Guru Poornima 2009

The festival of Guru Poornima is traditionally celebrated on the day of full moon in the month of Ashadh of the Hindu calendar. Guru Poornima (which falls this year on Tuesday, July 7th) is the day on which the Guru is revered by devotees. Sri Dakshinamurti is an aspect of Lord Siva as the primordial master, the personification of ultimate awareness, understanding and knowledge. At Arunachala the manifestation of Lord Siva as Dakshinamurti is celebrated as the ‘silent Guru’. 

Lord Siva and His Worship 

During the absence of Devi, when Lord Siva was alone, the sons of Brahma, who are sages Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana and Sanatkumara, came to have Darshan of Lord Siva and prostrated before Him. They entreated the Lord to teach them the way to remove avidya and attain salvation. They expressed that in spite of the vast study of scriptures they had no internal peace and they were in need of learning the inner secrets, by knowing which they could attain salvation. 

Lord Siva, hearing this appeal made by the sages, assumed the form of Dakshinamurti and remaining as the Guru Supreme, began to teach them the inner secrets by keeping Mouna and showing the “chinmudra” by His hand. The sages began to meditate on the lines shown by the Lord and attained the state of inexpressible and illimitable joy. Thus Lord Siva came to be known as Dakshinamurti. 

[By Swami Sivananada]

Ramana Maharshi: Lectures may entertain individuals for a few hours without improving them. Silence on the other hand is permanent and benefits the whole of humanity. 

Devotee: But silence is not understood. 

Ramana Maharshi: It does not matter. By silence, eloquence is meant. Oral lectures are not so eloquent as silence. Silence is unceasing eloquence. The Primal Master, Dakshinamurti, is the ideal. He taught his Rishi disciples by silence. 

Devotee: But then there were disciples for Him. It was all right. Now it is different. They must be sought after and helped. 

Ramana Maharshi: That is a sign of ignorance. The power which created you has created the world. If it can take care of you, it can similarly take care of the world also. 

[Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi] 

Sri Dakshinamurti Stotram

"Whose luminosity is existence itself, entering all objects which are non-existent, as it were, shines forth; who instructs those who seek refuge in him that they are that supreme reality, as in the scriptural text; by realising whom these will occur no more entry into the ocean of transmigration of the soul, the one who is the Lord incarnate as the preceptor, in physical form, be this adoration."

“The guru is Brahma, the guru is Vishnu, the guru is the Great God Shiva. The guru is the Supreme Being right before one's very eyes. To that guru do I reverently bow.”