Guru Purnima 2027
गुरु पूर्णिमाGuru Purnima, the Ashadha full moon, honours teachers and Veda Vyasa, born on this day; Shiva as Adiyogi is also remembered as the first guru.
Next: Sunday, 18 July 2027
Quick answer
Guru Purnima 2027 falls on Sunday, 18 July 2027 (Ashadha Purnima). In 2026 it fell on Wednesday, 29 July 2026.
Dates follow the Delhi panchang and can shift by a day in your region, so confirm the muhurat with a local panchang.
Guru Purnima 2027 falls on Sunday, 18 July, the full moon of Ashadha. It is the day to honour the guru, the teacher who removes darkness (“gu”) with light (“ru”), and it is also Vyasa Purnima, the birthday of the sage Veda Vyasa, who is traditionally credited with dividing the Vedas, composing the Mahabharata and compiling the Puranas. Students, disciples and spiritual seekers across India and beyond offer gratitude to their teachers on this day.
Guru Purnima 2027 date
Guru Purnima 2027 is on Sunday, 18 July 2027 (Ashadha Purnima). In 2026 it fell on Wednesday, 29 July. A penumbral lunar eclipse falls on the night of 18 July 2027; it is faint and, by tradition, carries no sutak.
Why Guru Purnima is celebrated
Tradition holds that Vyasa was born on Ashadha Purnima to the sage Parashara and Satyavati. Because he arranged the single Veda into four, he is called Veda Vyasa, “the divider of the Veda”, and he is regarded as the first guru of the Vedic tradition, which is why the day carries his name. The Bhagavad Gita, which forms part of his Mahabharata, is itself a dialogue between teacher and student.
The yogic tradition adds that on this full moon Shiva, as Adiyogi, the first yogi, began teaching the seven sages (Saptarishis), becoming the Adi Guru. Buddhist tradition remembers it as the day the Buddha gave his first sermon at Sarnath. Each story points to the same truth: knowledge reaches us through a teacher.
How Guru Purnima is observed
- Guru puja: disciples visit their guru or ashram, wash or touch the guru’s feet, and offer flowers, fruit and gifts.
- Vyasa puja: monastic orders worship Vyasa and begin Chaturmas, the four-month rainy-season retreat.
- Study and silence: many read the Gita or their tradition’s texts, meditate and fast.
- Thanks to teachers: students honour school teachers, music and dance gurus and parents as first teachers.
The meaning of Guru Purnima
Guru Purnima is a day of humility and thanks. The full moon, which shines with light it receives from the Sun, is an apt image of a student who reflects the teacher’s light. See the year’s festivals on the Hindu festival calendar.
Frequently asked questions
When is Guru Purnima in 2027?
Guru Purnima 2027 is on Sunday, 18 July, the full moon of Ashadha.
Why is Guru Purnima also called Vyasa Purnima?
Because tradition holds that Veda Vyasa, who divided the Vedas and composed the Mahabharata, was born on this full moon.
What does the word guru mean?
Gu means darkness and ru means the one who removes it, so the guru is one who removes ignorance.
Aartis for the day
Sources and further reading
- Bhagavad Gita, Gita Supersite (IIT Kanpur)
- The Mahabharata, K. M. Ganguli translation (Sacred Texts)
- Hindu festival dates 2026 (Samvat panchang calendar)
- Hindu festival dates 2027 (Samvat panchang calendar)
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