Guru Poorinima 2015

Dear IL Sai devotees,

||Gurur Brahmaa Gurur Vishnu
Gurur DevoMaheshwarah
Guru SaakshaataParabrahma
Tasmai Shri GuruveNamah||



This year Guru Poornima falls on Friday 31[SUP]st[/SUP] July, 2015 (tomorrow).

The Poornima (Full Moon) Day in the month of Ashadha (July-August) is known as Guru Poornima. This is a very sacred day on which special worship is performed to the Acharyas (Gurus), who, through their Infinite compassion and supreme grace, have imparted the knowledge of the Absolute (Brahma Vidya) through a long and continuous line of Acharyas (Guru Parampara) to all the Seekers of the Self.

Guru Poornima is the day on which disciples and devotees honour and felicitate their Guru and seek his special blessings. Guru Poornima as a festival originated in the Buddha’s time when the monks used to take diksha (instructions on their spiritual practice) at the beginning of the rainy season. Hindu Purana says that the practice of respecting or worshiping ‘Guru’ on this day specially, started at the time of Veda Vyasa.

Significance of Guru Poornima Day.

The human soul, even though initiated in the spiritual path, many times may not be able to love an abstract power; and it is for this reason that the scriptures advise us to venerate those who lead us to God and to love their physical presence as the Divine manifesting itself in human form. The Guru's physical body is just a receptacle of the mighty Divine, and as such worthy of the utmost devotion and reverence.

God as the abstract Creator eludes our imagination, but when a human temple enshrines divinity, we begin to understand through this familiar medium the purpose of our own ultimate destiny. Thus, when God assumes a human form, He establishes Himself as the Guru. Guru is manifested God- this is perhaps the most succinct and satisfying definition of the word, and eliminates the false claims of some so-called Gurus who are ready to assume the mantle of spiritual authority without the true manifestation of the divine principle.

The Guru as manifested God soon becomes the Light, the inspiration and the great exemplar. The life of the average seeker, as it is lived on the material and physical level, is barren and unproductive until it finds its focus in the Master. It requires the grace, protection and the powerful push of the Guru to release this imprisoned splendour which lies captive in each and every one of us.
The Guru and God are one because the Almighty and His medium of manifestation cannot be different. The Guru embodies not only the Saguna (characteristics) but also the Nirguna (quality) of the Supreme Being, and so to that extent the Guru is approachable and accessible to man's needs and comprehension.

Millions and millions of devotees have for various reasons consider Shirdi Sai Baba as their Guru. He gave comfort to anyone who went to Dwarkamai in Shirdi in search of solution to spiritual or material problem. To a true devotee of any God or any other Guru who came to Dwarkamai Baba gave darshan of the devotee’s God or Guru sitting where Baba was seated.

Baba said," “Trust your guru completely. That is enough. There is no need for the six sastras or the four sadhanas.”

Celebration of Guru Poornima Day in Shirdi:

The celebration of Guru Poornima began in Shirdi around 1908. Sai Baba asserted the significance of this day indirectly. One day Baba told his disciple Shri Dada Kelkar, "Do you know this day is the day to approach Gurus? Bring your worship articles". Then Shri Kelkar and his friends looked up the calendar and found that the day was Guru Poornima day. They started worshipping Shri Sai Baba as their Guru, and that practice has continued till today not only in Shirdi but all over the world where prayers are offered to Shri Sai..Also in 1908, Tatyasaheb Noolkar came to Shirdi and stayed in Chavadi. One day Baba told Madhavrao to tell him to worship that post (pillar). The post Baba showed was near the Dhuni and Baba used to lean on it. That was the day when he was glad to have chance to worship at least the post in Masjid. Then Madhavrao Deshpande went into the Masjid. Baba told him to worship the same post along with Noolkar. But Madhavrao refused and instead requested to allow him to worship Baba himself. At last Baba gave permission. Thus this Puja was started at Baba’s time and now has taken form of Festival lasting for three days.

This year GURU POORNIMA being celebrated from July 31[SUP]th[/SUP] 2015 at Shirdi Sai Sanasthan.

How does one celebrate Guru Poornima?

Guru Poornima is celebrated by devotees by performing Guru Pooja (offering prayers to the Guru) to our Lord Shri Sai Baba. Each Sai Devotee can either perform the Sai Guru Pooja(prayer) at home or attend a Sai Guru Pooja or sponsor a Sai Guru Pooja being performed at a Sai temple by offering donation or other articles used in Pooja(Pooja samagri).
One can attend a bhajan or visit a Sai Mandir where ever possible. For those of us who do not have the fortune of visiting a Sai temple or attending a Bhajan, we can do Pooja at home with reciting whatever Sloka or Bhajan for Sai with offering Prasasadam and Aarthi with family. Humming songs about Sai or repeating Sai slokams or SaiNama would be a good way to spend Guru Poornima day. Reading atleast one chapter of your choice of Shirdi Sai Satcharita would bring peace and happiness to home.

I wish All IL Sai Devotees, a great and devoted celebration of Guru Poornima and be blessed by our beloved Baba.

May our Satchidananda Sarguru Sainath Maharaj bless all of us on this special occasion, be with us and guide us.

Thank you Baba for the blessings showered upon us.

 

Dear IL Sisters,

Today, being Guru Poornima, I had special prayers and puja for Satchidananda SadGuru Sai Baba with His blessings.

The puja was performed with usual prayers, Sai Ashototram and neivedyam for our Guru- Sai Baba.

View attachment 221634


I also performed Parayan of Chapter 32 and 33 of Shri Sai Satcharita as part of Guru Poornima Prayers.

I also specially prayed for all our beloved TTC sisters, their families and other IL sisters for whom I pray every Thursday.

It is always an experience of peace and bliss to perform the Puja, Parayan and Aarthi for dear Baba.

May Baba bless us all .

Om Shri Sai Bhakthavana Samarthayaya Namaha- Humble salutation to the one who has the power to protect His devotees.

 

Dear @joylokhi,

Thanks for your nice response. You are lucky to be able to go to Baba's temple on Thursday. I miss my Thursday Bhajan's in a temple as the nearest Sai temple is quite far off from where I live.

Hope you had a good darshan and may have an opportunity to go again on Guru Poornima.

May Baba shower His blessings on you and your family.

Om Shri Sai Aarogya Kshemadhaya Namaha- Humble salutation to the one who grants health, happiness and security.

 

Anbu Magal @meenueash,

Thanks for your post on Guru Poornima. I was waiting for it!

Today all of you were there in my special prayers to dear Baba. I am sure you are doing doubly fine!!

May Baba bless you and your family as always.

Om Shri Sai Antaryamine Namaha- Humble salutation to the one who dwells in the subconscious of His devotees.

 

Dear DD @sangeethakripa,



Nice to have your feed back in this thread. Hope you had a good puja today.

May Sai Baba shower His blessings on you and your family.

Om Shri Sai Abedhananda Anubhava Pradhaya Namaha- Humble salutation to Him who grants undivided bliss.