘Acharya Devo Bhava.’ Rai stated that Guru Purnima enhances social, cultural, and traditional values by fostering respect for esteemed individuals and moral conduct.
